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| Start your Diet Profile here... It's FREE! |
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| The Food Groups |
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RICE AND ALTERNATIVES GROUP
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Why are Rice and Alternatives foods important?
These foods provide complex carbohydrates (starches), which are important sources of
energy, especially in low-fat diets.
They also provide vitamins, minerals, and fibre. The Healthy Diet Pyramid suggests
5 to 7 servings of these foods a day.
What counts as a serving?
- 2 slice of bread
- 2 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal
- 1 cup cooked cereal, rice, or noodles
Aren't starchy foods fattening?
No. It's what you add to these foods or cook with them that adds most of the calories.
For example: margarine or butter on bread, oil in frying rice or noodles, and
the extra fat used in making roti. Here are some selection tips:
» To get the fibre you need, choose several
servings a day of foods made from whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and
brown rice.
» Choose most often foods that are made with
little fat or sugars. These include plain rice, bread, chapati, noodles and pasta.
» Baked goods made from flour, such as cakes,
cookies, croissants, and pastries, count as part of this food group, but
they are high in fat and sugars.
» Go easy on the fat and sugars you add as
spreads, seasonings, or toppings.
» When frying rice and noodles or making
roti, use only half the oil.
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FRUIT GROUP
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Why are fruits important?
Fruit and pure fruit juices provide important amounts of vitamins A and C and
potassium. They are low in fat and sodium. The Healthy Diet Pyramid suggests 2
servings of fruits a day.
What counts as a serving?
- a medium apple, banana, or orange
- 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
- 3/4 cup of fruit juice
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Here are some selection tips:
» Choose fresh fruits, fruit juices and
canned or dried fruit. Pass on fruit canned in heavy syrups and sweetened
fruit juices unless you need the extra calories.
» Eat whole fruits more often - they
are higher in fibre than fruit juices.
» Have citrus and yellow-orange flesh
fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, papaya, and mango regularly. They are rich
in vitamin C.
» Count only 100 percent fruit juice as
fruit. Punches, "ades", and most fruit drinks contain only a little juice and lots
of added sugars. Grape and orange sodas do not count as fruit juice.
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| VEGETABLES GROUP |
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Why are vegetables important?
Vegetables provide vitamins, such as vitamins A and C, and folate, and minerals,
such as iron and magnesium. They are naturally low in fat and also provide fibre.
The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 servings of vegetables a day.
What counts as a serving?
- 1 cup of cooked leafy vegetables
- 1/2 cup of non-leafy vegetables, cooked or chopped raw
- 3/4 cup of vegetable juice
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Here are some selection tips:
» Different types of vegetables provide
different nutrients. For variety eat:
- dark-green leafy vegetables (chye sim, spinach, kai lan, bak choy);
- deep-yellow vegetables (carrots, turnip, sweet potatoes);
- starchy vegetables (potatoes, yam, corn, peas);
- legumes (soya beans, lentils, dal, chickpeas);
- other vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green beans)
» Include dark-green leafy vegetables
and legumes several times a week - they are especially good sources of vitamins
and minerals. Legumes also provide protein and can be used in place of meat.
» Go easy on the fat you add to vegetables
after or during cooking. Added spreads or toppings, such as butter, mayonnaise,
and salad dressing, count as fat.
» Use low-fat salad dressing whenever
possible.
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MEATS & ALTERNATIVES GROUP
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Why are Meat and Alternatives important?
Meat, poultry, and fish supply protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc. The other
foods in this group - dry beans, eggs, and nuts - are similar to meats in
providing protein and most vitamins and minerals. The Healthy Diet Pyramid
suggests 2 to 3 servings each day of foods from this group. The total amount of
these servings should be the equivalent of 6 to 9 ounces of cooked lean meat,
poultry, or fish per day or its equivalent.
What counts as a serving?
- Count 2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish as a serving.
A 3-ounce piece of cooked meat is about the size of your palm, or the
amount of meat on a small chicken leg.
- For other foods in this group, count 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or 1/4
cup of nuts and seeds as 1/2 serving. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1
egg count as 1 ounce of meat (about 1/3 serving).
Counting to see if you have an equivalent of 5-9 ounces of cooked lean meat a day
is tricky. Portions sizes vary with the type of food and meal. For example,
6 ounces might come from:
- 1 egg (count as 1 oz. of lean meat) for breakfast;
- 2 oz. of chicken in chicken rice at lunch; and
- a 3 oz. steamed fish for dinner.
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Lean Choices
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CHICKEN
Light & dark meat,
without the skin
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FISH & SHELLFISH Most are low in fat;
those canned in oil are higher
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PORK Chunks/Chops:
Tenderloin
Center Loin
Ham
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BEEF Sliced/Steaks:
Round
Loin
Sirloin
Chuck Arm
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LAMB Chunks/Chops:
Leg
Loin
Fore Shanks
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Here are some selection tips:
» Choose lean meat, poultry without skin,
fish, and dry beans and peas often. They are the lowest fat choices.
» Prepare meats in low fat ways:
- Trim away all the fat you can see.
- Broil, roast, or stew these foods, instead of frying them.
» Go easy on egg yolk; they are high in
cholesterol. Use only one yolk per person in egg dishes. Make larger portions by
adding extra egg whites.
» Nuts and
seeds are high in fat, so eat them in moderation.
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Read the next section for further explanation of
Putting It Together.
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