Healthy eating is crucial to weight loss. Having a balanced diet and watching your calories are the keys to reaching your healthy lifestyle goals. ChooseMyPlate.gov is a great resource to help guide you into healthy eating options. According to the website:
MyPlate is a reminder to find your healthy eating style and build it throughout your lifetime. Everything you eat and drink matters. The right mix can help you be healthier now and in the future. This means:
- Focus on variety, amount, and nutrition.
- Choose foods and beverages with less saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.
- Start with small changes to build healthier eating styles.
- Support healthy eating for everyone.
They break apart the food groups into the following sections.
Fruit Group
The fruit group includes any fruit or 100% fruit juice. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed. Serving sizes of fruit include 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit. Learn more about the fruit group here!
Vegetable Group
Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed. What is a serving of vegetables? 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as 1 cup from the Vegetable Group. Learn more about the vegetable group here!
Grains Group
Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products. Learn more about the grains group here!
Proteins Group
All foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the Protein Foods Group. Beans and peas are also part of the Vegetable Group. Learn more about the proteins group!
Dairy Group
All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group. Foods made from milk that retain their calcium content are part of the group. Foods made from milk that have little to no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream, and butter, are not. Learn more about the dairy group!
We hope that this resource helps you to better see what a balanced diet may look like. If you want more help achieving your healthy lifestyle, schedule an appointment with Mediplan Diet today!