Diet
and Cardiovascular Disease
The
food guide pyramid is a guideline to help you eat
a healthy diet. The food guide pyramid can help
you eat a variety of foods while encouraging
the right amount of calories and fat. The United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the
US Department of Health and Human Services have
prepared the following food pyramid to guide you
in selecting foods.
The
Food Pyramid is divided into 6 colored bands representing
the 5 food groups plus oils:
- Orange represents grains:
Make half the grains consumed each day whole
grains. Whole-grain foods include oatmeal, whole-wheat
flour, whole cornmeal, brown rice, and whole-wheat
bread. Check the food label on processed foods
- the words “whole” or “whole
grain” should be listed before the specific
grain in the product.
- Green represents vegetables:
Vary your vegetables. Choose a variety of vegetables,
including dark green- and orange-colored kinds,
legumes (peas and beans), starchy vegetables,
and other vegetables.
- Red represents fruits:
Focus on fruits. Any fruit or 100 percent fruit
juice counts as part of the fruit group. Fruits
may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and
may be whole, cut-up, or pureed.
- Yellow represents oils:
Know the limits on fats, sugars, and salt (sodium).
Make most of your fat sources from fish, nuts,
and vegetable oils. Limit solid fats like butter,
stick margarine, shortening, and lard, as well
as foods that contain these.
- Blue represents milk:
Get your calcium-rich foods. Milk and milk products
contain calcium and vitamin D, both important
ingredients in building and maintaining bone
tissue.
- Purple represents meat
and beans: Go lean on protein. Choose low fat
or lean meats and poultry. Vary your protein
routine - choose more fish, nuts, seeds, peas,
and beans.
Activity
is also represented on the pyramid by the steps
and the person climbing them, as a reminder of
the importance of daily physical activity.
To
find more information about the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans 2005 and to determine the
appropriate dietary recommendations for your age,
sex, and physical activity level, visit the Online
Resources page for the links to the Food Pyramid
and 2005 Dietary Guidelines sites. Please note
that the Food Pyramid is designed for persons
over the age of two who do not have chronic health
conditions.
Always
consult your physician regarding your healthy
diet and exercise requirements.
Click
here to view the Online
Resources of Cardiovascular Disease
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