Nutrition

Food nourishes the body and gives us the energy to get through each day. Healthy eating is fundamental to good health and is a key element in healthy human development, from the prenatal and early childhood years to later life stages. Healthy eating is equally important in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases. The Food Pyramid does a good job demonstrating how much of each food group you should consume. The base of the pyramid represents the grains. These are carbohydrate-dense foods like bread, cereal, rice, and pasta (6 to 11 servings per day). Vegetables and fruit are the next part of the pyramid (3 to 5 servings per day). The next level is protein, like dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts (2 to 3 servings per day of foods from the milk group and 2 to 3 servings per day of foods from the meat, egg, bean, and nut group). The top level of the pyramid is fats, oils, and sweets; these should be consumed sparingly.