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Food Serving Sizes in the Food Guide Pyramid

Mar 28, 2011 | By Gianna Rose
Food Serving Sizes in the Food Guide Pyramid
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The Food Guide Pyramid was developed by USDA to illustrate important guidelines for a healthy diet. Until the release of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 2005 it was the government's primary tool for recommending what foods to eat on a regular basis and what foods to limit, and emphasized variety, proportion and moderation. The most recent tool, MyPyramid, presents its guidance in the form of number of cups and ounces of food to consume, but the Food Guide Pyramid advised an ideal number of servings to eat from each food group depending on your daily calorie requirement. Many serving sizes recommended by the USDA in the Food Guide Pyramid are different from the serving sizes listed on the Nutrition Facts labels of foods.

Serving Sizes for the Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta Group

The Food Guide Pyramid recommends six to 11 servings per day from the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group. Each serving is equivalent to 1 oz. One slice of regular bread is considered one serving, so a sandwich made with two slices counts as two servings from this group. Other examples of servings include 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal, 3 cups of popped popcorn, 1/2 cup of cooked rice and a 6-inch flour tortilla. The Food Guide Pyramid pasta serving size is ½ cup cooked. It is important to note the difference when compared to the serving size on the label, which is 1 cup cooked.

Serving Sizes from the Fruit Group

The Food Guide Pyramid advises eating two to four servings of fruit per day. A serving is equal to 1/2 cup. This serving size is based on typical portion size and easy recognition, even though the nutritional content of different fruits varies, to make the pyramid easy to follow, the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion says. A medium apple, banana or orange, 1/2 cup of chopped, canned or cooked fruit and 1/4 cup of dried fruit are each considered one serving.

Serving Sizes for the Vegetable Group

Three to five daily servings of vegetables are recommended by the Food Guide Pyramid. One serving equals 1/2 cup for both cooked vegetables and chopped raw vegetables. For leafy raw vegetables, such as lettuce or spinach, 1 cup equals one serving. A serving of vegetable juice is equal to 3/4 cup.

Serving Sizes for the Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group

The milk, yogurt and cheese group provides calcium, the mineral required for bone and tooth health. The Food Guide Pyramid recommends two servings per day for most people, and three servings for pregnant or breastfeeding women, teenagers and adults up to age 24. Serving sizes in this group all contain the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk, according to the CNPP. Examples of serving sizes in this group include 1 cup of milk, 8 oz. of yogurt, 1-1/2 oz. of natural cheese and 2 oz. of processed cheese.

Serving Sizes for the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, & Nuts Group

Eating two to three servings per day from the fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group is advised by the Food Guide Pyramid. The total daily amount should be equal to 5 to 7 ounces of cooked meat, fish or poultry. One egg, 2 tbsp. of peanut butter and 1/2 cup of cooked beans are considered equal to 1 oz. of meat because they provide approximately the same protein content, according to the USDA.

Serving Sizes for the Fats, Oils and Sweets Group

Items included in the fats, oils and sweets group should be used sparingly. Items from this group include cream, butter, salad dressings, sugars, candy, and soft drinks. The Food Guide Pyramid recommends limiting fat to 30 percent of all calories eaten daily, with half coming from the suggested foods and half from discretionary fat added to the diet.

References

Article reviewed by GayleZorrilla Last updated on: Mar 28, 2011

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