A food pyramid is a tool used to categorize the food groups in your diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is usually the most commonly-consulted organization regarding food pyramid construction. Food pyramids are often generic but can be customized to reflect the specific needs of adults or children or with consideration for a particular health condition. Start with a basic pyramid that encompasses the six fundamental food groups.
Step 1
Place grains at the base of your food pyramid. Bread, rice crackers and pasta are all examples of grains. You should aim to consume a minimum of 3 oz. of grains each day.
Step 2
Add vegetables to your pyramid. Consume a minimum of 2 ½ cup servings of vegetables each day. Find vegetables that you enjoy but eat a variety of different-colored vegetables. Although beans can be considered a protein within the Meats category, beans can also be counted as a vegetable.
Step 3
Add fruit to your pyramid. Like vegetables, you should opt for a variety of fruit, which constitute 1 ½ to 2-cup servings of fruit per day. Fresh fruit has the highest concentration of vitamins and minerals but eating canned, frozen or dried fruit is also beneficial. You can count fruit juice in your servings of fruit but it should not be the sole source. Choose fruit juices that are 100 percent fruit juice to avoid consuming juices fortified with sugar and other chemicals.
Step 4
Choose 5 to 6 oz. servings of meat or beans and add them to your pyramid. This can be approached in two ways, by incorporating meat or beans, to accommodate carnivorous and vegetarian preferences. When choosing meats, opt for lean cuts of meat and limit your intake of fatty meats such as sausage or lunch meats or meats that are fried. If you are a vegetarian, choose a variety of beans and incorporate nuts and seeds to provide your body with protein.
Step 5
Consume 3 cups of milk and dairy and add them to your pyramid. This can include milk, cheese or yogurt. If you are lactose intolerant, choose lactose-free products.
Step 6
Add a limited amount of fat in the form of oil to your pyramid. Adults should generally limit their intake of oil to 5 to 6 tsp. of oil each day. In moderation, oils are equally as important in keeping you healthy. Eat more vegetable-based oils and limit your intake of butter and margarine because they contain higher concentrations of saturated fat. You can also count the natural oils from fish and nuts as a part of your oil intake.
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