MyPyramid is a resource put together by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Also called "The Food Pyramid," MyPyramid provides personal health nutrition guidelines, including proper food choices for good health. MyPyramid and HelpGuide.org offer many ways you can improve your personal health by consuming a healthy array of foods.
Significance
Personal nutrition has a great influence over your overall health. HelpGuide.org reports that you should aspire to develop healthy personal nutrition habits to have more energy and prevent diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Identification
MyPyramid recommends that you eat a combination of carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products and a small amount of fats. The exact amount of each food group you should eat depends on your gender, age and level of physical activity. MyPyramid generally recommends that you eat 3 oz. of carbohydrates, 2.5 oz. of vegetables, 2 oz. of fruits, 3 cups of dairy products, 5.5 oz. of meat products and as little fat as possible daily. You should try to consume most of your fats through cooking oils.
Types
MyPyramid reports that there are two main types of whole grains. Refined grains are milled, which lengthens the amount of time you can store them, but also removes the dietary fiber, iron and many B vitamins this grain contains. Many refined grains, however, are enriched with iron and B vitamins. This means manufacturers add nutrients back to the grains after processing them. Examples of refined grains include white bread, white flour and white rice. Whole grains, on the other hand, are unprocessed and therefore naturally healthy. Examples of whole grains include oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat flour and whole cornmeal.
Considerations
MyPyramid recommends eating certain vegetables in particular. These recommendations include consuming orange vegetables such as pumpkins, carrots and butternut squash. MyPyramid also recommends that you eat dark green vegetables such as kale, Romaine lettuce, dark green leafy lettuce and broccoli, which are rich with nutrients, including iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium and vitamins A, C, E and K. Recommended peas and dry beans include garbanzo beans (chickpeas), lentils, and black and white beans. HelpGuide.org recommends a variety of fruits to gain natural sugars, vitamins, fiber and antioxidants. HelpGuide.org reports that oranges and mangoes provide an excellent source of vitamin C, apples offer fiber and berries can help fight cancer.
Benefits
HelpGuide.org recommends consuming dietary fiber as a way to increase your overall health. Dietary fiber can be found in plant foods (whole grains, fruits and vegetables) and plays a crucial role in helping you maintain your digestive system health. Fiber specifically helps you feel full faster and for a longer time, which can help prevent you from overeating. Fiber also helps keep your blood sugar levels even by decreasing the rate at which sugar enters your bloodstream. HelpGuide.org recommends that you eat 20 to 30 g of fiber every day.
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