Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Good diet can help to reach
and maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and promote overall health.
A balanced diet is one that gives the body the nutrients it needs to function correctly. Therefore,
basic food groups, food pyramids and myplate are the foundation of a healthy diet. This essay
shall discuss these tools of nutrition including the role they play in planning of meals.
To be healthy it’s very important to eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet is made up of different
food groups. All foods can be put into different food groups. The food groups are divided based
on the nutritional properties they offer. Foods that animals eat can be classified based on the
amount of nutrients and the type of nutrients they provide for subsistence and survival. It is
highly recommended to eat portions of food from the different groups in order to live a healthy
lifestyle. This provides a complete set of nutrients for better health.
In addition, foods are grouped together because they provide similar amounts of the key
nutrients of that food group. For example, the key nutrients of the milk, yogurt, cheese and
alternatives food group include calcium and protein, while the fruit group is a good source of
vitamins, especially vitamin C.
To meet the nutrient requirements essential for good health, it is important to eat a variety from
each of the different food groups daily, in the recommended amounts. Therefore, when
preparing a meal, it is important to take into account the different food groups, in order to have
a balanced meal. Even though one needs to consider the different food groups. It is not
necessary to eat from each food group at every meal. In fact, in some instances, one only needs
to eat some of the foods in each food group a couple of times a week.
It is also important to enjoy a variety of foods within each of the different food groups because
different foods vary in the amount of the key nutrients that they provide. For example, in the
vegetables and legumes food group, orange vegetables such as carrots and pumpkins contain
significantly more vitamin A than other vegetables such as white potatoes.
Another tool of nutrition is a food pyramid. The Food Pyramid is a widely recognized nutrition
education tool that translated nutritional recommendations into a pyramid chart showing
amounts of food to eat each day. It is also a triangular diagram representing the optimal number
of servings to be eaten each day from each of the basic food groups. Additionally, the Food
Guide Pyramid is a graphic representation of A Pattern for Daily Food Choices. Food guides
are tools designed to help people select healthful diets.
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Furthermore, The Food Guid Pyramid outlines a total diet approach and detailed goals for
nutrient adequacy and moderation, including daily food intake ranging for three caloric levels.
The pyramid illustration is intended to illustrate concepts of variety, moderation and
proportion.
The Food Pyramid is designed to make healthy eating easier. Healthy eating is about getting
the correct amount of nutrients which includes protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and
minerals one needs to maintain good health.
Foods that contain the same type of nutrients are grouped together on each of the shelves of
the Food Pyramid. This gives one a choice of different foods from which to choose a healthy
diet. Following the Food Pyramid as a guide, it helps to get the right balance of nutritious foods
within a calorie range. Studies show that people take in too many calories from foods and
drinks high in fat, sugar and salt, on the top shelf of the Food Pyramid. They provide very little
of the essential vitamins and minerals the body needs. Limiting these is essential for healthy
eating.
In addition, The Pyramid includes five major food groups, each of which provides nutrients
needed for good health. By making healthful choices within these food groups, like selecting
low-fat and high-fiber foods, people can promote good health and reduce their risk of diseases.
The placement of foods within the Pyramid shows that foods of plant origin should supply most
of the servings of food in the daily diet.
The Breads, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta Group forms the base of the Pyramid, with the largest
number of servings recommended. The next layer up includes the Fruit Group and the
Vegetable Group. At the third level are the Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Group and the Meat,
Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group. At the tip of the Pyramid are Fats, Oils, and
Sweets. These foods and food ingredients should be used sparingly to avoid excess calories
and/or fat. It is not necessary to completely avoid foods such as salad dressing, butter,
margarine, candy, soft drinks, and sweet desserts, but they should be consumed infrequently.
The Pyramid includes symbols that represent the fats and added sugars found in foods. These
are most concentrated at the tip of the Pyramid, but are also found in foods from the five major
food groups. This reveals that some foods within the five food groups are high in fat and/or
sugar. People can limit their fat and sugar intake, by selecting foods low in fat and added sugars
most of the time.
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Individuals can use the Pyramid educational materials to plan a diet that contains all needed
nutrients and is moderate in fat and saturated fat. This is important in Zambia where the major
causes of death, such as heart disease, are related to diets high in fat, especially saturated fat.
Obesity is also a major health concern in the country. Although physical activity is a critical
component of weight management, food intake also plays a role in energy balance. The Food
Guide Pyramid educational materials provide serving sizes and a recommended number of
servings for people of different ages and activity levels. This guide can help people learn to eat
reasonable amounts of food in a country where large portion sizes are the norm.
MyPlate is another nutritional tool that depicts a place setting with a plate and glass divided
into five food groups. MyPlate is an easy-to-follow food guide, to help individuals to figure
out how to eat a balanced meal. It is also a reminder to find a healthy eating style and building
it throughout one’s lifetime. Everything individuals eat and drink matters. The right mix can
help an individual to become healthy now and in the future. This means that an individual
should focus on variety, amount, and nutrition and choose foods and beverages with less
saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. What’s more, the individual should start with small
changes to build healthier eating styles and support healthy eating for everyone. Therefore,
MyPlate offers ideas and tips to help an individual create a healthier eating style that meets the
individual’s needs and improves his or her health.
The MyPlate Food Guide identifies daily meal proportions for the fruit, vegetable, grains,
protein, and dairy food groups; and is an easy-to-understand illustration designed to help in an
individual build a healthy plate at meal times. The MyPlate logo divides a dinner plate into
four sections for vegetables, fruits, grains, and proteins with a fifth smaller plate to one side for
dairy. The fruit and vegetable portions make up half of the plate to emphasize the
recommendation to include fruits and vegetables as half of every meal.
In conclusion, eating healthy is a journey shaped by many factors, including an individual’s
stage of life, situations, preferences, access to food, culture, traditions, and the personal
decisions made make over time. All food and beverage choices count. Therefore, considering
the food groups, food pyramid and myplates is important to maintain
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Bibliography
Francis L. (2004). Food and Nutrition Information Center. Food Guide Pyramid. London:
Routledge
Insel, P (2001). Nutrition. New York: TMC press.
Kotz, D (2011). New food plate icon: will it change how you eat. London: McMillan.
Travis J. (2004). Importance of a balanced Meal. London: Oxford press.
Welsh, S (1992). "A Brief History of Food Guides in the United States." Nutrition Today 27:6–
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