Nutrition and Food Groups Kristina Runde Grade 5

What is Nutrition? By definition, nutrition is the materials necessary to support life 1. In other words, it’s the food we eat to keep us alive and breathing. This is considered our “daily diet”. 1

“Diets” Diets can be healthy, unhealthy, strict (perhaps if you are trying to lose weight), or none of the above. Regardless, the foods that you eat are part of your “diet”. What does your diet consist of?

Food Groups Every food in our diet can be placed in a specific “food group”, depending on the ingredients. 5 groups: Grains Vegetables Fruits Meat/Protein Dairy

The Food Pyramid

Grains Examples: Bread, Rice, Crackers, Pasta, Pancakes, Cereal 6-11 servings per day

Vegetables Examples: Broccoli, Corn, Lettuce (Salad), Green Beans, Celery, Carrots 3-5 servings per day

Fruits Examples: Bananas, Apples, Oranges, Watermelon, Grapes, Peaches 3-5 servings per day

Meat/Protein Examples: Chicken, Turkey, Nuts, Peanut Butter, Eggs, Beef 2-3 servings per day

Dairy Examples: Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, Pudding 2-3 servings per day

Fat/Sweets Fats are not considered a “food group” Examples: Cake, Cupcakes, Oils, Sugar, Candy Eat sparingly (not often) A lot of sugar and calories

Stay Healthy All foods have different nutrients that are important for the human body (some foods more than others). In order to keep your body healthy, you need to eat a balanced diet: Foods from each group Follow the recommended servings Save yourself the trouble… Eat healthy, be healthy, and stay healthy!