Food group
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Amounts
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Best choices
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Grains
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Servings: 6 to 8 a day
A serving is:
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Whole grains and any high-fiber grains
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Vegetables
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Servings: 4 to 5 a day
A serving is:
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1 cup raw leafy vegetable
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Half a cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetable
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Half a cup vegetable juice
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Fresh or frozen vegetables cooked without added salt or fat
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Fruits
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Servings: 4 to 5 a day
A serving is:
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1 medium fruit
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One-quarter cup dried fruit
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Half a cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
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Half a cup of 100% fruit juices
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A variety of fresh fruits of different colors. Whole fruits are a better choice than fruit juices.
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Low-fat or fat-free dairy
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Servings: 2 to 3 a day
A serving is:
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Skim or 1% milk, low-fat or fat-free yogurt or buttermilk, and low-fat cheeses
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Lean meats, poultry, fish
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Servings: 6 or fewer a day
A serving is:
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Lean poultry and fish. Trim away visible fat. Broil, grill, roast, or boil instead of frying. Remove skin from poultry before eating. Limit how much red meat you eat.
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Nuts, seeds, beans
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Servings: 4 to 5 a week
A serving is:
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One-third cup nuts (1.5 ounces)
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2 tablespoons nut butter or seeds
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Half a cup cooked dry beans or legumes
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Dry roasted nuts with no salt added, lentils, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and whole pinto beans
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Fats and oils
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Servings: 2 to 3 a day
A serving is:
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Nut and vegetable oils (nontropical vegetable oils), such as olive and canola oil
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Sweets
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Servings: 5 a week or fewer
A serving is:
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1 tablespoon sugar, maple syrup, or honey
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1 tablespoon jam or jelly
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1 half-ounce jellybeans (about 15)
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1 cup lemonade
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Dried fruit can be a satisfying sweet. Choose low-fat sweets. And watch your serving sizes!
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