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The Right Balance of Nutrients

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How to Eat a Nutritious Diet Based on the Food Groups

The Food Groups

All foods can be categorized into six basic food groups based on the types of nutrients they contain.

Food Group	Nutrients	Sample Foods
Grains	Carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins	Breads, cereals, rice, pasta
Vegetables	Fiber, vitamins, minerals	All vegetables
Fruits	Fiber, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates	All fruits
Oils	Unsaturated fats	Olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, nuts, fish, avocados
Milk	Protein, calcium, B-vitamins, carbohydrates	Milk, yogurt, cheese, any dairy product that contains calcium
Meat, beans, and nuts	Protein, fats, minerals	Red meat, poultry, pork, eggs, fish, beans, nuts, seeds

The six food groups are also represented in the new food pyramid introduced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2005 (the first revision since 1993).

A Closer Look at the Food Groups

Though the foods within each food group are similar, they still vary widely in nutritional value. The following guidelines provide more information about each of the food groups.

Grains

The grains group encompasses two categories:

Whole grains: Whole grains contain all three parts of the grain kernel: the tough but nutritious bran and germ and the softer endosperm. Examples of whole grains are whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, and brown rice. At least half the grains you eat should be whole grains.
Refined grains: Refined grains lack the bran and germ and therefore lack the minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber that those parts contain. Examples include white flour, white bread, and white rice. Enriched refined grains are artificially fortified with the vitamins and minerals lost in processing but still lack dietary fiber.

Vegetables

Vegetables are divided into five different subgroups based on the types of nutrients they contain. It’s healthiest to vary the vegetables you eat among the five categories.

Dark Green Vegetables

Broccoli
Dark green leafy lettuce
Kale
Romaine lettuce
Spinach

Orange Vegetables

Acorn squash
Butternut squash
Carrots
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes

Dry Beans and Peas

Black beans
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
Kidney beans
Lentils
Pinto beans
Soybeans (tofu)

Starchy Vegetables

Corn
Green peas
Lima beans (green)
Potatoes

Other Vegetables

Artichokes
Asparagus
Beets
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Green beans
Green and red peppers
Mushrooms
Onions
Tomatoes
Turnips
Zucchini

Fruits

Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, fruits should be a part of your daily diet. It’s best to vary your fruit selections among different types of fruits, including:

Citrus
Berries
Melons
Apples

Pure 100% fruit juice also counts as fruit. Sweetened fruit juice, such as most cranberry juice, does not.

Oils

Any fat that’s liquid at room temperature is called an oil. Almost all oils are unsaturated fats—the “good” fats—that reduce cholesterol and protect against heart disease. Try to eat foods rich in oils, including nuts, olives, avocados, and fish. In addition, when cooking, use vegetable oils rather than butter, margarine, or lard.

The lower the percentage of saturated fats in the vegetable oil, the better. The table below lists popular vegetable oils and their percentages of saturated fats. Note that coconut oil and palm oil, though vegetable oils, contain a high percentage of saturated fat. Avoid them whenever possible.

Name		Saturated Fats (% of total fats)
Canola oil		7%
Safflower oil		9%
Sunflower oil		11%
Corn oil		13%
Olive oil		14%
Soybean oil		15%
Peanut oil		18%
Palm oil		49%
Coconut oil		86%

Milk

The milk category includes all dairy products that contain calcium. (Cream, butter, and cream cheese, all of which contain little or no calcium, don’t belong in this category.) Milk products are an important part of your daily diet because of the calcium and protein that they provide. But whole-milk products are also high in solid fats, though, so eat fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese instead.

Meats, Beans, and Nuts

The meats, beans, and nuts category includes red meats such as beef and lamb; white meats such as pork, poultry, and fish; and eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds. Though very different, these foods belong in the same category because they’re excellent sources of protein. Here are some guidelines to follow in choosing which foods to eat from this group:

Choose lean cuts of meat: Cuts of meat marked select are the leanest, with about 7% fat by weight; choice cuts have 15–35% fat; prime cuts have 35–45% fat.
Avoid cholesterol: Organ meats, such as liver, are high in cholesterol, as are egg yolks (egg whites are cholesterol-free).
Favor fish and nuts over meat and poultry: Fish and nuts contain oils and proteins, making them a healthier choice.