Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts

Why are meat, poultry, fish, and other foods in this group important?

Meat, poultry, and fish supply protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc. The other foods in this group-dry beans, eggs, and nuts-are similar to meats in providing protein and most vitamins and minerals. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 to 3 servings each day of foods from this group. The total amount of these servings should be the equivalent of 5 to 7 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish per day.

What counts as a serving?

• Count 2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish as a serving. A 3-ounce piece of meat is about the size of an average hamburger, or the amount of meat on a medium chicken breast half.
• For other foods in this group, count ½ cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg as 1 ounce of lean meat. 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of meat (about 1/3 serving).

Here are some selection tips:

• Choose lean meat, poultry without skin, fish, and dry beans and peas often. They are the choices lowest in fat.
• Prepare meats in lowfat ways:
  - Trim away all the fat you can see.
  - Broil, roast, or boil these foods, instead of frying them.
• Go easy on egg yolks; they are high in cholesterol. Use only one yolk per person in egg whites.

• Nuts and seeds are high in fat, so eat them in moderation.

source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

o The Food Guide Pyramid

o How To Make the Pyramid Work for You

o Fat and Added Sugars

o Breads, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta

o Vegetables

o Fruits

o Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts

o Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese

Just thought you may be interested in reading this guide: Healthy Food Recipes and Healthy Weight Loss

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How to make the food guide pyramid work for you

food pyramid

How many servings are right for me?

The pyramid shows a range of servings for each major food group. The number of servings that are right for you depends on how many calories you need, which in turn depends on your age, sex, size, and how active you are. Almost everyone should have at least the lowest number of servings in the ranges.

The following calorie level suggestion are based on recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences and on calorie intakes reported by people in national food consumption surveys.

For adults and teens

1600 calories is about right for many sedentary women and some older adults.

2200 calories is about right for most children, teenage girls, active women, and many sedentary men. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may need somewhat more.

2800 calories is about right for teenage boys, many active men, and some very active women.

For young children

It is hard to know how much food children need to grow normally. If you’re unsure, check with your doctor. Preschool children need the same variety of foods as older family members do, but may need less than 1600 calories. For fewer calories they can eat smaller servings. However, it is important that they have the equivalent of cups of milk a day.

For you

Now, take a look at the table below. It tells you how many servings you need for your calorie level. For example, if you are an active woman who needs about 2200 calories a day, 9 servings of breads, cereals, rice, or pasta would be right for you. You’d also want to eat about 6 ounces of meat or alternates per day. Keep total fat (fat in the foods you choose as well as fat used in cooking or added at the table) to about 73 grams per day.

If you are between calorie categories, estimate servings. For example, some less active women may need only 2000 calories to maintain a healthy weight. At that calorie level, 8 servings of breads would be about right.

serving table

¹Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, teenagers, and young adults to age 24 need 3 servings.

²Meat group amounts are in total ounces.

³See the Pyramid Food Choices Chart for details on how to count total fat.

⁴See chart of “Added Sugars” for details on how to count teaspoons of added sugars.

source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

o The Food Guide Pyramid

o How To Make the Pyramid Work for You

o Fat and Added Sugars

o Breads, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta

o Vegetables

o Fruits

o Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts

o Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese

Just thought you may be interested in reading this guide: Healthy Food Recipes and Healthy Weight Loss

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