The Food Pyramid can help people make smart dietary choices. This chart arranges various types of food by proportions while recommending a healthy number of servings for each food.
Purpose
According to KidsHealth.org, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created the Food Pyramid to encourage healthy eating habits.
Layout
Lifeclinic Personal Health Management outlines the Food Pyramid’s layout. Breads and grains take up the base of the Pyramid, followed by a band for vegetables and fruits, a higher band for dairy and proteins, and a small space at the peak for fats.
Breads and Grains
Bread products, cereals and pasta all fall into this group. People should eat six to 11 servings of these complex carbohydrates every day, according to Lifeclinic.
Vegetables and Fruits
The Food Pyramid recommends three to five vegetable servings and two to four fruit servings per day. Lifeclinic notes that 100 percent juice can count as a serving.
Dairy, Protein and Fats
The Food Pyramid calls for two to three servings of protein and two to three dairy servings per day, while allowing for sparing intake of fats and sweets. Lifeclinic advises lower-fat protein or dairy choices whenever possible.
