Food Group Plans

•Each of the food groups contains foods that are similar in origin and nutrient contents.

•The food group plan specifies that a certain quantity of food must be consumed from each group.

•In the food groups at the base of the pyramid should be present in the greatest amounts and “support” the diet.

•At the top (fats, oils and sweets) should be used sparingly, and are the least important components of the diet.

•How many servings of each food group do you need each day?

•Food group plan indicates the numbers of servings as a range: individuals with lower nutritional needs (e.g. children) should take the lower number of servings. 

•The number of servings you need depends on how many kcalories you required. This in turn depends on your age, sex, size, activity level, and physiological conditions.

•Are all serving sizes equal?

•No. The amount that constitutes a serving varies from one food group to the next. Serving sizes also differ among the foods within each food group.

•Many foods do not fit into any of the five food groups. Consider spices, jam, jelly, coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages, synthetic products and others.

•These items are grouped together into a miscellaneous category. Some of them do contribute some nutrients to the day’s intake.

•However, either they are not foods, their nutrient content is not significant in enough of the nutrients characteristic of a food group, or their nutrient content has been greatly diluted by fat, sugar, or water.

•No food alone provides all the necessary nutrients. What is important, however, is to include variety in the diet.