The Food Groups and How Much We Should Eat

Sep 17th 2020

The Food Groups and How Much We Should Eat

Written by Laurel Sterling, MA, RD, CDN

Laurel is a registered dietitian-nutritionist and certified nutritionist and has worked in the natural products industry since 2000. She has a passion for empowering others through nutritional education.

The Food Guide Pyramid was released in 1992, and this is what I was taught to use as a guideline throughout school and grad school as an aspiring dietitian. In 2005, it was replaced with MyPyramid, and in 2011, MyPlate replaced MyPyramid. MyPlate is the current USDA guideline and is great for people of all ages who want to develop healthy eating habits within the five food groups: vegetables, fruits, protein, grains, and dairy.

Food is meant to fuel our bodies and be tasty and nutritional. In these modern times, it seems we have gotten so far from eating for fuel. Unfortunately, many of us rely on fast food too often. We are all busy and on-the-go, and heading to the drive-thru or using food delivery sites like GrubHub and Door Dash can seem like the best option at the time.

Further research is looking into the connection with food and cognitive abilities. Therefore, it’s very important to receive the correct amount of fruits, veggies, whole grains, proteins, and dairy for our age, height, weight, sex, and physical activity level. We can do this with the help of MyPlate.

On the MyPlate website, there are tips and ideas to make a personalized program based on our needs. It shows food group targets, health goals, eating on a budget, recipes, videos, infographics, tips for picky eaters, MyPlate Kids’ Place, MyPlate On Campus for college students, and so much more. It’s also available in Spanish, and the MyPlate icon is currently available in 21 languages.

Daily Amount of Vegetables We Need

Within the Vegetable Group, MyPlate states “Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed. Based on their nutrient content, vegetables are organized into five subgroups: dark-green vegetables, starchy vegetables, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas, and other vegetables. The amount each person needs can vary between 1 and 3 cups each day. In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as 1 cup from the Vegetable Group.” Recommended total daily amounts and recommended weekly amounts from each vegetable subgroup are shown in tables on MyPlate. I would limit highly starchy vegetables, as they contain more natural sugars, and I would caution people with vegetable juices about other ingredients they may contain, like higher amounts of sodium.

Daily Amount of Fruits We Need

As far as the Fruit Group, MyPlate states “any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit Group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed. The amount each person needs can vary between 1 and 2 cups each day. In general, 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the Fruit Group.” Fresh is best and next best is frozen. I would limit dried, canned, and fruit juices, as they can contain high amounts of sugar.

The Amount of Protein We Need Daily

The Protein Group depends on other factors besides age, sex, height, and activity levels. It also can depend if one is a vegetarian or vegan. MyPlate states “all foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the Protein Foods Group. Beans and peas are also part of the Vegetable Group. Select a variety of protein foods to improve nutrient intake and health benefits, including at least 8 ounces of cooked seafood per week. Young children need less, depending on their age and calorie needs. The advice to consume seafood does not apply to vegetarians. Vegetarian options in the Protein Foods Group include beans and peas, processed soy products, and nuts and seeds. Meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat. The amount each person needs can vary between 2- and 6.5-ounce-equivalents each day. In general, 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as 1 ounce-equivalent from the Protein Foods Group.” If you are consuming soy products, I would recommend them to be USDA organic or Non-GMO verified. I also recommend free-range or organic animal protein sources. Typically, these animals are fed more grass, which makes them leaner sources and are loaded with healthier fats, like CLA.

Daily Grain Intake

  • Within the Grain Group, “any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, grits, tortillas, popcorn, rice, and oatmeal are examples of grain products. The amount each person needs can vary between 3- and 8-ounce-equivalents each day -- at least half of the grains you eat should be whole grains. Most Americans consume enough grains, but few are whole grains. In general, 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal can be considered as 1-ounce-equivalent from the Grains Group.” Here I would add that you should primarily focus on whole grains as your grain source, as they contain more nutrients and fiber, and have a lower glycemic index.
  • MyPlate divides grains into 2 subgroups: Whole Grains and Refined Grains. “Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel ― the bran, germ, and endosperm. Examples of whole grains include whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, whole cornmeal, and brown rice.”
    • “Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are white flour, de-germed cornmeal, white bread, and white rice. Most refined grains are enriched. This means certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron are added back after processing. Fiber is not added back to enriched grains.”
Amount of Diary to Get Daily
  • “All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk that retain their calcium content, such as yogurt and cheese, are part of the Dairy Group. Calcium-fortified soymilk (soy beverage) is also included. Foods made from milk that have little to no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream, and butter, are not part of the Dairy Group. The amount each person needs can vary between 2 and 3 cups each day. In general, 1 cup of milk, yogurt, or soymilk (soy beverage), 1.5 ounces of natural cheese, or 2 ounces of processed cheese can be considered as 1 cup from the Dairy Group. When choosing dairy, fat-free and low-fat dairy are good options.” I would make sure again that the soy beverage was Non-GMO verified, and there are many other plant-based protein-rich cheese, yogurt, and beverage sources now available. I personally wouldn’t recommend fat-free, as other ingredients are generally added to enhance texture and flavor. I also typically recommend rBST (bovine growth hormone) or organic dairy sources (cow, goat, sheep) that are at least 1-2% milk fat. 

Healthy Daily Oil Amount

Per MyPlate, Oils are NOT a food group, but they provide essential nutrients and there is quite a bit of information on the site about fats and oils, if you would like to learn more about them.

Since eating healthy foods can improve your overall health, a balanced and nutritionally packed diet that includes plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, protein, whole grains, and dairy (or dairy alternative) with minimal amounts of sugar, sodium, and saturated fats is your best bet for achieving your peak overall health and wellness. I couldn’t have said this better. A quote from MyPlate says “Eating healthy is a journey shaped by many factors, including our stage of life, situations, preferences, access to food, culture, traditions, and the personal decisions we make over time. All your food and beverage choices count. MyPlate offers ideas and tips to help you create a healthier eating style that meets your individual needs and improves your health.
 
Source: MyPlate