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Plan menus using the New Four Food Groups: whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruit. People who consume diets built from these foods tend to have a dramatically lower incidence of heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Weight problems—which contribute to a host of health problems—can also be brought under control by following the New Four Food Group recommendations.
Whole
Grains
Build each of your meals around
a hearty grain dish. Grains are rich in fiber and other complex
carbohydrates, as well as protein, B vitamins, and zinc.
- Whole grains include breads; hot and cold cereals; pasta;
cooked grains, such as rice and barley; and crackers.
- One serving equals 1/2 cup of pasta, grains, or cooked cereal,
3/4 to 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, 1/2 bun or bagel, or 1 slice
of bread.
Vegetables
Vegetables are packed with vitamin C, beta-carotene,
riboflavin, iron, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients.
- Dark green vegetables include broccoli, kale, spinach,
collards, turnip greens, mustard greens, beet greens, bok choy,
and Swiss chard.
- Other vegetables refer to all other vegetables, fresh or
frozen, raw or cooked.
- One serving of vegetables equals 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup
raw (unless an amount is specified in the menu
plan).
Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, and Non-Dairy Milks
Legumes, nuts, seeds, and non-dairy
milks are all good sources of protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and
B vitamins. Legumes are great sources of fiber.
- Legumes include beans, such as pinto, navy, kidney, and garbanzo;
lentils; black-eyed or split peas; and products made from soybeans,
such as tofu, veggie burgers, soy "hot dogs" or
sandwich slices, and tempeh, a hearty fermented soy product that
can be used in place of meat in many recipes.
- One serving of legumes equals 1/2 cup of beans, tofu, or
other item (unless an amount is specified in the menu
plan).
- Non-dairy milks include breast milk and soy formula for infants
and toddlers and rice-, soy-, and other vegetable-based milks
for children at least 1 year of age. Choose fortified soymilk,
such as Silk, Westsoy Plus, Enriched VitaSoy, or Edensoy, whenever
possible, or use other fortified vegetable-based milks.
- One serving of non-dairy milk equals 1 cup.
- Nuts include whole or chopped nuts, nut butters, whole seeds,
and seed butters.
- One to two servings of nuts may be included in a healthy
diet, but they are optional. One serving of nuts or nut butters
equals 1 tablespoon.
Fruits
Fruits are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta-carotene.
Be sure to include at least one serving each day of fruits that
are high in vitamin C—citrus fruits, melons, and strawberries are all
good choices.
- Fruits include all fruits, fresh or frozen, raw or cooked,
and fruit juices.
- One serving equals 1/2 cup cooked fruit, 1/2 cup fruit juice,
1/4 cup dried fruit, or 1 piece of whole fruit (unless an amount
is specified in menu
plan).
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