Nutrition Pyramid

So whats a Nutrition pyramid I hear you all cry... Well it's not that pile of Burgers and Fries on your plate at lunchtime thats for sure.. Read on and you'll find out more!

As we grow older so it is important that we provide our bodies with sufficient amounts of minerals, vitamins and nutrients. One of the best way of ensuring that this is done is by using the nutrition pyramid.

The nutrition pyramid provides you with a list of all the foods which are considered to be healthy and which will provide you with optimum levels of everything your body needs to remain fit and healthy. Below we take a look at the 4 levels, which make up the pyramid and the kinds of foods, which you should be eating when using it.

Base of the Pyramid - This part contains those foods, which are able to provide you complex carbohydrates, which will provide you with the energy that your body needs. It is even more important that people include this within their diet when they are eating lots of low fat products. You should be aiming to have between 6 and 11 servings of the foods that come under this part of the pyramid. Foods that are included within this are bread, cereal, grain and pasta.

Level 1 - This part of the pyramid is made up of fruit and vegetables and a person should be aiming to have between 3 and 5 servings of these particular foods each day. These foods are particular good as they contain essential vitamins such as A, C and D all of which are vital for our bodies to remain in good condition. A serving of these can be made up either of 1/2 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or an apple, banana or orange.

Level 2 - This part of the pyramid is made up of the dairy and meat products as well as eggs, beans and fish that are essential to the well being of our bodies. On average you should be aiming to have between 2 and 3 servings of these a day. As well as these foods providing your body with vitamins, they also provide it with protein and minerals including calcium, which is vital to sustain the bones in our body. For the meat, fish, eggs and beans you should be aiming for a serving of around 2 ounces. Also only, choose meat, which is lean.

Level 3 - This is the upper part of the pyramid and is made up of the foods which one should only be eating infrequently. Included in this group of foods is oils and fats as well as those that have a high sugar content. Although you should cut back on these foods you do not need to eliminate them from your diet completely.

The main reason why you should not eliminate foods which have fat in them from your diet completely as they are essential at helping to protect your body's organs. Plus they also help your nails and skin to remain in good condition. If you do need to use oil when cooking then go for the likes of olive oil rather than margarine or butter.

If you keep in mind the recommendations made by the nutrition pyramid then you will find that your body will remain fit and healthy as you grow older. You may well discover that by incorporating this into your dietary requirements you will see some improvements in your energy levels and the way your body looks.