HEALTHY EATING

Getting started on healthy eating can be challenging, but making some simple changes can make a world of difference to our health.
The “FIVE FOOD GROUP SYSTEM” shows us the type and proportions of food needed to make a well balanced diet.

Various food items that are commonly consumed and are the main source of nutrients in our diet are divided into categories. They are divided into five groups on the basis of their major nutrient contents. These five groups are :

CEREAL AND GRAIN PRODUCTS
These include rice, wheat, bajra, maize , jowar, barley,
Breakfast cereals, yams, potatoes, whole grain products.

PULSES AND LEGUMES
These include all the pulses and legumes like lentils, grams, peas and beans as a whole or as dals.

MILK AND MEAT PRODUCTS
These include milk : milk, curd, buttermilk, skimmed milk, cheese, cottage cheese etc.
Meat : chicken, liver, fish, egg, meat

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
These include all the citrus and fleshy fruits, green leafy vegetables, salad leaves and other vegetables.

FATS AND SUGARS
Fats : butter, ghee, cooking oils and hydrogenated oils.
Sugars : sugar, jaggery, honey.

Individual foods under the same group can be exchanged for each other but not for foods in the other groups.

In order to satisfy the requirement of an individual, standard portions are set up in the form of serving sizes. These serving sizes help an individual to decide the quantity of food to be consumed from each group.

The cereal and grain products should constitute 1/3 rd of the diet.
1 serve = 30 gms.(raw weight)
= 1 small chapatti
= 1 slice of brown bread
= 1/2 cup cooked rice
= 1 small baked potatoe

The pulses and legumes should be consumed atleast 3 portions a day
1 serve = 25 gms (raw weight)
= 1 small cup sprouts
= 1 medium cup thick dal

The milk and meat products
Milk 1 serve = ½ cup (atleast twice a day)
Meat 1 serve = 75 gms (atleast twice a week)

The fruit and vegetable group should constitute atleast 5 portions a day
Fruits 1 serve = 1 large fruit
= 2 small fruits
= 2 medium pcs of cut fruit
= 1 small glass of unsweetened juice
Vegetables
1 serve = 1 small cup of cooked veg.
= 1 small cup of leafy veg.
= 1 medium cup of salads

The fats and sugars group should be used sparingly
Fats or oils
1 serve = 10 gms.
Sugars 1 serve = 10 gms.

The above food exchange system can be used to select foods in familiar measures and adequate nutrient content to satisfy the requirement of an individual.

* the absence of data for any food in the tables indicates only that the authentic figures are not available.