the 7 food groups

The 7 food groups

Some info for a

healthy diet

Group 1• FRESH AND PRESERVED MEAT (beef, pork, ovine, horse, poultry fresh meat and

entrails, ham and dressed pork products, sausages)

• FISHING PRODUCTS (fresh, frozen, preserved sea and river/lake fish,

shellfish)

• EGGS

Pproteins with a high biological value;

-iron;

-some vitamins from group B;

-lipids (present in fatty meats and fish, in some entrails, in ham, dressed pork products and sausages, in egg yolk ( which contains cholesterol in high quantities, too)

Main nutrients supplied:

Some Advice• Lean meat like chicken, rabbit and

turkey meat, together with fish, are the healthiest food in this group.

• Consumption of fatty meat, dressed pork products and sausages should be reduced to a minimum. As regards eggs, healthy people should have a maximum number of three per week.

Group 2 • MILK

• MILK PRODUCTS (yoghurt, dairy products, cheese)

Main nutrients supplied: calcium and phosphorus;

proteins with a high biological value; vitamin A and vitamin D;

some vitamins from group B ;

lipids (mainly the saturated type).

Some Advice

• Partially skimmed milk (for people over 20 of age) and the lowest in calories dairy products and cheese are the healthiest food in this group.

Group 3

• CEREALS AND BY-PRODUCTS (rice, pasta, bread, flour, wheat semolina, maize, oatmeal, bread

sticks, crackers etc.)

• TUBERS (potatoes)

Main nutrients supplied:

complex carbohydrates (starch);

proteins with low biological value ;

some vitamins from group B ;

dietary fibre, especially in wholemeal products.

Some Advice

• The less refined products, therefore the richest in dietary fibre, are the healthiest food in this group.

Group 4

• LEGUMES (beans, lentils, peas, broad beans, chick-peas, soy beans)

Main nutrients supplied: proteins with medium energetic value;

complex carbohydrates (starch);

vitamins from group B ;

dietary fibre, especially water soluble;

iron and calcium.

Some Advice

• The alternating consumption of all the products in this group should be encouraged; they should be eaten together with cereals (for example pasta with beans, rice with peas, corn-meal mush with lentils etc).

• FAT AND OILS (butter, margarine, lard, olive oil, soy bean oil, maize

oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil etc.)

Group 5

Main nutrients supplied: lipids;

fat acids;

essential fat acids ;

fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E)

Some Advice

• their consumption should be limited; fat and oils of vegetable origin, olive oil in particular, are definitely better than the ones derived from animals (butter, lard).

Group 6

• VEGETABLES AND FRUIT (carrots, yellow pumpkin, peppers, spinach, beetroots,

broccoli, endive, lettuce, green chicory, apricots, peaches, persimmons, yellow melon)

Main nutrients supplied: carotene and other vitamins;

minerals (potassium, phosphorus);

diatery fibre;

sugar (fructose from fruit);

water

Some Advice

• products from this group should be always present on our tables and our selection should be as varied as possible.

Group 7

• VEGETABLES AND FRUIT providing vitamin C

(tomatoes, peppers, cauliflowers, broccoli, new potatoes, all types of citrus fruit, and moreover strawberries, pineapples and kiwi fruits)

Main nutrients supplied: vitamin C and other vitamins;

minerals(potassium, phosphorus);

dietary fibre;

sugar (fructose from fruit);

Water.

Some Advice

• products from this group should always be present on our tables and our selection should be as varied as possible.

The food pyramid

MEDITERRANEAN DIET

egs

The Mediterranean Food Pyramid

• Regular physical exercise;• Wine in moderate quantities;• Only a few times a month: red meat;• Only a few times a week: sweets, eggs,

poultry, fish;• Every day: cheese and yoghurt, olive oil,

legumes and nuts, fruit and vegetables; pasta, bread , rice, corn-meal mush, cereals, potatoes.

The food pyramid

THE AMERICAN DIET

The USDA Food Pyramid

The symbols represent added fat and sugar;• Moderate quantities of fat and sweets;• 2 or 3 portions of: dairy products and

cheese; meat, chicken, fish, legumes, nuts and eggs;

• 2 to 4 portions of fruit;• 3 to 5 portions of vegetables;• 6 to 11 portions of bread, pasta, cereals.

A COMPARISON

And you, what do you eat???

The end