Healthy Diet Pyramid

A Balanced Diet

is the basis of good health.

• A“Balanced diet” means eating a variety of food in the right amounts and in the healthiest proportions.

• Each food has different nutrients, and each nutrient has its own function in our body. There is no place for picky eating.

Balanced Diet = Variety of food

+ Recommended Proportion +

Eating regular meals

Malnourish

ed and

weak

Healthy

Body

Overweight

or Obese

Eating too

little

Eating

moderately

Eating in

excess and

not moving

• Energy intake and nutrient needs are different depending on our age and gender.

• Eating too much or not enough are both bad for our health.

• The Healthy Diet Pyramid shows us the pattern for a balanced diet.

• The Healthy Diet Pyramid is divided into the four food group layers.

• Each layer has different kinds of foods and in different proportions according to daily needs.

• Meals should be made up mostly of food that appears at the larger lower two levels. Also, food that appears on the smaller upper levels should be eaten in smaller amounts.

Healthy Diet Pyramid

Oil, Salt, Sugar

Meat, Fish, Egg, Beans, Nuts, Milk

and Dairy

Vegetables and Fruits

Grains Eat most

Eat plenty

Eat moderately

Eat less

• Congee, vermicelli, noodles, rice, bread, oats, potatoes--whole grains the best!

• Rich source of complex carbohydrates and fiber

- Excellent energy source

- Regulate body temperature

- Lower blood fat or cholesterol

- Less chance of getting constipation

(1) Leafy & Root Vegetables： Choy-sum,

white cabbage, tomatoes, etc.

(2) Gourds：Winter melon, Hairy gourds

(3) Fruits： Apples, oranges, all pure fruit

juicesEat 2 fruits

daily!One should be a citrus fruit,

e.g. Orange, Tangerine

Rich in carotene,

Vitamins A、 B、 C、 E

Minerals (Folate, Iron)

Fiber, Phytonutrients, Plant protein

Eat 2 bowls of vegetables daily!One should be a leafy green, such as bok choy, choy sum

• Fight disease

• Help prevent constipation, lower

risk of cancers

• Help tooth and bone growth

• Help healing of injuries, burns and

other damaged tissues

• Meat： Pork, Beef, Lamb, and Poultry

• Fish： Fish and all seafood

• Eggs

• Soy, nuts, beans: Tofu, yellow beans, green beans, sesame, almonds, peanuts

• Milk & Dairy Products：Milk, cheese, yogurt, ice-cream

• Protein sources, give energy for growth, repairing cells, and metabolism

• Meat（ especially red meat） rich in iron for red blood cells to prevent iron-deficiency anemia

• Milk or Dairy Products are rich in calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin B complex, good for tooth, bone, and muscle growth and lowering risk of osteoporosis

• Almonds, other nuts, and beans are rich in Vitamin E to prevent disease and for healthy skin and hair. Rich in fiber, too.

• Fish and seafood are rich in Vitamin B6, and iodine for healthy growth

Caution! Saturated fats come from animal

products and palm oil, including fatty meat, egg yolk, chicken skin, full cream milk, and biscuits or margarine made with palm oil.

Therefore, eat these foods moderately, or you could raise your blood fat or cholesterol.

Nuts contain healthier unsaturated fats!

• Butter, Margarine, Cooking oil

• Cream, Candy, Soda, Salted fish

• All kinds of seasonings and sauces

• Visible meat fat

• Poultry skin

• High in energy, low in nutrients

• Too much can cause: Obesity, Tooth decay, High Blood Fat/Cholesterol, Diabetes

Water, the healthiest drink of all!

Water helps:

• Maintain normal body temperature

• Helps transport nutrients throughout

body

• Helps carry wastes out of your body

Drinks, tea, fruits also contain some water.

• Eating and enjoying a variety of

food

• No picky eating

• Having exercise daily or regularly

• Keeping your mood pleasant

• Getting enough sleep