Food Part Pyramid Usda Big Eat People Recommends

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to help Americans eat more healthily. It has "created" (made) a drawing called the food "pyramid" (a triangle with the biggest part on the bottom and the smallest part on the top) to help people understand which kinds of foods they should eat. People should eat more of the foods shown in the bigger parts of the pyramid and less of the foods listed in the smaller parts of the pyramid.

The food pyramid has four big parts, one medium part, and two small parts. The first big part is for "grains" (cereals, like wheat, oats, and barley). The USDA says that people should eat "whole grains" (grains that still have the outside part) which are more "nutritious" (better for one's health) than other grains. The second big part of the food pyramid is for vegetables and the third big part is for fruits. The USDA "recommends" (says that it is a good idea) "varying" (changing) the vegetables and fruits that people eat and choosing ones with many different colors. The fourth and last big part is for milk and "dairy products" (things made from milk, such as yogurt and cheese). The USDA recommends picking (or choosing) low-fat or fat-free dairy products.

The medium part of the food pyramid is for meat and beans. The USDA recommends picking "lean" (with little fat) meats, like chicken and fish. It also recommends cooking meat in the oven instead of "frying" it (cooking it in oil). Finally, the small part of the food pyramid is for "oils" (fats). The USDA recommends "limiting" (not having very much) oils and picking oils from plants and fish instead of animals.

You can see the USDA food pyramid at www.mypyramid.gov.