Choose a diet with plenty of grain
products, vegetables, and fruits
Grain products, vegetables, and fruits are key parts of a
varied diet. They are emphasized in this guideline because they provide vitamins,
minerals, complex carbohydrates (starch and dietary fiber), and other substances that are
important for good health. They are also generally low in fat, depending on how they are
prepared and what is added to them at the table. Most Americans of all ages eat fewer than
the recommended number of servings of grain products, vegetables, and fruits, even though
consumption of these foods is associated with a substantially lower risk for many chronic
diseases, including certain types of cancer.
Most of the calories in your diet should come from grain
products, vegetables, and fruits
These include grain products high in complex carbohydrates
-- breads, cereals, pasta, rice -- found at the base of the Food Guide Pyramid, as well as
vegetables such as potatoes and corn. Dry beans (like pinto, navy, kidney, and black
beans) are included in the meat and beans group of the Pyramid, but they can count as
servings of vegetables instead of meat alternatives.
Plant foods provide fiber
Fiber is found only in plant foods like whole-grain breads
and cereals, beans and peas, and other vegetables and fruits. Because there are different
types of fiber in foods, choose a variety of foods daily. Eating a variety of
fiber-containing plant foods is important for proper bowel function, can reduce symptoms
of chronic constipation, diverticular disease, and hemorrhoids, and may lower the risk for
heart disease and some cancers. However, some of the health benefits associated with a
high-fiber diet may come from other components present in these foods, not just from fiber
itself. For this reason, fiber is best obtained from foods rather than supplements.
Plant foods provide a variety of vitamins and minerals
essential for health
Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and
provide many essential nutrients and other food components important for health. These
foods are excellent sources of vitamin C, vitamin B6, carotenoids, including those which
form vitamin A, and folate . The antioxidant nutrients found in plant foods
(e.g., vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin E, and certain minerals) are presently of great
interest to scientists and the public because of their potentially beneficial role in
reducing the risk for cancer and certain other chronic diseases. Scientists are also
trying to determine if other substances in plant foods protect against cancer.
Folate, also called folic acid, is a B vitamin that, among
its many functions, reduces the risk of a serious type of birth defect. Minerals such as potassium, found in a wide variety
of vegetables and fruits, and calcium, found in certain vegetables, may help reduce the
risk for high blood pressure.
The availability of fresh fruits and vegetables varies by
season and region of the country, but frozen and canned fruits and vegetables ensure a
plentiful supply of these healthful foods throughout the year. Read the Nutrition Facts
Label to help choose foods that are rich in carbohydrates, fiber, and nutrients, and low
in fat and sodium.
