MyPlate Food Guide

MyPlate is the model for healthy eating in the United States. Eat a variety of healthy foods. Eat less of some foods and more of others. The plate features four sections — vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein — plus a side order of dairy in blue. The big message is that fruits and vegetables take up half the plate, grains and protein take up about one-quarter of the plate. The divided plate also helps keep portion sizes in check.

Super-big portionscan cause weight gain. What's a Grain Again, You know what fruits and vegetables are. Protein: Beef; poultry; fish; eggs; nuts and seeds; and beans and peas like black beans, split peas, lentils, and even tofu and veggie burgers. Protein builds and maintains the tissues in your body. Grains: Bread, cereal, rice, tortillas, and pasta. At least half of the grains you eat should be whole-grains, such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice Whole grains have more fiber and help you feel full. Dairy: Milk, yogurt, cheese, and fortified soy milk.

With MyPlate, the dairy circle could be a cup of milk, but you also can get your dairy servings from yogurt or cheese. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy most of the time. The plate can be used for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That may make you wonder: Do I really have to eat vegetables with breakfast,

The answer is no, but aim to eat a variety of food groups at each meal. And if your breakfast doesn't include a veggie, consider a vegetable at snack time or more vegetables at dinner. The plate also shows how to balance your food groups. There's a reason the protein section is smaller: You don't need as much from that group. Eating more fruits and vegetables will help you eat fewer calories overall, which helps you keep a healthy weight. Eating fruits and veggies also gives you lots of vitamins and minerals.

Our body needs vitamins as substances to grow and develop normally. There are 13 vitamins necessary for our body. Some of them are A, B, C, D, E, K, vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12. In our daily life we get all most all these vitamins form foods whatever we take.

Each vitamin plays specific jobs. Any particular low levels of vitamins cause deficiency disease. For example, if we don't get enough vitamin D it can cause rickets. Deficiency of vitamin 'A' can cause Night Blindness. If we eat a balanced diet we get enough essential vitamin automatically form our daily food or liquid. We don't even need to take any particular vitamin separately. Only in some cases we need to take a daily multivitamin for optimal health. Minerals regulate our body processes and also make body tissues.

Minerals make our body work properly same as vitamin play the role but it doesn't prevent weight loss. Although we get it form our daily foods, so we don't need to take it separately. Minerals boost our immune system. Some important minerals are Chloride, Calcium, Copper, Chromium, Fluoride, Iron and Iodine.

Water gives cells shape and acts as a medium where body processes can occur. It is the well known yet most important nutrient our body needs. It is also the most abundant type of liquid found in our body contributing 70% of our total mass. It helps to dissolve and carry the essential nutrients to all parts of the body. It is also needed to help maintain the body temperature and aids to carry away the body's waste products.

In human body there are 70% of total mass is covered by water. Water gives cells shape and acts as a medium where body processes can occur. It is very necessary nutrient than available all nutrients. It is also the most abundant type of liquid found in human body. Water help maintain the body temperature and aids to carry away the body's waste products.