PROTEIN GROUP

Meat, poultry, seafood, beans, peas, eggs, nuts and seeds (peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds), and processed soy products (tofu, tempeh, soy burgers) all are part of this food group. Beans and peas (pinto, black, kidney, and navy beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, falafel, lentils, split peas) are included in this group as well as the vegetable group because they provide nutrients similar to other protein foods and to other vegetables.

 

Limit your intake of empty calories (calories from solid fats and added sugars) to less than 290 calories a day. Solid fats include butter, cream, beef and pork fats, shortening, and the “hidden” fats found in processed meats, cheeses, and whole milk. Many Americans eat too many high-fat proteins like hot dogs, sausage, or bacon. Choose leaner proteins instead such as chicken, turkey, and fish. You could also challenge yourself to have at least one meatless dinner each week, such as meatless chili with beans. Proteins are the building blocks for bones, muscles, and other body parts. Proteins also provide energy. Most meat choices should be lean, such as skinless poultry. Seafood contains healthy oils, so choose it twice a week in place of meat or poultry. If you are not allergic to nuts, they are another protein food option that contains healthy oils.

 

GRAINS

Foods made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or other cereal grains are all grain products. These include bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits. Grains are divided into two subgroups: whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. Whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, whole cornmeal, and brown rice are examples of whole grains. They provide dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. If you have ever eaten a hearty bowl of oatmeal and then hiked several miles, you might have noticed that you did not feel hungry again until your patrol broke for lunch. This is because complex carbohydrates from whole-grain foods take longer for your body to process and so provide energy over a longer time period.

 

Refined grains have been milled, which means much of the nutrients and vitamins have been removed, such as the bran and germ. Refined grain products include white flour, degermed cornmeal, and white rice. Most refined grains are enriched, which means that iron and certain B vitamins are added back after processing, but fiber is not. Foods produced from refined grains include white bread, grits, noodles and pasta (other than whole-grain varieties), and pita bread.

 

 

VEGETABLE GROUP

Any vegetable or 100 percent vegetable juice counts in the vegetable group. Vegetables can be raw or cooked, frozen, canned, dried, or dehydrated. They can be eaten whole, cut up, or mashed. Vegetables are organized into five subgroups, based on their nutrient content.

 

• Dark green vegetables: bok choy, broccoli, dark green leafy lettuce, greens (collard, turnip, mustard, kale), spinach, watercress

• Red, orange, and yellow vegetables: acorn squash, beets, butternut squash, carrots, pumpkin, summer squash, sweet peppers (red and orange)

• Beans and peas: black beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), kidney beans, lentils, navy beans, pinto beans, soybeans, split peas, white beans

• Starchy vegetables: fresh black-eyed peas, green peas, lima beans, plantains, potatoes, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, yams

• Other vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, avocados, beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, green peppers, okra, onions, radishes, turnips, zucchini

 

Some vegetables fall under more than one category. For example, lentils, butternut squash,

and chickpeas are also considered starchy vegetables. You should consume more fruits and

vegetables than any other categories. These foods provide important vitamins and minerals that

your body needs to function properly. They also provide roughage, or fiber, which helps keep your

digestive system healthy.

 

FRUIT GROUP

All whole, cut up, or pureed fruit and 100 percent fruit juice count as part of the fruit group. Fruits can be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. Fruits can be a tasty sweet treat in place of foods loaded with added sugars.

 

• Berries: blackberries, blueberries, kiwi, raspberries, strawberries

• Citrus fruits: clementines, grapefruit, lemons, limes, nectarines, oranges, tangelos, tangerines Melons: cantaloupe, casaba, honeydew, watermelon

• Pitted (stone) fruits: apricots, cherries, mangoes, nectarines, peaches, plums

• Other fruits: apples, bananas, grapes, pears, pineapples

 

In place of favorite standbys, try something different: tangelos instead of oranges; mango instead of peaches or nectarines; kiwi fruit instead of watermelon. If you are drinking juice, make sure your juice is 100 percent fruit juice, without added sugars like high fructose corn syrup. Read the label.

 

DAIRY GROUP

The foods and beverages in this group include those made from milk and calcium-fortified soy milk. Examples include milk, yogurt, cheese, puddings, and ice cream. When choosing foods from this group, it’s usually best to select low-fat or fat-free versions. Fats in milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream count against your empty-calorie limit.

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All dairy products provide calcium to help build strong bones and teeth. Almost all milks and some yogurts are fortified with vitamin D, which helps your body to absorb calcium. For people who are lactose intolerant, lactose-free and lower-lactose products are available, including lactose-free milk, hard cheeses, and yogurt.  Skim (fat-free) milk contains the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but has less fat and fewer calories.

 

• Milk: fat-free (skim), low-fat (1 percent fat), reduced-fat (2 percent fat), whole milk, flavored milk, lactose-reduced, and lactose-free milk

• Other milk-based products: flavored and fruit yogurts, yogurt-based drinks, ice milk, ice cream, frozen yogurt, chocolate milk, sour cream, cream cheese, processed American cheese

• Hard natural cheeses: cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, Swiss

• Soft cheeses: ricotta, goat (feta), Brie

 

OILS AND FATS

Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature, such as the vegetable oils used in cooking. Oils come from many different plants and from fish. Although they provide some essential nutrients, oils and fats are not a food group. Your body needs oils only in very small quantities. Therefore, oils are included in the daily food plans. Fats such as butter, margarine, shortening, beef fat, chicken fat, and pork fat (lard) are solid at room temperature. Solid fats come from animals and can also be made from vegetable oils. Foods high in solid fats include many desserts and baked goods such as cakes, cookies, and doughnuts; cheese and foods containing cheese like pizza and nachos; hot dogs, sausages, bacon, and ribs; and ice cream.

 

Most Scouts need 5 to 6 teaspoons of oils a day. Oils are part of many of the foods you eat, like mayonnaise on sandwiches or in salad dressings. If you must increase the amount of oil you consume, choose an oil instead of a solid fat. For example, use vegetable oil rather than butter when cooking. Oils from plant sources, such as vegetable and nut oils, contain no cholesterol. Even so, these products are fattening and should still be consumed in very small amounts.

 

Common oils include canola, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, olive, peanut, safflower, and soybean. Some foods (nuts, some fish, olives, avocados) are naturally high in oils. Mayonnaise, some salad dressings, and margarine are mostly oil. Check the nutrition label to find margarines with zero grams of trans fat. Most of these oils are high in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, low in saturated fats, and are considered “good” because they help lower cholesterol levels. A few plant oils, such as coconut oil, are high in saturated fats and for nutritional purposes are considered solid fats.

 

EMPTY CALORIES

Empty calories are calories from solid fats and added sugars that provide calories but few or none of the nutrients your body needs to grow and stay healthy. If you choose foods with a lot of empty calories, it is harder to eat enough of the foods you need for health—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy, and protein foods. Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared. They do not include the natural sugars in milk and fruits. The major sources of added sugars for Americans are soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, and sweetened fruit drinks; candies; desserts and baked goods such as cakes, cookies, and doughnuts; and ice cream. You may have noticed that some foods contain a lot of both solid fats and added sugars. In some foods, like most candies and sodas, all the calories are empty calories. However, empty calories from solid fats and added sugars can also be found in some other foods that contain important nutrients. For example, chocolate milk has some empty calories but also has the nutrients found in milk.

 

Some foods with empty calories can be found in forms with less solid fat or added sugars. Low-fat cheeses and low-fat hot dogs can be purchased. You can choose water, low-fat milk, or sugar-free soda instead of drinks with sugar. A small amount of empty calories is OK, but most people eat far more than is healthy. It is important to limit empty calories to the amount that fits your calorie and nutrient needs. You can lower your intake by eating and drinking foods and beverages containing empty calories less often or by decreasing the amount you eat or drink.

 

It can be hard to think ahead when you are young. However, if you develop good eating habits now, it will be easier for you to lead a healthier life and may help prevent many of the health problems that are linked to poor eating habits.

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PREPARING FOODS HEALTHYFULLY

The way a food is prepared can affect its nutritional value, so be aware of how food is prepared in order to make nutritious meals and eat for health. For example, a baked potato stuffed with fresh, steamed vegetables has little sodium and fat and lots of vitamins and minerals. The same baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheese, and crumbled bacon is high in sodium (salt) and empty calories from solid fat.

 

Fried potatoes, like french fries and hash browns, are often high in sodium as well as fat. Try making oven-baked fries seasoned with spices instead of salt. To minimize adding sugar to a recipe, consider caramelizing the natural sugars in onions and root vegetables to sweeten a sauce, or adding ripe fruits or dried cranberries to cookies.

 

Consuming too many sweets and fried foods can cause your weight to skyrocket while your energy and overall health may decline. Eating poorly can cause serious health problems, too. We can choose healthy foods that may help to manage, reverse, and prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Think of food as medicine for a healthy body, soul, and mind.

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