New 2005 Food Pyramid: How to Use It: basic food groups for a balanced diet and healthy eating

New 2005 Food Pyramid Information

Main Site
Health Trivia Quiz

Nutrition Data Calculators

NEW! Dietary Guidelines for 2005 (PDF 4.2 MB)

After months of revision, a new symbol for healthy habits was introduced on April 19, 2005 . The system that was devised has much additional information to interpret. No need to toss any old collateral though. You may still use the current pyramid for teaching, since the principals are basically the same, with variations made for activity and age. See the bottom of this page for the differences and the copy of the new pyramid brochure (although it's really not a pyramid process any more).

Download a copy of the new 2005 pyramid brochure here. It's a TWO PAGE Adobe PDF file.

On Jan 12, 2005 the U.S Government released revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. A link to a full copy of those guidelines is above. An outline is at the bottom of this page. The concept is the same as we have presented here before with the addition of more guidelines on how much to eat, how to avoid fatty foods and other harmful food products, and how to mix up your diet to make it well rounded. The goal is to stop the alarming increase in obesity among our youth. Too many of our children are overweight due to lack of exercise and poor eating habits and they are headed towards major health problems. As educators and parents it is our responsibility to make sure our next generation stays healthy.

Our Food Pyramid Forum is now open. These are new, so the discussions are not started yet. Two separate sections: one for teaching and one for utilization. These are free for instructors and users to share ideas and comments.

The previous Food Guide Pyramid replaced the old "Four Basic Food Groups" color wheel that kids in the 70's grew up with.

The old wheel emphasized "variety," but didn't reflect what we know today about the importance of restricting fat, and increasing vitamins and fiber. So nutritionists felt it was time to put together an updated version, The Pyramid, that focuses on present health as well as disease prevention. A revised "pyramid" to reflect the new guidelines released Jan 12, 2005 was made public April 12, 2005. The revision was the pyramid's first since it was created 12 years ago.

THE 2005 FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID
The following two images compose the new pyramid brochure, which you can download here in pdf form.

We are leaving the previous pyramid up so you may compare and better see the differences. We'll be changing the following text copy to fit better with the 2005 pyramid system. The information below is still good.

NEW Worksheets. Great for student use.
Download and print out this color PDF for daily diet at the calorie levels shown below.
1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, 2000, 2200, 2400, 2600 2800

How many calories each day?
	Not active	Active
Children 2-3 yrs	1,000	1,400
Females 4-8 yrs	1,200	1,800
Females 9-13 yrs	1,600	2,200
Females 14-18 yrs	1,800	2,400
Females 19-30 yrs	2,000	2,400
Females 31-50 yrs	1,800	2,200
Females 51+ yrs	1,600	2,200
Males 4-8 yrs	1,400	2,200
Males 9-13 yrs	1,800	2,600
Males 14-18 yrs	2,200	3,200
Males 19-30 yrs	2,400	3,000
Males 31-50 yrs	2,200	3,000
Males 51+ yrs	2,000	2,800
Strive for the lower figure at all times. The upper limit is for very physically active lifestyles. It's not an okay to eat up to that amount if you can't justify it. ACTIVE is physical activity like regular competitive sports, running, swimming, etc. It is NOT playing video games, chasing the dog around the yard, or playing a few games of hoops on the weekend. Each pound you gain or lose is 3,500 calories and the amount you gain or lose is CUMULATIVE in excess of what your body needs as a minimum. ONE large hamburger, large fries, a large soda and desert can easily be 80% of your daily minimum. If you add 500 calories per day of food and are not active enough each day to offset that 500 calories, in just 7 days you will gain 1lb, in one month 4lbs and one year 52lbs. Of course, if you exercise and use up the 500 calories ABOVE what you consume, you will LOSE the weight.

HOW MUCH IS
'ONE SERVING'?

MILK & MILK PRODUCTS GROUP

1 cup (8 oz.) milk or yogurt

2 slices cheese, 1/8" thick (1½ oz.)

2 cups cottage cheese

1½ cups ice milk, ice cream, or frozen yogurt

MEAT & MEAT ALTERNATIVES GROUP

2 oz. to 3 oz. (size of a deck of cards) cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish

2 eggs

7 oz. tofu

1 cup cooked legumes (dried beans or peas)

4 tablespoons peanut butter

1/2 cup nuts or seeds

VEGETABLE GROUP

1/2 cup cooked vegetables

1/2 cup raw chopped vegetables

1 cup raw leafy vegetables

1/2 to 3/4 cup vegetable juice

FRUIT GROUP

1 whole medium fruit (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup dried fruit

1/2 cup canned fruit

1/2 to 3/4 cup fruit juice

BREAD & CEREAL GROUP

1 slice bread

1 medium muffin

1/2 hot dog bun or hamburger bun

1/2 bagel or english muffin

4 small crackers

1 tortilla

1 cup cold cereal

1/2 cup cooked cereal

1/2 cup rice

1/2 cup pasta

THE PRE-2005 FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID
Number of servings per day

The five major food groups are shown on the Food Guide Pyramid.

Each of these food groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients you need daily.

Center your diet around the foods at the base of the Pyramid, and eat less of the foods at the top of the Pyramid.

If you're watching your weight, eat the minimum number of recommended servings. If you need to gain weight, eat the maximum number of servings.

In all five groups, try to choose nonfat and lean groups as often as possible.

Example: Choose nonfat or 1% milk instead of 2% or whole milk; lean meat instead of fatty meat; and breads and cereals that are not processed with a lot of fat.

Great NEW Teaching Aid!
What Should I Eat? : A Complete Guide to the New Food Pyramid (Paperback)
by Tershia D'Elgin
Published in August 2005 - BUY IT NOW

Eating right and watching calories

The Food Guide Pyramid shows a range of servings for each of the five major food groups.

The number of servings you need from each group depends on how many calories you need to maintain a healthy weight.

This table shows approximately how many servings of nonfat, lean foods are needed for three different calorie levels (1,600, 2,200, and 2,800 calories).

HOW MANY SERVINGS DO YOU NEED EACH DAY?
	CHILDREN, WOMEN, OLDER ADULTS	TEEN GIRLS, ACTIVE WOMEN, MOST MEN	TEEN BOYS, ACTIVE MEN
CALORIE LEVEL¹	ABOUT 1,600	ABOUT 2,200	ABOUT 2,800
Milk & Milk Products Group²	2 to 4	2 to 4	2 to 4
Meat & Meat Alternatives Group	2	2	3
Vegetable Group	3	4	5
Fruit Group	2	3	4
Bread & Cereal Group	6	9	11
Total Fat (grams)³	36 to 53	49 to 73	62 to 93

¹These are the calorie levels if you choose nonfat, lean foods from the five major food groups, and use food from the fats, oils, and sweets group sparingly.

²Teens, young adults, pregnant and nursing women, and women concerned about osteoporosis prevention need at least 4 servings (or additional calcium from alternative sources).

³The lower number is 20% of daily calories from fat; the higher number is 30%. If you are really concerned about disease prevention, try to get down to 20% fat.

Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

NEW! For 2005.
Guidelines on how to mix up your choices within each food group.
Print out this FREE PDF document in color for handouts.
Click here for a copy (you need the Abobe PDF reader).

Attention Parents and Teachers! -
Good Enough to Eat : A Kid's Guide to Food and Nutrition
by Lizzy Rockwell (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8 - BUY IT NOW

Height/Weight Guidelines

WOMEN				MEN
	low	midpoint	high		low	midpoint	high
4'10"	100	115	131	5'1"	123	134	145
4'11"	101	117	134	5'2"	125	137	148
5'0"	103	120	137	5'3"	127	139	151
5'1"	105	122	140	5'4"	129	142	155
5'2"	108	125	144	5'5"	131	145	159
5'3"	111	128	148	5'6"	133	148	163
5'4"	114	133	152	5"7"	135	151	167
5'5"	117	136	156	5'8"	137	154	171
5'6"	120	140	160	5'9"	139	157	175
5'7"	123	143	164	5'10"	141	160	179
5'8"	126	146	167	5'11"	144	164	183
5'9"	129	150	170	6'0"	147	167	187
5'10"	132	153	173	6'1"	150	171	192
5'11"	135	156	176	6'2"	153	175	197
6'0"	138	159	179	6'3"	157	179	202

English measurements: Height is in feet and inches and weight is in pounds.

Attention Parents and Teachers! -
Pocket Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids (Pocket Idiot's Guide) (Paperback)
by M.S., R.D., Elizabeth M. Ward
Published January 3, 2006 - This authoritative, easy-to-follow guide is the first to explain the new findings clearly, including each of the pyramids and how to choose one that best suits particular health needs. BUY IT NOW

Human Body
27 in. x 39 in.
Buy this Art Print

Food Safety
24 in. x 18 in.
Buy this Art Print

Effects of Smoking
18 in. x 24 in.
Buy this Art Print

2005 My Pyramid
24 in. x 18 in.
Buy this Poster

Happy Breakfast
Alie Kruse-Kolk
24 in. x 20 in.
Buy this Art Print

Carol Robinson - Fruit is Nature's Sweet Candy

Cereals
Peter Knaup
16 in. x 20 in.
Buy this Art Print

Goodmorning Sunshine
Alie Kruse-Kolk
20 in. x 16 in.
Buy this Art Print

Eat Your Veggies
Carol Robinson
9 in. x 9 in.
Buy this Art Print

Bread
Studio Nouvelles Images
16 in. x 20 in.
Buy this Art Print

Fruit is Nature's Sweet Candy
Carol Robinson
9 in. x 9 in.
Buy this Art Print

A Look at the New Dietary Guidelines
Return to top

January 12, 2005 (excerpts from the U.S. Government press release)

Among the recommendations included in the government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, which were released Wednesday:

Eating right is vital to promoting health and reducing the risk for death or disability due to chronic diseases such as heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis. In fact, it has been estimated that dietary changes could reduce cancer deaths in the United States by as much as 35 percent.

Nevertheless, a large gap remains between recommended dietary patterns and what Americans actually eat. Very few Americans meet the majority of recommendations of the Food Guide Pyramid or the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Only 3 percent of all individuals meet four of the five recommendations for the intake of grains, fruits, vegetables, milk products, and meat and bean food groups. Only one-fourth of U.S. adults eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Unfortunately, poor eating habits are usually established during childhood. And more than 60 percent of young people eat too much fat, and less than 20 percent eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.

The Food Guide Pyramid is an outline of what to eat each day, and it calls for a variety of food and nutrients. Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other substances that are associated with good health. Low fat diets rich in fiber-containing grain products, fruits, and vegetables may reduce the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. Milk products provide protein, vitamins and minerals and are the best source of calcium. However, fats, oils, and sweets provide calories and little else, and should be used sparingly. Drinking enough water is also essential to keeping hydrated, converting food into energy, carrying nutrients through the body, and removing waste.

WEIGHT MANAGMENT: To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity. Balance calories between the amount you eat and the amount of energy you burn. For moderately active people between the ages of 31 and 50, recommended NET calories would be 2,000 per day for women and 2,400 to 2,600 for men.

*PHYSICAL ACTIVITY*: Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote psychological well-being and a healthy body weight. Thirty minutes of exercise is the minimum. Exercise for 60 minutes to maintain weight and prevent weight gain. If you've lost weight, exercise for 60 to 90 minutes daily to keep it off.

ADEQUATE NUTRIENTS WITHIN CALORIE NEEDS: Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups while choosing foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt and alcohol.

FOOD GROUPS TO ENCOURAGE: Eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day in a 2,000-calorie diet, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level; 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day; three cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

FOOD SAFETY: Clean hands, food contact surfaces and fruits and vegetables. To avoid food-borne illness, separate raw, cooked and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing or storing foods.

FATS: Limit intakes of fats and oils high in saturated and-or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils. Get no more than 10% of your calories from saturated fat and no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol daily.

CARBOHYDRATES: Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often. Eat and drink little added sugar or caloric sweeteners.

SODIUM: Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately one teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES:Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation; defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.