Besides
the
wonderful
aromas,
flavors,
and
textures
that
food
has,
each
food
group
provides
varying
amounts
of
diverse
nutrients.
Each one
of the
five
food
groups
supplies
some,
but not
all, of
the
nutrients
you need
for good
health.
For this
reason,
it's key
that you
eat from
each
food
group
every
day.
Bread,
Cereal,
Rice,
and
Pasta
Group
The base
of the
Food
Guide
Pyramid
includes
all
foods
made
from
grains.
These
foods
should
form the
base of
a
nutritious
diet.
Foods in
the
bread,
cereal,
rice,
and
pasta
group--or
the
starch
group--are
rich in
complex
carbohydrates
(or
starches).
Complex
carbohydrates
are an
excellent
source
of
energy.
They are
low in
fat and
cholesterol
and are
your
body's
main
source
of
energy.
Health
experts
agree
that you
should
consume
at least
half of
your
total
daily
calories
from
carbohydrates,
especially
complex
carbohydrates.
The Food
Guide
Pyramid
suggests
consuming
six to
eleven
servings
from the
starch
group
each
day.
This may
seem
like a
lot, but
servings
add up
quicker
than you
realize,
so keep
serving
sizes in
mind.
One
serving
equals
any of
the
following:
-
One
slice
enriched
or
whole-grain
bread
-
½
medium
bagel
-
One
6-inch
tortilla
-
½
cup
cooked
rice
or
pasta
-
½
cup
cooked
oatmeal
or
cream
of
wheat
-
¾
cup
ready-to-eat
cereal
Fact:
The U.S.
Food and
Drug
Administration
(PDA)
now
requires
that
enriched,
refined
grain
products
(such as
breads,
flours,
cornmeals,
rice,
noodles,
macaroni,
and
other
grain
products)
be
fortified
with
folic
acid, a
form of
folate.
Folate
is a B
vitamin
that has
been
found to
reduce
the
incidence
of
certain
neural-tube
birth
defects
in
newborn
babies.
Whole-grain
foods
naturally
contain
some
folate.
Grain
foods,
especially
whole
grains,
supply
vitamin
E and B
vitamins
such as
folic
acid, as
well as
minerals
like
magnesium,
iron,
and
zinc.
Whole
grains
(like
whole
wheat)
are rich
in fiber
and
higher
in other
important
nutrients.
In fact,
eating
plenty
of whole
grain
breads,
bran
cereals,
and
other
whole-grain
foods
can
easily
provide
half of
your
fiber
needs
for an
entire
day.
Eating
whole
grains
provides
you with
more
vitamins,
minerals,
fiber,
phytoestrogens,
lignans,
antioxidants,
and
other
protective
substances
that you
lose
when
grains
are
refined.
Whole
grains
add more
flavor
and
texture
to
foods.
When
consuming
your
needed
number
of
servings
from the
starch
group,
aim to
get at
least
three
servings
from a
whole-grain
source.
Whole
Grains
vs
Refined
Grains
Whole
grains
are more
nutritious
and
wholesome
than
refined
grains.
Whole
grain is
the
entire
edible
part of
any
grain,
including
wheat,
corn,
oats,
and
rice.
Refined
grains
go
through
a
milling
process
in which
parts of
the
grain
are
removed.
Refined
grains,
such as
white
rice or
white
bread,
are low
in fiber
and
other
important
nutrients.
In
refined
grains,
many of
the
essential
nutrients
are lost
in
processing.
Some
nutrients
are
added
back, or
the
product
is
enriched,
but this
usually
does not
include
all of
the
nutrients
that
were
lost. To
increase
your
intake
of
whole-grain
foods,
look for
words
such as
whole
grain,
whole
wheat,
rye,
bulgur,
brown
rice,
oatmeal,
whole
oats,
pearl
barley,
and
whole-grain
corn as
one of
the
first
words in
the
ingredient
list on
a food
label.
What is
the
difference
between
"fortified"
and
"enriched"?
Fortified
means
that
nutrients
are
added
that
were not
presently
found in
the
food.
For
example,
some
varieties
of
orange
juice
are
fortified
with
calcium.
Enriched
means
that
nutrients
that
originally
belonged
to the
food
were
added
back.
These
are
nutrients
that may
have
been
lost in
processing.
When a
grain
product
is
enriched,
B
vitamins
such as
thiamine,
riboflavin,
niacin,
and
folic
acid are
added
back to
the
refined
grain.
Smart
Starch
Choices
The Food
Guide
Pyramid
suggests
building
a
healthy
base by
making a
variety
of grain
foods
the
foundation
of your
diet. To
get the
most out
of this
important
food
group,
follow
some of
the
following
tips.
-
Choose
breads,
cereals,
and
pastas
made
from
whole
wheat
or
whole
grain
more
often.
Rye
and
pumpernickel
breads
are
also
high
in
fiber.
-
Look
for
the
words
"high
in
fiber"
or
"good
source
of
fiber"
on
food
labels.
-
Look
for
breads,
rolls,
and
muffins
with
3
grams
of
fat
or
less
per
serving.
-
Try
new
foods
in
the
grain
group,
such
as
quinoa,
millet,
or
couscous.
-
Try
grains
in
your
salads
by
adding
pastas,
rice,
or
bulgur
(as
in
tabouli).
-
Look
for
the
word
"whole"
in
front
of
grains
such
as
barley,
corn,
oats,
rice,
or
wheat.
-
Choose
brown
rice
more
often
than
white.
Brown
rice
is
the
only
type
of
whole-grain
rice.
-
Look
for
varieties
of
cereal
that
offer
at
least
3
grams
of
fiber,
have
3
grams
of
fat
or
less,
and
that
include
8
grams
or
less
of
sugar
per
serving.
-
Choose
breads,
crackers,
and
crunchy
snacks
with
less
fat
and
sugar.
Excerpted
from:
Copyright
©
2002
by
Kimberly
A.
Tessmer.
Excerpted
from
The
Everything
Nutrition
Book:
Boost
Energy,
Prevent
Illness,
and
Live
Longer
with
permission
of
its
publisher,
Adams
Media
Corporation.
Buy
it
from
Amazon