What are the 7 food groups and what are they used for?

There are seven major classes of nutrients that the body needs. These are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water. It's important for everyone to consume these seven nutrients on a daily basis to help them develop their bodies and maintain their health. The five food groups As shown by the My Plate icon, the five food groups are fruits, vegetables, cereals, protein foods and dairy products.

Enjoy foods from each of the five food groups and you'll get a fantastic combination of the best nutrients and vitamins. The USDA dietary patterns provide the recommended amounts for each food group and subgroup at 12 different calorie levels, ranging from 1000 to 3200. Now that the back-to-school season approaches, MyPlate nutritionists offer a refresher lesson on food groups to get back to basics. Try to keep foods such as butter, margarine, cooking oils and salad dressings to a minimum and save chocolate, chips, sugary soft drinks, candies, jam, cream, cakes, pudding, cookies and pastries for the occasional treat.

Each food group includes a variety of foods with a similar nutritional composition, and each group plays an important role in an overall healthy eating pattern. The USDA MyPlate includes the food groups that people are recommended to eat to stay healthy, but there are other categories that I (and many other nutrition experts) believe should be added to represent the way people eat. Some of the food groups are further divided into subgroups to emphasize foods that are particularly good sources of certain vitamins and minerals. It is important not to consume too many foods from this group, since they provide us with a lot of energy from calories, but not much nutrition.

There are many types of vitamins from various food groups and they participate in different types of body metabolism, such as maintaining healthy skin and hair, building bones, and releasing and using energy from food. The foods represented in MyPlate, issued by the USDA (formerly called the food pyramid) are grains, proteins, fruits, vegetables and dairy products.