Fats Oils and Sweets Food Group Guide

Using fats, oils and sweets sparingly would be a smart health choice. In the food guide pyramid, fats, oils, and sweets live in the penthouse. And how many of us can afford to reside in the penthouse with them? Not many! We all wish we could, but we can’t. Sometimes, we even visit too often, but it is just too expensive healthwise to stay for very long.

However, in moderation, these foods aren’t terrible for most people. Some fat in the diet and the body is necessary for life. Fat is a source of energy, it insulates the body and protects the internal organs, it helps regulates hormone production, and is critical for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A,D, E, and K). Thus, a cookie now and then is fine (believe me!), but some of us have a problem with moderation (believe me again!), so you must be conscious of how and what you eat. Many foods pretend to be “low-fat” or “reduced-fat,” like certain peanut butters or salad dressings, but they are only “low” or “reduced” in relation to their very, very high-fat versions, so be careful. ”Low-fat” desserts often add extra sugar to replace the small amount of fat taken out, so the total calorie count is about the same. Make sure you read the labels carefully.

Always be careful with “add-ons” like cream sauces, gravies, jellies, margarine spreads and butter. They add calories quickly, so beware. As an alternative, use non-fat yogurt or applesauce on your toast instead of butter and jelly. Use non-fat salad dressings.

Although the American Heart Association recommends that 30% or less of your daily calories should come from fat sources (less than 10% from saturated fat), I would recommend an amount closer to 20% of total calories from fat. Everyone is different, however, so find what works best for you. But if you are currently gaining weight and want to lose excess body fat, you may be spending too much time in this penthouse, especially if you aren’t taking the stairs!
My recommendation is that if you’re eating foods in the fats, oils, and sweets food category too often, you’d better make up for it by doing regular exercise.

Bread Cereal Rice and Pasta Food Group Guide

I love whole wheat bread, French bread, Italian bread, you name it. I love pasta of all types and shapes. In fact, I don’t think I’ve met a type of pasta I didn’t like. Rice and cereal are also delicious!

Each of these foods consists mostly of carbohydrates, though many contain varying amounts of protein and fat. Although my own meals are made up primarily of carbohydrates (typically 50-70%), they haven’t made me gain body fat, despite the fact that some people say they will. Don’t listen to those people! Remember this important principle when trying to lose weight. Too many calories ingested and too few calories burned are what make people overweight.

Some of the foods from this category are calorie-dense, however. Store-bought muffins or cookies, for example, are often outrageously high in fat and calories, so they would be a poor choice for a weight-conscious individual. Many so-called “low-fat” choices are still very high in calories. Make sure you read the labels! And it is often what you add to these foods that creates a calorie problem. Too much butter on bread, thick cream sauces over pasta, and lots of syrup on pancakes are huge calorie culprits. So be careful!

Try to emphasize whole-grain products over refined products. Whole grain products typically contain more dietary fiber and nutrients. Besides, most white sandwich breads taste like whipped air!

Although six to eleven daily servings are recommended, the actual number you eat will depend on your body size. Smaller people need fewer calories, thus, they need fewer servings. And always watch your portion sizes.

My recommendation is to eat a variety of choices from this food group to get balanced, well-rounded, satisfying nutrition. Just watch your portion sizes and be careful what you add to these foods in terms of high-fat and high-calorie toppings. 

An Introduction To Food Science and Technology

 

Plenty of information related to recipes, cooking, dieting, and nutrition is available today, both on the web and in print. Likewise, there are many web sites that present highly technical and scientific information about food. Food science and technology play a signigicant role in your health and well being, and will be discussed in more detail below.

Food science is another area offering a wealth of information for people who want to learn about food. As someone who has a degree in food science and technology, I personally know many well informed and intelligent people who have no idea what food science is. Most people, when thinking about food, don’t think about test tubes and microscopes. They think of skillets and microwaves. However, today many branches of science come to play during food production. From the beneficial bacteria in your yogurt to the artificial flavors in your soda, science plays a big role when it comes to food.

Food technology is related to food science. However, it typically refers to the processing methods and machinery used to produce, store, preserve, and package specific foods. Food technology is more important than ever since most people today don’t grow all their own food or prepare everything they consume at home from scratch. The many technological advances in food processing over the last century offer consumers the convenience and timesaving advantages their ancestors didn’t have access to.

However, since there are so many food choices available today, it is advantageous to the consumer to be well informed about the food they buy and eat. We can feel pretty secure about the quality and safety of the tomatoes we grow in our own gardens but what about the ones at the supermarket? Knowing and understanding what goes into your food, and how it is made, can help you to decide among the wide variety of food items available. The food you buy and, subsequently, eat can affect your nutrition, your health, your feeling of satisfaction, and your finances so it is to your advantage to be well informed. It’s also fun learning about food just for the heck of it.