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Amy Schumer pretending to eat food. The text reads 'nom nom nom'.

Do you eat to live or live to eat?

Either way — food is essential.

Food is divided into different groups. Understand each of the food groups to keep a balanced and healthy diet!

Healthy eating

A balanced diet is the key to general well-being! Harvard's School of Public Health has come up with an easy way to make sure you are eating enough of each food group, in each meal.

This concept is called "The Healthy Eating plate."

👉 Click this link for an accessible text version of the above image

Quiz

What would constitute a "healthy meal"?

Did you know?

A colorful plate typically hits all the food groups!

Fats, oils, and sugars

Honey jar on the table. Photo by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash

This food group includes everything from butter to chocolate to oil. There are certain fats that are good for you like unsaturated fats. Others like saturated fats are processed, which you should try to avoid.

It's recommended that you limit the amount of food you eat from this group.

Quiz

Which of the following doesn't belong in the fats, oils, and sugars group?

Protein — meat, fish, and eggs

This food group is mostly made up of proteins, which contain essential nutrients our body needs to grow.

Try to vary your protein intake. Consume less red meat with high-fat content that can lead to heart issues, and more white meat, like chicken and fish.

Quiz

Which of the following foods should you eat more of?

Fruits and vegetables

The variety in this group is endless! Fruits and vegetables are typically lower in sugar and higher in fiber. This helps our digestive system.

The recommended daily serving for vegetables and fruits is 4-5 servings of each per day.

Quiz

Which of the following would satisfy the recommended daily intake?

Grains — bread, rice, and pasta

Another common name for this group is carbohydrates — an important part of a healthy, balanced diet because they provide many important nutrients. They're a great source of energy and fiber.

Try to limit refined and processed carbohydrates like white rice, white bread, and white flour pasta, which are low in nutrition. Instead, choose multi-grain or whole-wheat bread, whole-grain pasta, and brown rice to gain the maximum nutritional benefit.

Quiz

Which of the following does not belong in this group?

Take Action

A graphic showing a hamburger, fries, and other unhealthy foods. A screen wipe reveals fresh fish and vegetables.

Next time you're preparing dinner or deciding what to eat at a restaurant:

License:

This Byte has been authored by

This Byte has been reviewed by

LD

Lana Do

MD, MPH, BCMAS

English

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