Eat Healthy: Balancing the Food Groups

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!

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."

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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