The food pyramid is designed to make healthy eating easier:
• Foods that contain the same type of nutrients are grouped together on each of the shelves. This gives a choice of different foods from which to choose a healthy diet.
• Using the food pyramid can guide you to get the right balance of nutritious foods within your calorie range.
• It has been shown that we take in too many calories from foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt (found on the top shelf of the food pyramid). These provide a lot of calories with little nutrients, so limiting these is essential for healthy eating.
5.2
Further Investigation
To find out more about each food group and the new food pyramid, go to www.safefood.eu, click on ‘Healthy Eating’ at the top of the home page, then click on ‘The Food Pyramid and the Eatwell Guide’, and then on ‘The Food Pyramid (ROI)’.
Did You Know?
Food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients taken as a dietary top-up. They include fish oils, which have been shown to benefit heart health, minerals like iron to prevent anaemia and a whole list of vitamins from A to K. Supplements contain higher amounts of nutrients than are found in most foods.
If you eat a varied and balanced diet there is usually no need to take any food supplements – you’ll get everything you need from your food. The one exception to this is folic acid. All women of child-bearing age who could become pregnant should take a supplement of 400 µg (micrograms) folic acid each day. If a woman does become pregnant, she should continue to take the supplement during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Do you know why?
