The grain group is at the base of the pyramid. That means foods made from grains are the foundation of a nutritious diet. They provide complex carbohydrates (starch), dietary fiber, plant protein, Vitamin B, iron, and folate. Carbohydrate is the preferred energy source in the diet. It helps your body regulate temperature and fuels your daily activities. It is recommended that about 55-75% of your total daily calories should come from carbohydrates. Therefore, when you look at your meals, check to see if you have a large portion of grain foods! Whole grains are even better than white, processed grains, so try to get some of these every day, too.

Examples of grains:

Rice (e.g. red rice, brown rice, white rice), congee, pasta (e.g. macaroni, vermicelli, spaghetti, egg noodles), whole grain bread, plain or whole grain biscuits, breakfast cereals, and oatmeal.

Functions of grains:

• Complex carbohydrates give the brain and all body cells the energy they need to function, supporting daily activities, and regulating body temperature.
• A high-fiber diet delivers several health benefits. It helps lower your blood cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease, and it also helps prevent constipation. Whole grains have more fiber than refined, white grains.

How much grain food do you need every day?

If you are 12 years old or above, your daily intake recommendations are :

3 - 6 bowls of rice (1 bowl of rice can be exchanged by 1 bowl of noodles or pasta, 2 bowls of congee or 2 slices of bread). Taller people, more active people, and teens still growing can eat near the upper end of the range, or 6 bowls of rice. Shorter people, those less active, and those no longer growing taller may eat lesser amounts.

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The vegetable and fruit group is also toward the bottom of the pyramid. This means lots of daily servings of vegetables and fruits are an important component of a healthy diet. Veggies and fruits are good sources of fiber, carotene, Vitamins A, B, C, as well as folate and iron, and new "phytonutrients" in plants that we are still discovering. These new nutrients are also biologically active in ways that seem to help prevent cancer.

Examples of vegetables and fruits:

1. Leafy Vegetables and root vegetables：Choy-sum, white cabbage, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots

2. Gourds：Winter melon, Hairy gourd

3. Fruits：Apples, oranges, bananas, peas, and all no-sugar added fruit juice

Functions of vegetables and fruits:

• They contain vitamins (e.g. A, B, and C), minerals, and fiber and even some protein and energy, which help cell growth, repair damage tissue and fight against diseases.
• Fresh vegetables and fruits are naturally low in fat and sodium and high in fiber and vitamin C.
• Fiber helps prevent constipation and lowers the risk of having colon cancer.
• Vitamin C is important to bone and teeth growth, helps your body absorb iron, and promotes the healing of wounds and burns.
• Fruit is a better choice than fruit juice, because fruit has its fiber.

How much fruit and vegetables do you need every day?

If you are 12 years old or above, you need:

• 6 to 8 taels of raw vegetables or 2 full bowls of cooked vegetables
• 2 to 4 fruits (the size of a medium orange) - Citrus fruits, such as oranges or tangerines, should be eaten once daily. Citrus fruits are high in Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin that needs daily replenishment. Other fruits in season can satisfy the rest of your needs.

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The meat and dairy group is higher up on the pyramid. This means that even though these protein-rich foods are important for good health, you don't need to eat as many of them in one day as you do of foods lower down on the pyramid. The dietary guidelines recommends 10-15% of your total daily calories should come from protein; therefore, the Healthy Diet Pyramid recommends you should choose and eat the meat and dairy group in smaller amounts. It is easy to meet your daily protein needs!

Examples:

1. Meat：Pork, Beef, Lamb,
2. Poultry: Chicken, Duck
3. Fish & Seafood：Fish, Crab, Shrimp
4. Egg：Eggs (boiled or steamed eggs better than fried eggs)
5. Beans, Nuts & Seeds：Tofu, yellow beans, green beans, sesame, almonds, peanuts and peanut butter
6. Milk & Dairy Products：Milk, cheese, yogurt, ice-cream

Reduce the fat!

Meat, full cream milk, and ice cream contain animal fat and cholesterol.

• Choose lean over fatty meat
• Remove all visible fat or poultry skin and leave it behind.
• Choose low-fat or nonfat milk if possible.
• Cooking method is also important. Boiling and steaming are healthier cooking methods than frying for meats and fish.

What is the value of these foods to our body?

• They are good sources of energy and protein, which helps adolescents grow. Moreover, protein is important for muscle development, cell repair and metabolic needs for everyone.
• Meats, especially red meat, are rich a source of iron, important for red blood cell production, and prevention of iron-deficiency anemia. Red blood cells carry oxygen to other parts of the body to make you energetic.
• Milk, dairy products and tofu are sources of Vitamin D and calcium, which are important for bone, muscle and teeth growth. If your body develops an adequate calcium store and builds a high peak bone mass while young, you'll have a lower risk of having osteoporosis when getting older.
• Almonds, nuts, and beans are rich in Vitamin E and fiber, which promote healthy skin and hair, and may help prevent cancer.
• Fish and seafood contribute Vitamin B6, iodine, zinc and other minerals that are needed for growth and development, and may help to prevent goiter and mental retardation.

How much meat, fish, eggs, beans, tofu and dairy products do you need every day?

If you are 12 years old or older, you need:

• 4 to 6 taels of meat (1 1/2 tael is approximately equal to 2 mahjong size meat blocks, one piece of ham or 1/3 chicken leg or 1 egg or 1/2 bowl beans or nuts) and
• 1 to 2 cups of milk

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Foods with large amounts of fat, sugar, and salt are at the tip of the pyramid. This means you should only have small amounts of these in your diet. This food group is high in energy and low in nutrients, and is of little health benefit when eaten in excess. Dietary recommendations tell us we should have no more than 30% of total daily calories from fat, as excess intake would contribute to an unhealthy and imbalanced diet.

What are saturated fats?

Saturated fats are the less healthy fats. They are solid or almost solid at room temperature. Saturated fat usually comes from animal fats, such as those in meat, poultry, and dairy products. It also comes from palm oil, used in foods like some biscuits and some hard margarines. Butter, luncheon meat, meat fat, chicken skin, and whole milk are rich in saturated fat. Excess intake of saturated fat can raise your blood cholesterol level, especially the level of Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or ("bad" cholesterol), which is a risk factor of cardiovascular disease.

Which foods are high in fat, sugar and/or salt?

• Butter, margarine, mayonnaise, cream, cooking oil (e.g. peanut oil, corn oil, safflower oil)
• Candy, potato chips, French Fries, most instant noodles
• Sweetened drinks (e.g. sweetened fruit juice, soda) ? Preserved meat, fish or vegetables (e.g. bacon, sausage, dry salted fish)
• Many kinds of seasonings and sauces (e.g. soy sauce, MSG, salad dressing)
• Meat fat and chicken skin ? Fried foods of all kinds - fried meats or fish, fried noodles or fried rice, spring rolls and other fried cakes

Why do we need to limit some fats, sugar and salt?

Sugary, salty and especially fatty or oily foods are very concentrated sources of energy. Fat is necessary for health and is part of all our cells. However, these very tasty but energy-dense and low nutrition foods in excess give us too much energy and have been linked to a number of serious diseases, such as obesity, high blood pressure, dental caries, and heart disease.

How much fat, sugar and salt do you need every day?

If you are 12 years old or above:

Generally, you can get adequate amounts of fat, sugar and salt from your diet. However, if you do not keep control of your intake, risk of getting chronic diseases will arise later in life easily.

• Fat: 30% calories
• Sugar: 10% calories
• Salt (Na): none required from adding to food

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Water is the healthiest drink of all the beverages. To keep the body functioning properly, drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. Water not only helps replacing the fluid lost through sweating, but also helps carrying waste material out of the body. Therefore, drink more water and avoid high-caffeine or sweetened drinks, such as coffee and soda, as those beverages dehydrate you and cause tiredness and fatigue. You may, however, obtain some of the water from other liquids, such as:

[ 1 ] Tea without added sugar
[ 2 ] Clear soup
[ 3 ] No-sugar added fruit juice
[ 4 ] Skim or low-fat milk, non-sweetened soy drinks

Functions of water:

• Water helps maintain normal body temperature. Sweating cools our body.
• Water is the primary transporter of nutrients throughout the body
• Water helps carry waste materials out of body

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