• Children ages to 2 to 6, less active women and some older adults should generally stick to the lower number of suggested servings, including two servings, which equals 5 ounces total, in the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group.
  
  
• Older children, teenage girls, active women, and most men should aim for the middle range of suggested servings, including two servings, which equals 6 ounces total, in the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group.
  
  
• Teen boys and active men should aim for the higher number of suggested servings, including three servings, which totals seven ounces, in the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group.
  
  

The milk, yogurt and cheese group is the exception to these guidelines. The number of servings recommended in this group depends on age. Older children and teenagers (ages 9 to 18 years) and adults over the age of 50 need three servings daily. Everyone else needs two servings daily. The recommended number of milk group servings for pregnant or lactating women is the same as for non - pregnant women. It is important to seek out information from your doctor for the specific guidelines on feeding your children who are younger than 2.

About the Fats
If you are using the Food Pyramid as your guide, all foods may be enjoyed as part of a healthy lifestyle. That includes fats, in moderation of course. In fact, fats play an important role in nutrition because they supply energy and essential fatty acids, and they help absorb the fat – soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. they also enhance the flavor of the foods, making them richer and more flavorful. Baked goods would essentially be tough and inedible without the fat. It’s important to keep in mind that certain kinds of fats, especially those horrible saturated fats, increase the risk for coronary heart disease by raising blood cholesterol

Nutrition Labels: What can we gain from actually reading them?

Believe it or not, there is some important information that our families can gain from reading the label on the back of most food packages. The information that is found on those labels can help us choose healthier foods for your family. It really only takes a few seconds to read the label, but the health benefits to your diet can last a lifetime.

In a nutshell, here’s what you need to know

Serving Size:
This tells you the amount of food used to calculate the nutrients shown on the package. When comparing products, be sure they are assuming the same portion size.

Calories:
This number shows calories per serving, not necessarily per package. If you are going to consume the entire box, can, or candy bar, be sure to adjust the calorie number as needed. The “Calories from Fat” section can help you identify foods that have a high percentage of fat.

Daily Values:
These numbers give you a quick indication of the amount of various nutrients in each serving. The higher the number, the more the nutrient. Remember that more is not always better. The Daily Values are given in percents; your total daily intake for each should be around 100.

Fat, Saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium:
Most of us consume too much of these nutrients. It’s okay to fall below 100 percent of Daily Value each day for this group.

Carbohydrates, sugar, fiber and protein:
If you are watching carbohydrates, this is one section that you will want to pay close attention to. For the rest of us, the rules are simple: Less sugar is good and more fiber is better. Protein is usually not important, because most people get far more protein than they need.

Beneficial vitamins and minerals:
The nutrients listed in the lower box are critical to your health. Unless you have a medical restriction, the higher these values, the better the food is for you. I wish that broccoli had a label!

The fine print:
The tiny type at the bottom of most food labels tells you how the daily values were calculated and give you some information on adjusting the numbers to your own situation. It never changes, so you can safely ignore this information after you’ve read it once or twice.

If you would like additional information about the Food Pyramid or Nutrition Labels,
check out www.mypyramid.gov