BASIC HEALTHY FOOD GROUPS:

The six basic food groups to ensure a well balanced diet are:

Whole Grains: This includes whole wheat, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain barley and millet. Refined grains including bread, pasta, white polished rice and breakfast cereals should be minimized in the diet.

Vegetables: Opt for brighter colors in the vegetables. Deeper the color, greater is the concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Dark green and orange vegetables are excellent choices; hence vegetables like carrots, broccoli, green leafy vegetables and butternut squash are good choices.

Fruits: Yellow and orange fruits like papaya, orange, lemon are good sources of vitamins and minerals. Instead of fruit juices, fruits as such can be taken, as these fruit juices contain added sugars.

Milk and other dairy products: Low-fat dairy products are the best choices. Skim milk is better than the whole milk. Organic dairy is the best. Cheeses and yoghurts with less fat content can be chosen for a balanced diet.

Protein: Fish, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts and seeds are good sources of protein. Minimize red meats as they contain high levels of saturated fats and choose the lean meats instead.

Oils: Fresh and high quality fats from olive oil, avocado, raw nuts & seeds, coconut and fish actually provide excellent and essential sources of healthy fatty acids in the diet. So fats and oils should be taken in moderation in a healthy diet.

FOOD GROUPS include:

Fruit Group. CLICK HERE to view the Food Fruit group.

Grains Group. CLICK HERE to study the Food Grains Group.

Vegetable Group. CLICK HERE to observe the Food Vegetable Group.