Nearly everyone is familiar with the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, which suggests how to build your daily diet in terms of servings of different food groups. The main idea is to eat more servings of foods on the lower, wide levels and use most sparingly those foods at the tip of the pyramid. The USDA pyramid is an effective visual tool that communicates both variety and proportion. We have modified it to represent our food guidelines. Ours is a whole foods vegetarian diet, with plenty of dairy foods, and an occasional egg. It is low fat, because the dairy products, particularly the milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese, are all fat free. Cheese is used much less often. Fats are used sparingly, usually in the form of olive, canola, or peanut oil for cooking and salad dressings, and a teaspoon or so of flaxseed oil for essential fatty acids.

Carbohydrates (Levels 1 & 2): 60 - 65% of Total Calories

Starting from the two lowest, widest levels, our modified pyramid emphasizes whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. We recommend eating 11 to 20 servings daily of these healthy energy-producing foods. There is naturally some overlap between levels. In this case, starchy vegetables usually include peas, beans, and lentils too, but we have them listed in Level 3 as meat substitutes because they are a good source of protein. Please see the CARBOHYDRATES section later in this report for more detailed information about fiber, starches, and the role of these important nutrients as fuel for mind and body.

Level 1 – Grains: bread, cereal, rice & pasta: 4 – 7 servings daily. One serving is 1 slice of bread, 1 oz ready-to-eat cereal, or 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta.

• Use whole grains whenever possible.
• White-flour baked goods, such as doughnuts, cakes, pies, cookies, croissants, and pastries, are too high in fats and sugars to be anything except a rare treat.
• There are many great whole grain hot cereal varieties available, oatmeal being the most popular, so choose them instead of the more common highly refined ones.
• Use ready-to-eat cereals that are low in added sugar.
  

Starchy vegetables: potatoes, corn, & winter squash: 2 – 4 servings daily. One serving consists of 1/2 cup cooked potatoes, corn or winter squash. If baking potatoes, one medium, both white and sweet or yam, is a serving and a large ear of corn on the cob approximates one serving.

• Potatoes and corn are traditionally loaded with added fats: butter, margarine, sour cream, or cheese, so learn to make some adjustments. I like lemon juice and salt on baked potatoes, and some of my friends enjoy plain yogurt in place of sour cream. Baked beans or vegetarian chili as a topping gives you an extra protein serving as well.
• If corn is fresh, nothing needs to be added unless you are used to a dash of salt.
• Winter squash is usually baked with a little sweetener, such as real maple syrup or liquid fructose, or it can be added to soup.
• French fries are too fatty to be called good food, and they are especially high in trans-fatty acids that raise cholesterol when fried commercially.
  

Level 2 – Vegetables and Fruits: Vegetables: salad, dark green leafy, cruciferous, and so on: 3 – 5 servings daily. One serving consists of 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables such as salad greens and 1/2 cup for cooked or chopped raw vegetables. The USDA recommends three to five servings per day, and I often exceed that. Some people enjoy vegetable juice, but it really isn’t a whole food. If you really like it, figure 6 oz per serving.

• Salads need dressing; I often prefer to just drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice and seasoning instead of a more elaborate concoction. There are many good low-fat recipes available.
• Dark green leafy vegetables are especially rich sources of vitamins and minerals, so try to include them several times weekly.
• Always ask for "dressing on the side" when dining out so that you can use less. Nothing is more dismaying to a salad lover than to see a bowl full of fresh, crisp vegetables drowning in a puddle of indifferent sauce.
  

Fruits: melons, citrus, apples, pears, peaches, bananas, grapes, plums, berries, dried fruits, etc: 2 – 4 servings daily. One serving consists of a medium apple, banana, or orange, or 1/2 cup chopped, cooked, or canned fruit. Fruit juice, like vegetable juice, is not a whole food, has little fiber, and is high in rapidly absorbed sugars. If you can’t get along without it, stick to 6-oz servings and be sure what you buy is 100% juice, not merely a "juice drink," with lots of added sugar and water.

• Eat whole fruits whenever possible. Avoid processed fruit products such as fruit canned in heavy syrup.
• Citrus, melon, and berries (especially blueberries) are highest in antioxidants.
  

Level 3 – Protein: 15 - 20% of Total Calories

The third level of the pyramid consists of protein and dairy foods. Level 1 foods, especially the whole grains, also provide a bit of protein, especially when complemented by dairy or legume protein. Please see the PROTEIN section later in this report for more detailed information about essential amino acids, protein complementarity, and a comprehensive table of protein content of some common foods.

Plant protein: legumes, tofu, meat subs, eggs, nuts & seeds: 3 – 5 servings. A serving includes 1/2 cup cooked beans, peas or lentils, 3 oz tofu, 1 cup soy milk, 1 egg, 2 TB peanut butter, 1 oz nuts, 1 veggie burger or soy wiener.

• Most Americans eat twice as much protein as they need, which increases calcium excretion and stresses the kidneys, so most people will benefit from the better balance of nutrients provided by less protein and fat and more carbohydrates.
• The average woman weighing 150 pounds needs about 60 grams of protein daily; the average 180-pound man, about 72 grams. Here is an easy way to determine your own protein requirement in grams: multiply your own weight in pounds by 0.4 if you are a sedentary to moderately active adult; by 0.5 if you are very active; and by 0.75 if you are a growing athlete or adult who is building muscle. Each serving of dairy or plant protein includes 6-14 grams of protein. The table later in this report lists the protein content of some common foods; if you are interested in a more complete list, consult a good nutrition book (see our suggested reading list).
• Soy products are now readily available in major supermarkets, and most people are familiar with soybean curd (tofu), a staple food of Asia; it is a bland, cake-like, high-protein food that can be barbecued, scrambled, sautéed with vegetables, boiled, or baked. When processed with calcium, as it usually is, tofu is a great source of this essential mineral as well as protein. Although nearly 50% of tofu’s calories are from fat, the fat is predominantly unsaturated, and at least one major brand has introduced a reduced-fat version.
• Enriched soy milk is readily available at supermarkets as well as health food stores, and consists of soybeans, rice or cane syrup, and water to which calcium and vitamins have been added to mimic the consistency of milk. Try it on your favorite whole grain cereal or blended with ice and fresh or frozen fruit for an excellent smoothie.
• I use many "fake meat" products such as wieners, burgers, Canadian bacon, and deli slices. They are certainly healthier for you than the meats they mimic because they are usually fat-free. Even if you are not a vegetarian, you will benefit from adding some of these foods to your diet; eating a "veggie" hot dog or slice of "veggie" bacon as a snack will quell hunger pangs just like the real thing.
• Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of healthy oils and antioxidants as well as protein, but should be eaten in moderation due to their high calorie content. Peanuts and cashews are the highest in protein. Try adding English walnut halves to tossed salads or cereal. Seed protein complements that of legumes.
  

Dairy protein: milk, buttermilk, cheese, yogurt: 2 – 4 servings. One serving consists of 1 cup of milk, buttermilk, or yogurt, and1 oz natural (2 oz if processed) cheese. I always look for fortified fat-free milk, which is skim milk with extra nonfat milk solids added to improve taste and protein and calcium content (as much as 40%).

• I like to use hard cheeses for flavoring when I cook, but otherwise I stick to other dairy foods because the higher saturated fat and cholesterol content just aren’t worth it.
• I often use fat-free versions of half and half, cream cheese, sour cream, and whipped topping, especially for festive occasions.
• Many people have less of the digestive enzyme lactase with age, which leads to bloating, discomfort, and diarrhea after consuming too much lactose-rich dairy foods. However, almost everyone can tolerate small amounts of lactose, for instance the amount in an 8-oz glass of milk. If lactose is a problem for you, try lactase enzyme supplements and lactose-reduced milk products.
  

Level 4 – Fats: 20% of Total Calories

This category at the tip of the pyramid includes all the foods that should be used sparingly: fats and oils, sweets, and eggs. Fats and sweets combined with a sedentary lifestyle are the cause of America’s obesity epidemic and should be limited; however, small amounts of certain types of fats are essential for health. See the FATS section later in this report for more detailed information about this class of nutrients.

Fats & oils: Use sparingly. All experts agree that the average adult should reduce fat intake by at least 30% (from the average of 43% down to no higher than 30% of total calories). Many experts now recommend even lower fat levels to help prevent later chronic illnesses such as heart disease, some forms of cancer, obesity and diabetes. I believe that about 20% of total daily calories should be from all fats combined, with saturated fats only about 5%. This amount of total fat requires a more than 50% reduction for the average person.

• The majority of fat calories should come from monounsaturated fats as found in olive, canola, and peanut oils. These monounsaturated oils are more stable than the common vegetable oils, which helps to reduce toxic oxidation and free radical damage in the body.
• It is important to improve the balance of EFAs (essential fatty acids) in your diet. Most people get too much of the omega-6 fatty acids — from common vegetable oils such as cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, etc. — and too little of the omega-3 fatty acids, which are much rarer. Canola, soybean, and flaxseed oils are the only relatively rich sources of linolenic acid that can be metabolized into omega-3 fatty acids. For most people, one teaspoon daily of flaxseed oil is sufficient.
• Nuts and seeds can contribute appreciable amounts of polyunsaturated fats, usually combined with beneficial antioxidants.
• Meat drippings and lard are very high in saturated fats and should be avoided, even by nonvegetarians. Solid margarines, vegetable shortening, and commercial frying oil, although vegetable in origin, have been processed to contain high levels of trans fatty acids that often raise your cholesterol level.
• Butterfat is highly saturated. Unless you are really rigid about using only fat-free dairy products, there will be some small amount of butterfat daily, so it is best not to use butter directly on food.
  

Sweets & sugars: Where is the "cake, cookie, and pie" level in the pyramid? These foods must be used sparingly. This category ranges from bakery items to jellies, jams, and preserves. Other foods such as candy, chocolates, soft drinks, fruit drinks (not 100% juice), and frozen desserts such as ice cream and sherbet also contain large amounts of sugar.

Of course, few can fully resist the blandishments of junk food, so do the best you can. Some of America’s greatest minds and largest corporations are constantly bombarding you with sophisticated messages to eat junk food often, so perhaps you should add "practice resistance to advertising" to your Yoga routine!

The USDA recommends limiting sweets to between 6 and 12 teaspoon equivalents of sugar daily, if for no other reason than simple calorie overload. Most cakes and pies include about 6 teaspoons per serving, and fruit and flavored yogurts also weigh in at 6, while chocolate shakes and soft drinks contain about 9 teaspoons. The food with the highest sugar content is fruit drink, with 12 tsp for a 12-oz drink. For a more comprehensive list of added sugar in common foods, check out the USDA Food and Nutrition Information Center web site (see Resources).

Eggs: Eggs are a great source of protein, but the yolks are very high in fat (about 6 grams) and cholesterol (about 250 mg). The American Heart Association recommends limiting cholesterol to 300 mg daily. Egg whites, however, are fat- and cholesterol-free and a great source of protein.

How Many Servings Are Right for You?

Many people feel that they can never eat all the servings called for in the pyramid. The secret lies in the actually quite small definition of a serving, often just 1/2 cup or on1 oz by weight. Just one slice of bread is a grain serving. And the main objective in diet improvement is to increase the variety of foods in your diet, so many small servings of different foods is the goal. Also, it is a well-established fact that nine out of ten Americans do not eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables daily, so start today!

Here are some very general rules to follow. If you are older, small in stature, inactive (meaning sedentary), a chronic dieter, athletic (due to higher metabolic efficiency), female, or have a low metabolic rate, adjust your serving quantities down. If you have a hard time maintaining your ideal weight, lean toward the low end of the range of servings.

On the other hand, bigger (by weight) and younger people, or those who are moderately to very active can afford to eat more servings. Men tend to have higher metabolic rates and can tolerate more servings than women.

How to Prepare Foods for Maximum Nutrition

Fruits are best when fresh and raw, because their antioxidants are lost during cooking. Vegetables should be eaten raw, steamed, or quickly sautéed to preserve nutrients, as frying, boiling, and baking tend to reduce nutrient value. However there are some exceptions: woody vegetables such as carrots release more nutrients when cooked. Try steaming or boiling them. Grains usually must be boiled or baked for digestibility. Generally speaking, the longer you cook fresh foods, the more you lose vitamins and other phytochemicals. The loss is often balanced by greater availability of minerals, provided cooking water is retained; add it to soups and sauces for its flavor as well as nutritional value.

Cooking over a hot open flame can produce some pretty harmful toxicants. Smoking, broiling, grilling, frying, and roasting, all methods of cooking with intense heat and limited oxygen, form potent mutagenic chemicals in the surface layers of foods. This is especially true of meat, poultry, and fish, but any fatty or protein food (cheese or tofu, for example) can be affected. One survey demonstrated a link between broiled fish and stomach cancer. If you indulge, keep flames low and avoid scorching the food.

See our resources section for several cookbooks and nutrition books and websites to supplement the information in this report.

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