Please click here to obtain permission to reproduce this image.
Click on image to view larger version.
Figure 1 The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid is a tool to help lose weight or maintain weight. The pyramid offers a somewhat different approach to healthy eating compared with the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. It focuses on low energy-dense foods, which have a small number of calories in a large amount of food. The foundation of the pyramid is unlimited amounts of vegetables and fruits (minimum four servings per day). One serving of vegetables equals 25 calories; one serving of fruit equals 60 calories. Level two in the pyramid is carbohydrates, including whole grains (four to eight servings per day). One serving of carbohydrate equals 70 calories. Protein/dairy is the third level of the pyramid (three to seven servings per day). One serving equals 70 calories. Fats, the fourth level of the pyramid, include heart-healthy olive oil, nuts, canola oil, and avocados (three to five servings per day). One serving of fat equals 45 calories.
|
