Learn about the food pyramid for adults
The busy life makes adults often skip the main meals of the day and do not have a reasonable diet. To maintain good health for adults, it is necessary to provide adequate nutrients first. But, what nutrients are necessary for the body of an adult or what food should be prioritized? Let’s learn about the food pyramid for adults with King Kong Milk Tea through the article below!
I. What is the pyramid of food?
Food pyramid, also known as Food pyramid, is an eating pattern arranged in a pyramid with clear standards. In which, the amount of food has been clearly and fully classified, the food groups of the same floor will provide the same group of nutrients and the priority of the food will decrease to the top of the pyramid.
Food groups at the bottom of the pyramid are the main foods that need to be supplemented and are good for health, whereas the foods at the top of the pyramid should be limited to ensure your health.
Based on the Food pyramid, each person can build a healthy and reasonable diet by themselves , ensuring enough nutrients for the body to maintain health and prevent disease.
II. Building a food pyramid for adults
Food pyramid is a nutritional model that experts have put forward after a long time of research. Depending on each object, health and physical condition of each person, a reasonable diet should be built. However, some nutrients that need to be consumed at least in a day include:
- Water
70% of the body is water. Every day an adult needs to drink 8-12 units of water (200ml/unit). Therefore, to provide enough water for the body, a person needs to drink from 1600 – 2400 ml of water every day. - Starch
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for the body. In Vietnam, rice is often used as a staple food. Besides, there are also starchy foods such as bread, whole grains, vermicelli, pho, vermicelli, etc. On average, an adult needs to provide 12kg of starch/month. - Vegetables, fruits
Vegetables and fruits are packed with vitamins, fiber, minerals, antioxidants, and contain no fat or cholesterol. This is the main source of carbohydrates and fiber in the diet, so it is often recommended to add more to the body, after the starch group.
Fruit is also a rich source of nutrients, making the digestive system healthier and convenient because it does not need to be processed before eating. The average adult should supplement with natural fruit about 2-3 times a week with a moderate amount.
- Protein
Typical protein- rich foods such as milk and dairy products, lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and legumes,… provide a lot of calcium, essential vitamins and minerals for the body. . In addition to providing protein, this food group also provides many other nutrients such as iodine, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and good fats.
Protein foods should be used in moderation (especially meats) because in addition to protein they also provide a high amount of saturated fat and protein. It is estimated that an average adult should only consume a maximum of 150-210g of meat per day.
- Oil, grease
Include healthy and good fats for the body. This group of substances is a source of solvents that dissolve fat-soluble vitamins such as A, E, K, D… However, the body only needs a moderate amount to support cardiovascular and mental activities. Brain. - Sugar and Salt
This is the group of ingredients that are placed at the top of the food pyramid because they should be limited in the daily diet. Nutritionists recommend that an adult should eat less than 5g of salt and 5 units (tablespoon) of sugar to avoid diseases such as diabetes, overweight, obesity or some kidney diseases.
III. The role of the pyramid of food
Nutrition plays an important role in maintaining the health and development of the body. The lack or excess of any group of substances also adversely affects the health of each person. Therefore, a healthy and nutritious diet is very important, regardless of age. The Food Pyramid provides information about foods and suggests appropriate servings for Americans people.
To be able to build a healthy, reasonable diet but don’t know where to start, you can refer to the adult food pyramid to guide your body’s need for additional food. Depending on your health, age and gender, the diet and dosage will vary. For example, patients with heart failure will have a separate diet. However, in general, based on food preference, it is still advisable to allocate according to the structure of the food pyramid except in cases where special diets are required.