In general, modern nutritional information aims to educate and promote healthy eating by explaining our diet in terms of the '5 main food groups'. These 5 food groups are often presented as a triangular chart. The triangle image is aimed at illustrating what types of foods we need the most and least of, as well as how much of each group we should eat in relation to the other food groups. It also aims to show how combining the food groups, in approximate proportions, will generally provide your body with all the essential vitamins and minerals it needs. These are explained in detail in
vitamins and minerals.
The 5 main food groups are:
Group 1 - breads, cereals and grains
Group 2 - fruits and vegetables
Group 3 - meat, chicken, fish, eggs and vegetable alternatives
Group 4 - dairy foods
Group 5 - fats, sugars and salt
Image 65-02 shows a '5 food group triangle'. The grains (or 'complex carbohydrates') at the base of the triangle are what we need most of. Fruits and vegetables are in the 2nd group, with dairy and meat, eggs, fish and chicken and vegetable alternatives are in the 3rd and 4th groups, and fats, sugars and salt in the smallest group, at the top.
We will now look at each of the food groups individually and discuss their role in a healthy diet. We will provide a general guide as to how much food you should be aiming to eat on a daily basis from each of the groups, as well as provide some examples of the types of foods that come under each food category. In addition, we will outline some of the main changes (if any) that may be required for the woman's diet, once she conceives her baby (as well as any possible changes when breastfeeding after the birth).