The food pyramid for Indian families
The food pyramid below is based on New Zealand's guide to eating for a healthy heart, but we've changed it to make it specific to you and your family. We've also included a printable version for you to stick up on your fridge!
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Click here to download a printable copy of the food pyramid! |
As you can see above, there are 6 main food groups:
- Fats & oils
- Meat
- Dairy
- Grains, bread & starchy vegetables
- Vegetables
- Fruit
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Fats & oils
- Nuts and seeds contain good fats, which will help to keep your heart healthy. But ghee, butter, and coconut oil contain bad fats, which are not so good for your heart.
- These foods are very high in energy, so should only be used in small amounts as part of a healthy diet.
- KEEP IN MIND: this foods in this group should be used for children who are struggling to grow. See the Fortification page for ideas about how you can use these foods to increase the energy in your child's meals.
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Meat
- This group contains the protein foods, which the body uses for growth. Iron, B vitamins, and zinc are also in these foods!
- Chicken, fish, and eggs are great meat sources of protein. It is still important to pick lean options which are lower in fat, which means trimming the fat off meat or taking the skin off chicken.
- Chickpeas, lentils, paneer, and all other beans and peas are vegetarian sources of protein and iron. These can also be used in a variety of healthy recipes! Check out the Vegetarians page for some ideas.
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Dairy
- Calcium is really important for strong teeth and bones, and luckily dairy products contain a lot of calcium! You should choose reduced-fat (trim or skim) options.
- Some yoghurts and milk-based drinks are high in sugar, so you should choose unsweetened yoghurts or plain milk instead.
- Low-fat cheese and skim milk powder are great high-energy dairy ingredients that can be added to food if your child is struggling to grow.
![Picture](/uploads/9/8/5/9/98597268/editor/bre.png?1485744873)
Grains, bread & starchy vegetables
- This food group is a source of carbohydrates, which gives our body energy to move! But eating too many of these foods in a day can cause weight gain. Eat no more than a fist-sized amount at each meal.
- Although potatoes, cassava and kumara are vegetables, these have a high carbohydrate content, so should not be eaten too much.
- Wholegrain breads and grains contain more fibre than the white or refined versions, so you should be picking wholegrain bread rather than white bread, and brown rice instead of white rice! Fibre helps with bowel movements, and also improves cholesterol levels.
![Picture](/uploads/9/8/5/9/98597268/editor/fr.png?1485744888)
Vegetables & fruit
- These last 2 food groups go hand-in-hand, because they're both packed full of goodness! You should be eating at least 5 serves of non-starchy vegetables and fruit each day.
- Vegetables and fruit are low in energy, but high in lots of vitamins and minerals! This means that they can help control body weight, while improving your overall health.
- The great things about these is that they can be used in many different ways in different recipes! Not to mention, they're pretty tasty! So be sure to include a range of colours in your recipes.