NUTRITION

Grain Products 5-12 servings per day
1 Serving equals:

1/2 slice of Bread
1/2 Bagel
30 g Cold Cereal
1/2 Pita or Bun
175 mL (3/4 cup Hot Cereal 250 mL (1 cup) Pasta or Rice

Choose whole grain and enriched products more often.
Whole grain products such as whole wheat, oats, barley or rye are suggested because they are high in starch and fiber (makes you feel full, and keeps you regular). Enriched foods are recommended because they have some vitamins and minerals added back to them. Treat yourself to multi-grain breads, pumpernickel bagels, enriched pasta, brown rice, ready-to-eat bran cereals or oatmeal.

Vegetables & Fruit 5-10 servings per day
1 Serving equals:

1 Medium Size Vegetable or Fruit
125 mL (1/2 cup) Juice
125 mL (1/2 cup) Fresh, Frozen or Canned Vegetables or Fruit
250 mL (1 cup) Salad

Choose dark green and orange vegetables and orange fruit more often.
These foods are higher than other vegetables and fruit in certain key nutrients like vitamin A and folacin. Go for salads, broccoli, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupes or orange juice. Fruits and vegetables have large quantities of insoluble fibers, which decrease cholesterol levels.

Milk Products
Servings per day for adults: 2-4
1 Serving equals:

250 mL (1 cup) Milk
175 g (3/4 cup) Yogurt
3" x 1" x 1" (50 g) Cheese

Choose a, CAAWS, girls body image,where to play sports, girls self-esteem, girls soccer, girls cycling, girls and nutrition, nutrition for active girls, Canadian Association for women and sport, girls@play, snowboarding, skating, boarding, girl site, sports girl, extreme girl, mountain biking, skateboards, surfboards, X Games"> Meat & Alternatives 2 servings per day
1 Serving equals:

50 - 100 g Meat, Poultry or Fish
50 - 100 g (1/3 - 2/3 can) Canned Fish
1-2 Eggs
125 - 250 mL (1/2 - 1 cup) Beans
100 g (1/3 cup) Tofu
30 mL (2 tbsp) Peanut Butter

Choose leaner meats, poultry, and fish, as well as dried peas, beans and lentils more often.
Many leaner meats, poultry, fish and seafood choices are available to help you reduce your fat intake without losing important nutrients. Be sure to trim visible fat. Try baking, broiling, roasting or microwaving instead of frying, and drain off extra fat after cooking. To lower your fat while increasing your intake of starch and fiber, choose foods like baked beans, split pea soup or lentil casserole.

Different People Need Different Amounts of Food
The amount of food you need every day from the 4 food groups and other foods depends on your age, body size, activity level, whether you are male or female and if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. That's why the Food Guide gives a lower and higher number of servings for each food group. For example, young children can choose the lower number of servings, while male teenagers can go to the higher number. Most other people can choose servings somewhere in between (this is where Jim would be).

When it comes to cooking, here are a few facts that may help you decide what oils to use:

Saturated fat such as animal products and coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol (the so called "bad cholesterol")this may increase blood pressure.

Hydrogenated fats and oils, including trans fats, vegetable shortening,
hard margarines, and some peanut butters also increase LDL cholesterol.

Monounsaturated fat such as olive and canola oils, nuts, avocado
soft margarines made with these oils decrease LDL cholesterol and may
increase HDL cholesterol (the "good cholesterol").

Polyunsaturated fat such as safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean, sesame, and most nut oils, nut butters, nuts and seeds, soft margarines made with these oils decreases LDL cholesterol.

Omega-3-fat such as fatty fish (trout, salmon, herring, mackerel)reduces coagulability of the blood (thins the blood).

I hope these guidelines helped you, if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to write.