You Are What You Eat Eat a Variety of Foods Foods contain combinations of nutrients and other healthful substances. No single food can supply all nutrients in the amounts you need. To make sure you get all of the nutrients and other substances needed for health, choose the recommended number of daily servings from each of the five major food groups.
Some foods fit into more than one group.
Dry beans, peas, and lentils can be counted as servings in either the meat and beans group or vegetable group. A range of servings is given for each food group. The smaller number is for people who consume about l,600 calories a day, such as the sedentary or smaller women. The larger number is for those who consume about 2,800 calories a day, for the very active or larger men. Some Americans eat vegetarian diets for reasons of culture, belief, or health.