Heart Healthy Food Pyramid
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FREQUENT / DAILY
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VEGETABLES
3-5 servings daily
1 cup raw vegetables
1/2 cup cooked vegetables
1/2 cup reduced sodium vegetable juice
- Choose fresh, frozen or low salt vegetables without sauces and glazes.
- Prepare your vegetables steamed and add a small amount of oil, liquid or soft margarine, or reduced sodium bouillon or broth.
- Flavor with herbs, spices, lemon juice or vinegar in place of salt.
- For a meat flavor, use a small piece of lean mean or a low-sodium liquid smoke.
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FRUITS
2-4 servings daily
1 medium banana, orange, pear, apple
1/2 cup fresh or canned fruit
1/2 cup fruit juice
2 Tablespoons dried fruits (raisins, etc.)
- Choose fresh, frozen or dried fruits most often.
- Limit or avoid fruit juices to help manage weight and blood sugars.
- Choose fruits without added sugar whenever possible.
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COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES
6-10 servings daily
1 slice bread
3/4 cup dry cereal
1/3 cup rice, grits, cooked cereal or pasta
6 crackers (choose lower fat varieties)
- Choose whole grain products whenever possible, such as whole wheat bread, high-fiber cereal, whole wheat pasta.
- Replace white rice with brown rice to increase your fiber.
- Aim for 25-35 grams of fiber each day.
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MODERATE/DAILY
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BEANS, PEAS, SOY FOODS, LEAN FISH, SEAFOOD & POULTRY
2-3 servings daily
1/3 cup cooked dried beans, peas or lentils
1/2 cup tofu or soy beans (edemame)
1 soy burger
3 oz. cooked fish, seafood or poultry
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
- Eat 2 or more servings of fish per week.
- Choose lean cooking methods for seafood, fish and poultry (bake, broil or grill).
- Trim fat and remove skin from poultry.
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DAIRY (1% & SKIM)
2-3 servings daily
1 to 2 ounces nonfat or low-fat cheese
8 ounces non-fat or low-fat milk or yogurt
- Choose flavorful cheese to get good flavor with smaller quantities.
- Choose sugar-free fruited yogurt whenever possible.
- If you have trouble digesting milk or dairy products, try lactase enzyme pills or use lactose-free milk products.
- Avoid whole-milk products.
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HEART HEALTHY FATS
2-3 servings daily
1 teaspoon oil, liquid or soft margarine
1 Tablespoon reduced-calorie salad dressing or light mayonnaise
1-2 Tablespoons nuts or seeds
1/8 of a medium avocado
10 small or 5 large olives*
- Choose canola or olive oil, liquid or low-fat tub margarine.
- Try non-stick vegetable sprays, reduced fat or fat-free products.
- Avoid stick margarine, butter, shortening, lard, meat fat, fatback, and products prepared with palm, coconut or hydrogenated oils.
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DAILY
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WEEKLY
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LIMIT OR AVOID
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PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Choose a combination of:
- Aerobic Activity – fast walking, swimming, jumping rope,bicycling, etc.
- Strength Training – sit-ups, push-ups, weight lifting, etc.
- Stretching – touching your toes, reaching for the sky, yoga, pilates, etc.
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LEAN MEAT, PORK & EGGS
3-4 servings weekly
3 oz. cooked lean meat (beef, pork or venison); 1 egg (limit yolks to 3 per week)
- Choose lean cuts of meat such as round or loin cuts.
- Trim fat and remove skin.
- Bake, broil, roast, microwave or grill meats in place of frying.
- Add more meatless meals into your eating plan.
- Limit red meats such as beef, pork and venison to no more than 3 servings per week.
- Avoid or reduce your intake of fatty meats such as bacon, sausage, regular ground beef and fried chicken.
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UNHEALTHY FATS
- Animal fats, butter, stick margarine, vegetable shortening, creamy salad dressings, mayonnaise, fatty meats, chicken skin, whole-milk products, commercial pastries, cookies, muffins, doughnuts, biscuits, chips, french fries, fried foods
FOODS HIGH IN SUGAR
- Soda, sweet tea, other sweetened drinks, ice cream, commercial pastries, cookies, muffins, cake, doughnuts, candy
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Nutrition information created by WakeMed dietitians.
Additional nutrition services are available.
Please call 350-7827 for more information.
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