Meat and Beans

Foods in the Meat and Beans category include meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, and legumes (beans and peas). These foods provide a variety of key nutrients such as protein, B vitamins (including niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin B6) and vitamin E and the minerals iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Because some foods in the Meat and Beans category, especially meat and poultry, are high in total fat, saturated fat, or cholesterol, MyPyramid urges Americans to consume these foods in lean, or low-fat forms (for example, skinless white meat chicken instead of dark meat chicken with the skin on) to minimize saturated fat and cholesterol.

myPyramid recommends from two to seven one-ounce equivalent servings of Meat and Beans each day depending on your individual calorie needs.

The following count as a 1-ounce equivalent of meat or beans (about 55 calories):

• 1 ounce lean meat
• 1 ounce lean poultry
• 1 ounce fish
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup legumes (beans, peas, and tofu)
• ½ ounce nuts and seeds

Nuts, seeds and nut butters also contain natural oils, which is why they count in the Oil food category as well. Here’s how to count some of the nuts, seeds, and nut butters you consume in your meal plan:

• ½ ounce nuts or seeds (about 14 peanuts, 9 cashews, or 12 almonds) count as 1 Meat and Beans equivalent and 1.5 teaspoons Oil equivalent
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter counts as 1 Meat and Beans and 2 teaspoons Oil
• ½ ounce hazelnuts (about 10) counts as 1 Meat and Beans equivalent and 2 teaspoons Oil equivalent

Because nuts, seeds, and nut butters are energy-dense, it’s important to watch portion size to maximize the health benefits and stay within your recommended daily calories.

Weekly Recommended Amounts

Above and beyond its daily recommendations for the Meat and Beans category, MyPyramid makes a minimum weekly recommendation for the intake of legumes (beans and peas) to help Americans reap the many health benefits associated with their intake. Because legumes are energy-dense (they contain about 230 calories per cup), it’s important to keep portions small so you don’t overconsume calories.

Energy-dense foods contain a lot of calories for a relatively small portion size.

Milk

Milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy foods count in the Milk food category in MyPyramid. These foods are important vehicles for high-quality protein and are excellent sources of the minerals calcium and potassium and of vitamin D (added through fortification). They also contain vitamin A, some B vitamins (including riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B12), and the minerals phosphorus and magnesium.

There are many low-fat and nonfat milk products to choose from, but Americans consume a lot of full-fat dairy products like whole milk and cheese. Although small amounts of high-fat dairy foods can certainly fit into a healthful diet, too much can contribute too much total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol; this ca promote weight gain and increase the risk of hear disease and other health conditions.

Consuming low-fat dairy foods in place of higher-fat dairy foods can reduce your calorie, total fat, and saturated fat intake. And because of the protein they contain, dairy products can help you feel full.

Daily Recommended Intakes

MyPyramid encourages Americans aged 2 and above to consume nonfat or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese to maximize nutrients and minimize total fat and saturated fat intake. To fight childhood obesity and promote heart health, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently recommended reduced-fat milk instead of whole milk for children between the age of 12 months and 2 years who are at risk of becoming overweight or have a family history of obesity, high cholesterol, or heart disease. The AAP continues to recommend a transition to low-fat and nonfat milk and dairy products from age 2 on.

MyPyramid recommends from two to three one-cup equivalents of milk depending on your daily calorie intake.

With the exception of skim milk, which contains about 80 calories per cup, all other milk, yogurt, and cheese options count as Milk + Discretionary Calories.

If you don’t’ consume dairy foods because you don’t’ like the taste, avoid all animal foods, or have lactose intolerance, it will be more challenging to obtain adequate calcium (not to mention other key nutrients such as vitamin D) in your diet. But turn to fortified ready-to-eat cereals, fortified orange juice, fish (such as canned sardines and pink salmon, eaten with bones), beans (including soybeans and white beans), soy foods (such as tofu or soy milk processed with calcium), and dark greens (such as spinach, kale, broccoli, and okra) since they’re good nondairy sources of calcium.

Lactose intolerance is a condition in which a person lacks the enzyme lactase; this enzyme is needed in the small intestine to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk and other dairy products.

USANA Vitamins Fibergy® Drink Mix – USANA Almond Crème and gluten-free† Peach Mango Fibergy are great-tasting ways to get at least 12 grams of fiber from multiple sources in a single serving