62 Adventures in Food and Nutrition
Discuss: Why would 100 percent fruit juice have more nutrients
than punches, ades, and fruit drinks?
Activity: Have students make a list of fi ve foods from the dairy
group that they like. Have them compare the calories and nutrients
in these foods with reduced-fat versions of the same food.
Discuss: Ask students to describe how they can keep their fat
and cholesterol levels under control when selecting foods from
the protein foods group.
Fruit Group
Cherries, bananas, and pineapple are
just a few of the delicious and nutritious
fruit-group choices, 3-13. This group
provides vitamins A and C and potassium.
Fruits are low in fat and sodium and provide
fiber in the diet. Because different types of
fruits contain different nutrients, it’s a good
idea to eat a wide variety. For instance,
citrus fruits, melons, and berries are rich in
vitamin C. Other fruits, such as pears and
apples, provide small amounts of several
nutrients.
Like vegetables, the color of some fruits
gives you a clue to their nutrient content.
For example, fruits with deep yellow or
orange flesh are rich in vitamin A. Canta-
loupe and apricots are examples.
Fresh and dried fruit and fruit canned
or frozen in water or juice are the best
choices. Fruits canned or frozen in syrup
contain added sugar.
Keep the amount of fruit juice to less
than half of total fruit intake. Choose
100 percent fruit juice for the most nutri-
ents. Punches, ades, and most fruit drinks
contain little or no juice and lots of added
sugar. Grape and orange sodas do not
belong to the fruit group. They are empty-
calorie foods.
Dairy Group
The main foods in the dairy group are
milk, yogurt, and cheese, 3-14. The dairy
group also contains such desserts as pud-
ding, ice cream, and milk shakes. All the
foods in this group are rich sources of pro-
tein and calcium. Many provide vitamin D,
too. However, many contain large amounts
of saturated fat and cholesterol. Chocolate
milk and dairy desserts also contain large
amounts of sugar.
It is smart to usually choose low-fat or
fat-free dairy products like fat-free milk, part
skim cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, and
fat-free frozen yogurt. These foods contain
all the nutrients found in other dairy prod-
ucts, except they have much less fat and
cholesterol. When choosing foods from the
dairy group, it’s also smart to go easy on
dairy desserts and chocolate milk because
of the added sugar.
Protein Foods Group
All the foods in this group supply protein,
B-vitamins, iron, and zinc, 3-15. The foods
in this group include meat, poultry, seafood,
eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds. Except for
beans and seafood, most of the foods in this
group contain large amounts of fat. Keep in
mind that all foods from animals, including
egg yolks, contain cholesterol.
3-13 3-13
Focus on eating a variety of fruit. Focus on eating a variety of fruit.
3-14 3-14
The dairy group provides The dairy group provides calcium--muiclac
rich foods.foods. rich