You may realize by now that the new food pyramid released by the USDA has five food groups, since they decided to assign oils and butters and items like these their own group. However, for this particular article we're going to discuss the four original food groups which would include grains such as bread and cereal, fruits, vegetables, meats including fish and poultry, and dairy products. We'll discuss each group a bit further so that we can be sure we understand the important points of those groups.

The food group of grains can include many items, such as breads, cereals, pasta products, and rice as well. You have many choices within this group; even bread comes in a wide variety of whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, white, and so on. Browse the supermarket and you'll see more cereals than you can probably even name. While there aren't as many varieties of rice and pasta available, there are still much from which you can choose. These choices all have a wide selection of vitamins and minerals as well. Most people don't get their recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals and many even need fortified foods to fill in the gap.

Now let's talk vegetables. Your nutritional needs can really be met through vegetables; there are virtually no bad vegetables or ones you shouldn't eat. The only cautions in this group may be for the starchy selections of potatoes and such; these break down as sugar in the body and of course we all need to be moderate with our sugar intake.

Fruits are also very healthy and full of nutrients but again, there is some moderation that's necessary since fruits do contain sugar. While these sugars are natural you do need to exercise caution since this doesn't mean it's okay to consume them in unlimited quantities. Typically it's recommended that you get four servings of fruits every day.

Next it's the meats group and this would also include poultry, fish, legumes (beans) and eggs. These all contain needed protein. The brain and all the major organs need protein in order to develop and be healthy. If they don't develop properly they won't function properly. Protein is very important for the body's growth and for its development as well. One caution with this group is that protein of course contains cholesterol, and while the body can handle some cholesterol, having too much in the system is not good.

And now let's talk dairy. This would mean milk, cheese, yogurt, and items like this. Many important vitamins can be found in dairy foods. Calcium is also vital for all the cells of the body as well as for the bones. Even the heart and the vital organs need calcium to flourish. If you don't get enough calcium in your system this can mean problems for your health for a long time. Many women especially can suffer from osteoporosis which typically is due to an inadequate amount of calcium.

The four food groups are important to everyone and everyone should understand this importance so that they can be healthy from the time they're children on into adulthood.