When it comes to health what you have learnt in school holds good forever. If you don’t remember, nutrition food pyramid is a food classification system. It forms the guidelines for a person’s nutrient requirement. The first group comprises of food that is rich in carbohydrates called the grain group. Bread, pasta, rice etc belong to this group and 6-11 servings are required from the group.

The next group is the vegetable group from which 3-5 servings should be consumed everyday. They are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are generally low in calories as well as fat. The third group is made of fruits and is best when consumed fresh. 2-4 servings should be had everyday and they can be canned and processed as well.

The milk and dairy products supply your body with calcium. It also contains protein, phosphorous, vitamins, etc. the dairy products include cheese, yogurt, etc. and three cups should be consumed everyday by an average adult. Meat, fish, eggs and nuts form the next group. These are the major sources of protein. Dry beans also provide proteins for the body and should be consumed by those who prefer vegetarian food.

At the end and the smallest percentage comes the oil group which includes oil consumed through food, sweets, etc. Its intake should be carefully controlled. Any nutrition guide will explain the amount of food you should consume from each section of the pyramid. The pyramid itself is a great indicator. Processing can reduce the nutritional value of fruits and vegetable so they are best eaten raw.

Holistic nutrition is being tried by a lot of people. It believes in a healthy diet where right amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, etc. are included in the daily diet plan. It believes that a balance in food will lead to a healthy body and mind. Every person is different in food requirement and metabolism. So a diet plan that works for one may not always work for another. In holistic nutrition, diets are planned according a person’s individual nutrient requirements.

A nutrient guide can be referred to while fixing a diet for a person. Consistent balanced diet has proven to cause less number of occurrences of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, etc. in people all over the world. A lot of small tips are offered by people who practice holistic nutrition. They prefer freshly cooked food over the ones that are previously prepared. They also choose warm food over cold as it is harder for the body to digest the latter.

A few good practices include chewing your food well before swallowing and avoiding cold beverages along with food. Cold food and beverages slow down your digestive system taking it longer to digest food. Helping your digestion by having food with friendly bacteria like yogurt, etc. will help your body as well. The importance of water in a person’s diet is often neglected. A person should have adequate amounts of water to keep the body in balance.