Notice how the Food Guide Pyramid visually emphasizes which foods need to be consumed more often to enhance health and which foods should be limited. As the Pyramid's broad base suggests, build your meals around a variety of grains (especially whole grain foods), fruits, and vegetables as a foundation for healthy eating. Add a moderate amount of low-fat foods from the milk group and the meat and beans group, but go easy on those foods at the top of the Pyramid.

The Pyramid also shows how many servings in the major groups you should strive to eat every day. People who do not need many calories (such as those who are less active) should aim for the lower number of servings. Fats, oils, and sweets are not called a food group because there are no minimum requirements for these foods. They often contain mostly calories and few nutrients. Therefore a specific number of servings is not recommended -- you should eat these foods sparingly. Remember that other food groups may contain fats and added sugars.

To determine serving sizes, see tip, right. The total number of servings you need from each group depends on your age, gender, and activity level. Here are some general guidelines.

• Children ages 2 to 6, less active women, and some older adults should generally stick to the lower number of suggested servings, including two servings (five ounces total) in the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts group.
• Older children, teen girls, active women, and most men should aim for the middle of the range of suggested servings, including two servings (six ounces total) in the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts group.
• Teen boys and active men should aim for the higher number of suggested servings, including three servings (seven ounces total) in the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts group.

The Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese group is the exception to these guidelines. The number of servings recommended in this group depends on age. Older children and teenagers (ages 9 to 18 years) and adults over the age of 50 need three servings daily. Everyone else needs two servings daily. The recommended number of milk group servings for pregnant or lactating women is the same as for nonpregnant women.

Consult your doctor for guidelines on feeding children younger than age 2.

If you use the Pyramid as your guide, all foods may be enjoyed as part of a healthy lifestyle. That includes fats, in moderation. In fact, fats play an important role in nutrition because they supply energy and essential fatty acids, and they help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, and carotenoids. They also enhance foods, making them richer and more flavorful, and -- in the case of baked goods -- more tender. However, keep in mind that certain kinds of fats, especially saturated fats, increase the risk for coronary heart disease by raising blood cholesterol.

Originally published in the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book, 12th edition.