Winnsboro Medical Clinic>Nutrition>Nutrition 101>The Basic Food Groups
The food that we eat to nourish our bodies can be broken down into 3 essential building blocks. Refer to the Essential Nutrients page about what they are and tips on what to look for at the grocery store.
- Carbohydrates (Carbs) – the body’s quick energy source
- Fats – the body’s energy storage and building block for the brain & nerves
- Proteins – an essential building block for cells, organs, muscles
Foods are grouped together based on the nutritional similarities that they share. The basic food groups are:
The Basic Food Groups
Refer to a healthy eating plan to determine how many servings of each group you should aim to eat each day. 2 healthy eating plans identified by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are:
