Nutrition

For many of us, the importance of nutrition for a healthy mind and body has been emphasized to us since we were very young. However, many Americans struggle to meet their nutritional needs. With LGBTQ Americans being more likely to experience food insecurity than the general population, this challenge can be exacerbated for our community. In light of March being National Nutrition Month, let’s discuss what we currently know about nutrition.

There are six primary food groups:

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Grains (including rice, bread, and oats)

• Proteins (including beans, eggs, nuts, meat, and soy)

• Dairy (milk, cheese, and non-dairy alternatives)

Each of these food groups are required for a healthy diet. Each group also contains a variety of subgroups as well. Vegetables include dark-green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, starchy vegetables, and beans/lentils (which are also part of the protein group). Grains have whole grains and refined grains. Proteins include beef, pork, poultry, beans/lentils, nuts/seed, soy, seafood, and eggs. Dairy includes milk, yogurt, cheese, and alternatives such as soy milk.

Each of these groups also require different portions. Generally speaking, the recommendation from the USDA to meet your daily nutritional needs is:

• 1.5 - 2 cups of fruit

• 2 - 3 cups of vegetables

• 5 - 10 oz of grains

• 5 - 7 oz of protein

• 3 cups of dairy

However, this can vary by your age, height, weight, and activity level. It can also vary by what types of food you are eating – for instance, 2 cups of raw leafy greens, such as in a salad, is equivalent to 1 cup of vegetable juice. If you struggle to meet your nutritional needs through your diet, you can also take a daily, general-purpose multivitamin to cover possible gaps.

You may also occasionally see a sixth category for food: Fats. While still important for a diet, a much lower amount of fats is required for a nutritional diet compared to other groups of food. Unsaturated fats are typically considered to be healthier than saturated fats, especially if you are concerned about high cholesterol. Oils and saturated fats are recommended to be limited in a diet, alongside sodium and added sugars (sugars naturally found in fruit and dairy are OK), as these can cause health problems in large amounts, especially in regard to blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease. It’s also recommended to limit alcohol consumption; alcohol offers little to no nutritional benefit. 

You may remember the Food Pyramid from the 90s and early 2000s – now the recommendation is to use a customized MyPlate plan so that each person can meet their nutritional needs in accordance to their own restrictions, preferences, and budget. Myplate.gov page offers a variety of tips, resources, and FAQs for folks looking for support on how to eat healthy.

Our friends at the Seven Valleys Health Coalition also provide a number of local resources related to food access.