POP QUIZ. Ask your friends to name five foods that they can not live without. What would they say? Maybe soft drinks, fast food burgers, and French fries are favorites. Or perhaps, chocolate, ice cream, or chips score big.

Believe it or not, despite the oodles of sugar, salt, or fat in all of those foods, they can still be included in a healthful diet—as long as they are eaten in moderation. Dietitians say that moderation is the key to making all foods a part of healthful eating. It means not having to give up certain foods, but instead setting limits on how much and how often you eat them.

Healthy eating habits are not created or destroyed by one food alone. There really are no “good foods” or “bad foods.” But there are bad ways of eating foods—the bad way is eating too much or to excess.

Sometimes a bowl of your favorite premium ice cream or Aunt Mabel's fried chicken and gravy is just too much to pass up. But remember, the key to healthy eating and weight control involves moderation and balance.

That means if you give in to temptation, and go a bit overboard with a “not so good for you” food now and then, balance out your diet over the next day or two. Simply choose from a variety of grains, fruits, and vegetables, and other lower fat choices from United States Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid.

Think of the Pyramid as a tool or visual guide to help you choose the kinds of food to eat every day for good nutrition.

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See also:
     MyPyramid.Gov: Steps to a Healthier You
     'Perfect Pyramid Recipe' [in] Pyramid Power: The Building Blocks of Healthy Eating
     Adult Health, Head Start Bulletin #75