of these food groups provide some, but not all, of the nutrients you need.

Foods in one group cannot replace those in another. No one food group is more important than another -- for good health you need them all.

At the base of the pyramid are breads, cereals, rice and pasta -- all from grains. You need the most servings of these foods each day. Six servings a day for sedentary adults and up to 11 servings a day for active adults, children and teenagers. A serving is a slice of bread, a half cup of rice, pasta or cereal, or half of a hot dog or hamburger roll. These foods provide fibre to help you keep regular and satisfy your hunger. And they provide vitamins and minerals. Choose most often the foods made with little or no fat and go easy on fats you add as spreads, seasonings and toppings.

Above the base is the vegetables group and the fruits group. Most people need to eat more of these foods for the vitamins, minerals and fibre they supply.

From the vegetable group, we recommend three servings for children and up to five servings a day for teenagers and adults. A serving is one cup raw or one half cup cooked.

Two servings of fruit are recommended for children and four servings per day for teens and adults. A serving is a piece of fruit or half a cup canned or juiced. The fibres from whole grains, fruits and vegetables help to satisfy hunger which assists you to control your appetite. This helps in weight control. The fibres also help in the control of blood sugars and raise good cholesterol while helping to eliminate bad cholesterol. So do yourself a favour and choose more from these foods.

Above the fruits and vegetables groups are the milk group and the meat and alternate group. These foods are important for protein, calcium, iron and zinc. From the milk group -- two servings are recommended for adults and three servings per day are recommended for children, teens, pregnant and breast-feeding women. A serving is one cup of milk, yogurt, or a slice of cheese. From the meat and alternate group, two servings are recommended each day for children and adults and three servings a day for pregnant and very active people. A serving is two to three ounces of meat, one and a half cups of cooked dry beans, two eggs or four tablespoons of peanut butter.

The milk and meat groups are mostly from animals and can be a source of cholesterol and fat. Choose lower fat foods from these groups such as low fat or skim milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream, white meats, egg whites and beans (a vegetable protein). Dry beans are high in fibre and may be a source of gas.

Black eye beans and lentils are usually tolerated well by most people.

At the very tip of the pyramid are the fats, oils and sweets. These foods are very high in calories and very low in nutrient content. Therefore, a little goes a long way. Use them sparingly. These foods include salad dressings, oils, cream, butter, margarine, sugars, candies and sweet desserts.

Eating too much fat can raise your cholesterol level which may increase your risk for heart disease. So choose a low fat diet by eating most of your foods from the grains, fruits and vegetables, moderate amounts from the low fat milk and meats, and very sparingly from the fats. Limit total fat in your total diet to 30 percent of calories.

Mellonie Barnum-Branco Government Nutritionist Department of Health and Social Services.