By Stefanie Hamilton

We all know that eating right is an important part of losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But what does "eating right" mean? Does it mean you can never again have a piece of chocolate, a can of soda, or a serving of your favorite dessert?

No. Eating right is less about restrictions and more about balance.

The New Pyramid

Let's start with the basics: the food pyramid. It's something we've all heard of, but we may not be all that familiar with what it actually contains.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently changed the food pyramid to more accurately reflect the types and quantities of food we should be eating. The old pyramid was designed as blocks, representing different food groups, that were stacked on top of one another. The foods we should eat the most of were on the bottom, in bigger blocks, and the foods which we should be consuming in small quantities were at the top, in smaller blocks.

The new pyramid is made of rainbow-colored stripes, each representing a food group. The stripes vary in thickness, based on how much of each particular food group we should be consuming. Grains, for example, are represented by a fairly thick, orange stripe, as opposed to oils, whose yellow stripe is very thin. There are six stripes in all:

• Grains (orange)
• Vegetables (green)
• Fruits (red)
• Oils (yellow)
• Milk/dairy (blue)
• Meat and beans (purple)

One of the best improvements made to the new food pyramid is that it now includes actual portions, as opposed to the vague "servings" recommendations that were used in pyramids past. Now, instead of recommending 3 servings of grains every day, we're told that eight ounces of grains should be consumed daily, and of that, 4 ounces needs to whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice.

Now, let's take a look at each of the six categories.

Grains

This is a category that has gotten a lot of people in trouble, and turned the U.S. into a very carb-intensive nation. Though the category is called "grains," it refers specifically to whole grains (which means that foods such as white bread and white rice don't count.) 

Whole grains are filled with nutrients like B vitamins, protein and fiber. Diets that are rich in whole grains have been shown to reduce the risk of obesity and heart disease, among other things.

There's some confusion about what products that claim to be "whole grain" should contain. "Whole grain" means that all the edible parts are included in the product. This doesn't mean the grains themselves have to be whole, but it does mean that none of the edible parts have been stripped away.

When shopping for whole grain foods, look for ingredients that include the word "whole," such as "whole wheat." Stay away from anything that uses the word "refined."

Vegetables

This is a change from the old pyramid. Previously, fruits and vegetables had been grouped together.

Consuming healthy amounts of vegetables can help reduce the risk for many illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and kidney stones. They're also great sources of vitamins E, A, and C, and folic acid and potassium.

The vegetable category includes not only standards like carrots, spinach and tomatoes, but certain types of beans like soy, kidney and black-eyed peas.

Fruits

Most fruits are naturally low in sodium and fat. They are also a great source of vitamin C, folic acid and fiber. As with vegetables, a diet that is rich in fruits can help prevent certain types of cancer, kidney stones, and heart disease, and reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.

Any fruit, 100-percent fruit juice, canned, or frozen fruit can count towards your daily consumption.

Meats and Beans

The meats and beans included in this category are high in protein, vitamins E and B, and iron. Proteins are vital for proper development and maintenance of muscles and cartilage.

Where some people get into trouble with this category is that they choose either a type of meat or type of preparation that's unhealthy. For example, a skinless chicken breast is a healthy choice, but if it is fried in vegetable oil, then it's not nearly as good for you. In the same way, regular ground beef contains extra fat and is not a healthy choice.

This category is great for vegetarians, as it lists beans and nuts that are also high in protein and other nutrients.

Milk

Though this is called the milk category, think of it instead as the calcium category. The foods included in this category are milk or milk-based products, but they're chosen based on their calcium content.

Calcium-rich diets help build strong bones and keep them strong. As such, they can reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Studies have found that diets which include 3 daily cups of milk products can actually improve bone mass.

Though milk and milk products contain much-needed vitamins and nutrients, they can also provide too much fat. As such, milk products should be low-fat or fat-free.

Oils

This group can be a little tricky, as it's the only one that doesn't contain any actual food. This category refers specifically to oils or fats that are liquid at room temperature, as they contain healthy fats called monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Olive, sunflower, and canola oil are some examples.

Many nuts and some fish also contain high amounts of healthy oils.

As much as possible, avoid fats that are solid at room temperature. These contain trans fats and saturated fats that are linked to heart disease.

How much should I eat?

To make things easier, the USDA has created a website (www.mypyramid.gov), where you can develop your own eating plan based on your age and activity level. Adopting a healthy diet may seem a little overwhelming at first, but making small changes from week to week will get you there in no time!