What are the 4 food groups and their functions?

There are 4 main food groups to eat every day to get the nutrients you need for your physical and mental health. These are vegetables and fruits, grain-based foods, milk and dairy products, and protein foods. Vegetables come in a wide variety of colors, flavors, and textures. They contain vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates and are an important source of fiber.

The plant food group includes dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, starchy vegetables, and legumes (beans and peas). The equivalents in cups and the equivalents in ounces help you understand the different amounts of food from each food group you should eat.