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What Are the 7 Subgroups of Meat & Bean Products?

The meat section of the food pyramid actually includes more than just meat. Poultry, fish, dry beans/peas, nuts, eggs and soy all fall into this category. All these foods are high in protein and other vitamins including iron, zinc and B12. The food pyramid guide recommends adults eat two to three servings from this group daily. Each serving should be about the size of a deck of cards, or approximately 4 oz.

  1. Meat

    • Choose lean or low fat meats. Lean cuts of meats can be found in beef, ham, lamp, pork and veal. Game meats also fall under this category. Game meats include bison, rabbit and venison. Ground meat, luncheon meats and organs like liver are also meats. Not all meats are created equal. Luncheon meats have added sodium and liver is high in cholesterol, so check the nutrition label on all meats before adding them to any diet.

    Poultry

    • Poultry includes chicken, duck, goose and turkey. Chicken with the skin still on adds fat not taken into account as part of the lean meat daily requirements. Chicken and turkey enhanced with a salt-containing solution also have added sodium.

    Fish

    • Fish includes shellfish, finfish and canned fish. Options for fish include cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, herring, salmon, swordfish, trout, clams, crab, lobster, mussels, octopus, calamari, anchovies, sardines and tuna in a can. Select fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, and herring, more often than other fish, as these fish have more nutrients.

    Dry Beans/Peas

    • Dry beans and peas include black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, falafel, kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans and bean burgers like garden burgers or veggie burgers. Dry beans and peas is an odd category because most of these foods also fall under the vegetable food group. Generally people who eat a lot of meat count the beans or peas as vegetables instead of meats, but this category works well to help vegetarians get the protein they need without eating animals or animal byproducts.

    Nuts

    • Nuts and seeds like almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, pistachios, and pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds are all high in protein and fall under this category. Unfortunately, nuts are often high in fat, especially peanut butter, but sunflower seeds, almonds, and hazelnuts are rich in sources of vitamin E.

    Eggs

    • Eggs can be cooked in a variety of ways, such as over easy, scrambled and in an omelet, but the nutritional value is still the same. While eggs are high in protein, egg yolks are also high in cholesterol. Egg whites, on the other hand, are cholesterol-free. Take into account if butter is added to cook the eggs.

    Soy

    • Soy protein actually comes from the soybean, but has its own category separate from the dry beans because the protein is extracted from the bean. Soy protein is used in salad dressings, soups, tofu, beverage powders, non-dairy creamer, whipped topping, infant formulas, breads and as an alternative milk product.

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