This is the group which includes Sweets and Fats - or - Where do I get my chocolate?
Sometimes this group is called the "Supplementary Foods". Most of these foods should
be consumed sparingly and infrequently.
These foods are tasty, and we enjoy consuming them. Unfortunately, too many of these
foods are high in calories, high in fats, and often full of concentrated simple sugars.
What they are missing is nutrient density. These foods lack vitamins and minerals, those nutrients most difficult to obtain in our diets. When we look at the food
pyramid, good food selections from the lower levels of the pyramid can contribute
25% or more of at least 3 different nutrients (and some vegetables even more). A
few fats and sweets may provide 20% of the diet's calories, 30% of the diet's fat, and little
else.
The more one's calories come from these foods the less likely the diet will have proper
nutrient balance.
Categories of foods which fit the top of the pyramid are:
Fats
butter
oils (including olives and avocados)
mayonnaise
cream
most nuts (although some are also high-fat meat equivalents)
Sweets:
jams and jelly
candy
pastries and cakes
syrup
chocolates
Snacks:
cookies
chips
granola bars
many snack crackers
Beverages:
coffee and tea
sodas
alcohol
chocolate drinks
You have clicked on the top of the Pyramid