Have Problem With Food Pyramid?

Article about food pyramid.

In recent years, the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid has come under fire from many scientists, medical researchers and nutritionists who say the guidelines are outdated and may lead to obesity, and other health problems. Is it time for the Food Guide Pyramid to be changed?

Dr. Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health thinks so. According to Willett, the Food Guide Pyramid ignores current research, recommending too much consumption of carbohydrates and far too little consumption of unsaturated fat which have been shown to have tremendous health benefits.

In 2002, Willett and his colleague Marjorie McCullough conducted a study with one group of subjects eating according to the Food Guide Pyramid, and another group using a Harvard University-designed diet that contained less carbohydrates and more healthful fats.

They found that the Harvard diet group experienced a reduction in heart disease risk by 40 percent in men and 30 percent in women and significant reduction of risk for other chronic disease.

It is widely accepted that high consumption of starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, and white flour breads and pastas increase risk for obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, yet the USDA recommends six to 11 servings a day. No one outside of high level athletes who trains four to six hours a day need anything close to that amount of carbohydrates.

So why won't they fix it?

Willett believes, as do many other experts, that the pyramid is influenced by powerful food lobbyists who stand to lose money if certain food products are de-emphasized. Note that on the food pyramid graphic, there are no recommendations of foods not to eat.

Every five years, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are reviewed and updated with great protest from "big food." The USDA can't recommend reducing intake of fat from land animals (cows, chickens, pigs, etc) for fear of backlash from that group, they can't recommend reduced intake of starchy carbohydrates for fear of backlash from that group, they can't recommend reduced intake of sugary drinks for fear of backlash from that group.

It goes on and on.

So what we get is the product of catering to special interest groups who do not have our best interest in mind, only their companies' profits.

Can you imagine if Big Oil or Big Tobacco were allowed that much say in the products they sell to us?

The consensus in the nutrition world is that it is time for the Food Guide Pyramid to be dismantled and rebuilt based on the overwhelming evidence of current science, not what the food manufacturers want you to believe.

Healthy Eating Food Pyramid

About healthy eating food pyramid.

In the United States, The US Department Of Agriculture has devised a Food Guide Pyramid, which serves as a guide for people to understand how to eat healthy. The Food pyramid guide features a chart filled with vertical stripes that represent the five major food groups, plus oils and fats. The color stand for: Green ? vegetables, red ? fruits; yellow ? oils and fats; Blue ? milk and dairy products; Orange ? grains; Purple ? meat, fish, beans and nuts. Here are other pertinent facts about the food guide.

What The Food Pyramid Speaks Of

In 2005, the US Department of Agriculture revised the food pyramid, as they wanted to show Americans a better way of how to eat healthy. The food pyramid has other messages for all of us. It tells us to eat a wide variety of foods, as well as eat less of some foods and more of others. In the illustrated food pyramid guide, eating a wide variety of food indicates that a balanced diet is achieved when you include all the food groups. This means that you need to have foods of every color, each day. In the illustrated food guide, you’ll see that as the colored start to get thinner as they reach the top, this indicates that there is a difference between food groups, even if they all belong to a certain food group.

Food Serving Samples

The food pyramid guide offers a number of suggestions for achieving a balanced and nutritious diet. Her are some food serving suggestions.

You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about Healthy Eating. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?

? Grains: Grains are generally measured in ounces. An ounce of whole grains could be equivalent to 1 a slice of bread, half a cup of cooked cereal, half a cup of pasta and 1 cup of cold cereal. 4 to 8 year-old children require at least 4 to 5ounces of whole grains each day, while 9-13 year-olds need at least 5 ounces.

? Vegetables: Dark green and orange veggies are best for consumption. Vegetable servings are generally measured in cups, Children from 4- 8 years old need at least one and a half cups of vegetables each day, while 9 to 13 year olds need 2 ½ cups of veggies each day.

? Fruits: Sweet, juicy fruits should be part of the daily diet. Children from 4- 8 year-old need at least 1 cup of fruit each day, while 9-13 year old adolescents need to consume at least half a cup of fruit each day.

? Milk And Calcium-Rich Food: Calcium is a mineral that helps strengthen bones, and prevent osteoporosis and other bone deficiencies. 4-8 year-old kids need at least 2 cups of milk each day, while 9-13 year olds need to have at least 3 cups of milk daily. Apart from milk, you can also substitute cheese, yogurt, calcium-fortified orange juice and others.

? Milk, Beans, Fish And Nuts: An ounce equivalent of this group would be equal to 1 ounce of fish, poultry and fish, ¼ cup cooked dry beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon peanut butter and half an ounce of nuts and seeds.