Food Pyramids As A Nutrition Source

Introduction

Nearly fifteen years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created a powerful as well as enduring icon, which was the Food Guide Pyramid. This simple illustration conveyed the elements of a healthy diet, as per USDA. This Pyramid was taught in schools and appeared in many media articles and brochures. It was even plastered on cereal boxes as well as food labels.

But the information in this pyramid doesn’t point the way to healthy eating, as its blueprint was based on scientific evidence which was not very firm. Besides, it barely changed over the years in order to reflect major advances in our understanding of the connection between diet as well as health.

Food Pyramids

In 2005, the USDA retired the old Food Guide Pyramid. It replaced it with MyPyramid, a new symbol as well as an “interactive food guidance system.” This new symbol is basically just the old Pyramid which is turned on its side.

This dismantles as well as buries the flawed Pyramid. But the new symbol doesn’t convey enough information in order to help you make informed choices about your diet as well as long-term health. Besides, it continues to recommend foods which aren’t essential to good health. Rather, they may even be detrimental to health in the quantities which are included in MyPyramid.

As an alternative to this flawed pyramid of USDA, faculty members at the Harvard School of Public Health have come out with the Healthy Eating Pyramid, which resembles the USDA’s only in shape. This Healthy Eating Pyramid takes into consideration the research conducted during the last 15 years which has reshaped even the definition of healthy eating.

Building of Pyramid

In the children’s book “Who Built the Pyramid?”, different people have taken credit for building the grand pyramid of Senwosret. King Senwosret, obviously, claims the honor. But so does his architect, the quarry master, as well as the stonecutters, slaves, and the boys who carried water to the workers.

The USDA’s MyPyramid too, had many builders. Some are the USDA scientists, nutrition experts, staff members, as well as consultants. Intense lobbying efforts from various food industries too have helped to shape the pyramid.

In theory, this USDA pyramid has to reflect the nutrition advice which was assembled in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. According to the USDA, these guidelines “provide authoritative advice for people who are aged two years and older about how good dietary habits can help to promote health as well as reduce risk for major chronic diseases.”

This document, which by law has to be revised every five years, aims to offer sound nutrition advice which should correspond to the latest scientific research. On April 10, 2008, the USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced plans in order to form the advisory committee for making the 2010 version of the guidelines. This panel assembled in order to create the guidelines which will generate 100 or so pages. This document is translated into a brochure which is reader friendly and is aimed at helping the average person choose a balanced as well as a healthy diet. Of much greater importance are the standards which the Dietary Guidelines for Americans has set up for all federal nutrition programs, which includes the school lunch program, and helps to determine which food products Americans buy. In other words, these guidelines influence the way in which billions of dollars are spent each year. Hence even minor changes can majorly hurt or help a food industry.

As per the federal regulations, the panel which writes the dietary guidelines should include nutrition experts who are leaders in paediatrics, obesity, besides cardiovascular disease, and public health. Selecting these panellists is difficult, and is also subject to intense lobbying from organizations like the National Dairy Council, United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, Soft Drink Association, as well as American Meat Institute, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, besides Wheat Foods Council.

The Dietary Guidelines 2005

Released in early January 2005, these Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 even today continue to reflect the interplay of science as well as the powerful food industry. Several of the recommendations present in the current version tend to represent important steps in the right direction:

• The current guidelines emphasize on the importance of controlling weight. This was not adequately addressed in previous versions. And they stress the importance of physical activity.
• The recommendation on dietary fats has made a clear break from the past, when all fats were being considered bad. These guidelines emphasize that the intake of trans fats should be low while the saturated fat should be limited. There is no artificially low cap on the fat intake. The recommendation is on getting between 20 and 35 percent of daily calories from fats as it recognizes the health benefits of monounsaturated as well as polyunsaturated fats.
• Rather than emphasizing “complex carbohydrates,” the new guidelines urge Americans to limit sugar intake as they stress the benefits of whole grains. Others which remain as they were in the past:
• The guidelines suggest that it is alright to consume half of our grains as refined starch. But refined starches, like white bread and white rice, behave like sugar as they add empty calories, tend to have adverse metabolic effects, as well as increase the risks of diabetes and heart disease.
• In terms of protein, these guidelines continue to group together red meat, poultry, fish, as well as beans and soy products. They are judging these protein sources by their total fat content, in order to “make choices which are lean, low-fat, or even fat-free.” The guidelines ignore the evidence that these foods contain different types of fats. It also overlooks the fact that replacing red meat with a combination of fish, poultry, beans, as well as nuts offers numerous health benefits.
• The recommendation to drink three glasses of low-fat milk or eat three servings of other dairy products per day in order to prevent osteoporosis is again, a step in the wrong direction. Three glasses of low-fat milk a day is more than 300 extra calories a day. This is an issue for those millions of Americans who are desperately trying to control their weight. Besides, millions of Americans are lactose intolerant. Hence, even small amounts of milk or dairy products can give them stomach aches, gas, besides other problems. This recommendation ignores that there is lack of evidence of a link between consumption of dairy products as well as the prevention of osteoporosis. It also ignores the possible increase in the risk of ovarian cancer as well as prostate cancer which is associated with dairy products.

Now we are looking at what will be coming in the next version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is due later in 2010. The scientific advisory committee for the 2010 guidelines has already released its report on June 15, 2010. This committee recommends that the next set of the guidelines should call for reducing the overall calorie intake across the U.S. population as well as increasing physical activity in order to reduce the number of Americans who are overweight or obese; moving towards a plant-based diet; as well as reducing the intake of foods containing added sugars and solid fats, excess salt, and refined grains. It is to be seen how these recommendations will be included into the final guidelines.

The Details of the USDA Pyramid

Distilling this nutrition advice into a pyramid was quite a stroke of genius, as the shape suggests that some foods are good, hence should be eaten often, while others aren’t so good and hence, should be eaten only occasionally. These layers represent major food groups which contribute to the total diet. MyPyramid has tried to do this in an abstract way, and failed.

There are six swaths of colour which sweep from the apex of MyPyramid to the base. Orange is for grains, green for vegetables, red for fruits, while a band of yellow for oils, blue for milk, and purple is for meat and beans. Each stripe begins out as the same size, but they don’t tend to end in the same way at the base. The width is designed to suggest how much food a person should be choosing from each group. A band of stairs which runs up the side of the Pyramid, having a little stick figure chugging up it, serves as a reminder about the importance of physical activity.

MyPyramid has no text. According to the USDA, it is “designed in order to be simple,” and details are at MyPyramid.gov. Until you’ve taken the time in order to become familiar with the Pyramid, you will have no idea what it means. Relying on the Web site in order to provide key information, like what the colour stripes stand for besides what the best choices are in each food group, guarantees that the millions of Americans without any access to a computer or the Internet will have trouble in getting a hold on these essential facts.

The USDA has not put recommended numbers of servings on the new Pyramid. This is because these differ from individual to individual according to weight, gender, activity level as well as age. Instead, it is offering personalized Pyramids at MyPyramid.gov.

To Build a Better Pyramid

In case the only goal of MyPyramid is to give us the best possible advice for healthy eating, then it needs to be grounded in evidence as well as be independent of business.

But rather than waiting for this to happen, nutrition experts belonging to the Harvard School of Public Health have created the Healthy Eating Pyramid, which was updated in 2008. The Healthy Eating Pyramid is based on the available scientific evidence about the links between diet as well as health. This new pyramid fixes all the fundamental flaws in the USDA pyramid. It offers sound information in order to help people make better choices about what to eat.

The Healthy Eating Pyramid sits on a foundation of daily exercise as well as weight control as these two related elements highly influence your chances of staying healthy. They also affect what you eat as well as how that food affects you.

Exercise as well as weight control are linked through the simple rule of energy balance also. Weight change = calories in – calories out. In case you burn as many calories as you take in each day, there’s nothing left over for storing in the fat cells, and hence weight remains the same. Eat more than what you burn, and you are adding fat and pounds. Regular exercise can help you to control your weight, which is a key part of any weight-loss effort.

The other details of the Healthy Eating Pyramid include the following:

• 
  Whole Grains

  Whole Grains - The body needs carbohydrates primarily for energy. The best sources of carbohydrates include whole grains such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, as well as brown rice. They deliver the bran and inner layers along with energy-rich starch. The body is not able to digest whole grains as quickly as highly processed carbohydrates like white flour. This keeps the blood sugar and insulin levels from rising, and then falling, too quickly. Better control of blood sugar as well as insulin can help to keep hunger at bay. It may help to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. Plus, research suggests that eating a diet which is rich in whole grains may also protect against heart disease.

• 
  Healthy Fats & Oils

  Healthy Fats and Oils - The Healthy Eating Pyramid puts some fats near the base, which indicates that they are okay to eat. Though this recommendation apparently goes against conventional wisdom, it’s in line with the evidence as well as with the common eating habits. The average American tends to get one-third or more of his or her daily calories from fats. Thus placing them near the foundation of the pyramid appears alright. But it specifically mentions healthy fats and oils, and not all kinds of fat. Good sources of healthy unsaturated fats are olive, canola, soy, besides corn, sunflower, peanut, as well as other vegetable oils, trans fat-free margarines, nuts, seeds, avocadoes, and fatty fish like salmon. These healthy fats improve cholesterol levels and also protect the heart from sudden and deadly rhythm problems.

• 
  Vegetables & Fruits

  Vegetables and Fruits - A diet which is rich in vegetables and fruits has bountiful benefits. It decreases the chances of having a heart attack; protects against some types of cancers; lowers blood pressure; even helps you to avoid the painful intestinal ailment known as diverticulitis; guards against cataract as well as macular degeneration; and adds variety to your diet as well as wakes up your palate.

 

 

 

• 
  Nuts & Seeds

  Nuts, Seeds, Beans, and Tofu – These are plant foods which are excellent sources of protein, fibre, vitamins, as well as minerals. Beans include black beans, navy beans, and garbanzos, besides lentils, as well as other beans that are usually sold dried. Many types of nuts contain healthy fats. Besides, packages of some varieties such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, as well as hazelnuts, and pistachios now carry a label saying that they’re good for your heart.

 

 

• 
  Fish, Poultry, & Eggs

  Fish, Poultry, and Eggs – These foods are important sources of protein. Research suggests that eating fish reduces the risk of heart disease, as fish is rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Chicken and turkey are good sources of protein and low in saturated fat. Eggs, which contain fairly high levels of cholesterol, are a much better breakfast than a doughnut which is cooked in an oil rich in trans fats or a bagel which is made from refined flour. People having diabetes or heart disease, however, should limit their egg yolk consumption to less than 3 a week. But egg whites are high in protein and a fine substitute for whole eggs in omelettes as well as baking.

 

• 
  Vitamin D/Calcium

  Vitamin D/Calcium – Building bone and keeping it strong requires calcium, vitamin D, besides exercise, as well as a whole lot more. Dairy products have been Americans’ main source of calcium and vitamin D. But most people need at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day, far more than the 100 IU which is supplied by a glass of fortified milk. Besides, there are much healthier ways to get calcium than from milk and cheese, which contains a lot of saturated fat. Three glasses of whole milk contains as much saturated fat as 13 strips of cooked bacon. In case you enjoy dairy foods, stick mainly with no-fat or low-fat products. In case you don’t like dairy products, take a vitamin D and calcium supplement which offers an easy and inexpensive way in order to meet your daily vitamin D and calcium needs.

• 
  Red Meat & Butter

  Red Meat and Butter – to be used sparingly. These are at the top of the Healthy Eating Pyramid as they contain a lot of saturated fat. Eating too much of red meat may increase your risk of colon cancer. In case you eat red meat every day, switch to fish, chicken, or beans several times a week which can help to improve cholesterol levels. Same for switching from butter to olive oil. Eating fish has many other benefits for the heart.

 

 

 

• 
  Refined Grains

  Refined Grains - White Bread, Rice, and Pasta; Potatoes; Sugary Drinks and Sweets; Salt to be used sparingly. These all-American staples are at the top, rather than the bottom, of the Healthy Eating Pyramid. White bread, white rice, white pasta, other refined grains, as well as potatoes, sugary drinks, and sweets can cause fast increases in blood sugar which can lead to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, as well as other chronic disorders. Whole grain carbohydrate causes slower, steadier increases in blood sugar which don’t overwhelm the body’s ability in handling carbohydrate. Salt is a new addition to the “Use Sparingly” tip of the Healthy Eating Pyramid, as it’s based on research linking high-sodium diets to increased risk of heart attack as well as stroke.

• 
  Multivitamin

  Multivitamin with Extra Vitamin D – A daily multivitamin, multi-mineral supplement offers nutritional backup, especially in case it includes some extra vitamin D. While a multivitamin can’t replace healthy eating, it can fill in any nutrient holes which may even affect the most careful eaters. You don’t need any expensive name-brand or any designer vitamin. A standard, store-brand, RDA-level one is good enough for most of the nutrients, except vitamin D. In addition to bone-health benefits, there’s growing evidence that getting some extra vitamin D helps to lower the risk of colon and breast cancer. Aim for at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day. Multiple vitamins are available now with this amount. Look for a multivitamin which meets the requirements of the USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia), an organization which sets standards for drugs as well as supplements.

• 
  Alcohol

  Optional: Alcohol in Moderation (Not Applicable for Everyone) – Studies suggest that having an alcoholic drink a day tends to lower the risk of heart disease. Moderation is important, since alcohol has risks as well as benefits. For men, a good balance point is having one to two drinks a day. In general, the risks of drinking, even in moderation, tend to exceed benefits until middle age. For women, it’s maximum one drink a day; they should always avoid alcohol during pregnancy.

 

Focus on Quality, not Quantity

Healthy Eating

You’ll notice that the Healthy Eating Pyramid is not giving any specific advice about the numbers of cups or ounces to have each day of specific foods. This is because it’s not a rigid road map. The amounts tend to vary depending on your body size as well as physical activity. It’s a simple, general, flexible guide in order to show you what you should eat when you eat.

There’s only one basic guideline here. Any healthy diet would include more foods from the base of the pyramid rather than from the higher levels of the pyramid. With this guideline, there’s plenty of flexibility to fit in the various styles of eating as well as different food choices. A vegetarian can follow this Healthy Eating Pyramid by emphasizing upon nuts, beans, as well as other plant sources of protein, besides choosing non-dairy sources of calcium as well as vitamin D. Anybody who eats animal products can choose fish or chicken for protein, with red meat occasionally.

Choosing a variety of fresh, whole foods from the food groups which are below the “Use Sparingly” category in the Healthy Eating Pyramid ensures that you get all the nutrients that you need. Besides, it will dramatically lower your salt intake, as most of the salt in the U.S. diet is in processed food, such as canned soups, frozen dinners, besides deli meats, as well as snack chips.

The only foods that are off-limits are foods which contain trans fat from partially hydrogenated oils. In the U.S. and Canada, trans fats have to be listed on nutrition labels. More and more food manufacturers, restaurants, as well as entire communities are going trans fat-free, making it easier to avoid this health-damaging kind of fat.