The New Food Pyramid - Can you eat to your health?
USDA's New Food Pyramid
The new food pyramid by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) should at least reflect some of the new scientific knowledge about diet, but it seems like a graphical puzzle to me.
People with diabetes, high cholesterol levels, hypertension, and other lifestyle illnesses should be looking to this new food guide pyramid for clear straightforward information to plan their diets.
But even experts in top medical schools are pointing at the pyramid's shortcomings.
Add your voice to the New Food Pyramid opinions and let the world hear you.
Check out these topics related to diabetic diets:
- American diabetes diet
- Anti-diabetes diet
- Best diabetes diet
- Diet recommendations
- Diabetic meal plan
- Diabetic vegetarian diet
- Glycemic index list
- Healing foods pyramid
- Healthy eating pyramid
- Low glycemic food
- Meal planning
- New food pyramid
- No-carb food
- Vegetarian diets
- Vegetarian food
- Weight control diet
- Whole food market
New Food Guide is Old Pyramid on its Side?
That's how a Harvard School of Public Health article describes the new food pyramid - as the "old one turned on its side".
It seems there is nothing new, because the some of same deficiencies are noted. It "doesn't convey enough information to help you make informed choices about your diet and long-term health."
Some complaints about the old USDA food pyramid (or old food guide) are:
- Based on outdated, inadequate scientific information, e.g. meat and beans in same group.
- Did not tell people how to eat healthy.
- Did not clearly explain how much of a particular food is one serving.
How is the New Food Pyramid Guide different?
The old food pyramid by the USDA on which diets have been based for decades.
Look carefully at the new food pyramid. You might see why it still leaves the health conscious and concerned individuals… shall I say, a bit worried.
No wonder it got a poor grade from the folks at Harvard.
Explanation of the new food pyramid
Here is a summary of the main things about this new food guide:
* The staircase and stick figure stresses the importance of exercise
* The length of the base of each triangular band represents the
amount of each of the six (colored) food groups
* ORANGE represents
GRAINS
* GREEN represents
VEGETABLES
* RED stands for FRUITS,
* the thin YELLOW strip are
OILS
* BLUE stands for
MILK
* and PURPLE for
MEAT and BEANS
* The new food pyramid does not have any labels.
The URL and motto at the bottom of the graphic are all there is.
The explanation is on the MyPyramid.gov website.
The idea and intent of the new food pyramid may be good, but there are still inherent and blatant flaws. Knowing nutritious foods and knowing how, how much, and when to eat them are more important, and the USDA's new thrust in nutrition education does not address these. And notice this next flaw...
Remove the meat from my beans
With all the scientific evidence on the differences between animal flesh and legumes as protein sources, the USDA's new food pyramid guide still has meat and beans in the same category!
Peas and beans are sources of dietary fiber and have zero cholesterol and no saturated fats. Meat is different. Classifying them together is misleading.
Who influenced the the new food guide?
Was the making of the New Food Pyramid based primarily on the concern for public health?
Good question. An article from Harvard University says, "Intense lobbying efforts from a variety of food industries also helped shape the pyramid."
Do you wonder why the diabetic meal plans, and low cholesterol food items, and the low carb craze being fuelled by media advertising all seem to be targeting our wallets?
The food consumption guidelines put out by the USDA can make or break the economy.
But what if...
What if people were told to avoid eating meat because of mad cow disease, or high cholesterol problems, or diet-related hypertension? What if cholesterol lowering foods or the anti-diabetes diet were recommended more forcefully by government-sponsored health education?
Even though we don't need all the items on the old or the new food pyramid, the decision to include certain items is an economic one.
If fish or milk were to be omitted from the guide, our economy would be hurt a bit, but you wouldn’t. Those kinds of adjustments to the pyramid would make millions of people pass those items in the supermarkets, and the USDA would be seen as economically irresponsible.
The health recommendations from any food pyramid influence how billions of dollars are spent each year. Those who wield heavy influence may believe that it is better that you die than for the biggest economy in the world to go 'belly-up' because of a healthier choice.
That's just how I feel the governing agencies think. Even though they would not say it in words, the actions, the decisions, and the programs that influence public behavior are simply economic driven.
What the new food pyramid should do
The new food pyramid should better reflect the wealth of scientific information now available. Science has confirmed again and again the importance of a diet such as the anti-diabetes diet.
With all the ill effects that poor dieting, the over abundance of fat and salt in the North American diet, there should be clear instructions on the inclusions of these substances in our diet.
There is no clear information for diabetics, those with hypertension, heart disease, or those who are overweight. Instead we see the influence of interest groups.
If you are a diabetic, or if you suffer from any lifestyle related condition, you need to pay strict attention the the diet. Do not rely only on information from these popular food guides.
They were created with partial interest in economics. They don't cater to the dietary needs of people who have serious health issues such as diabetes.
If you would like to compare ideas such as the anti-diabetes diet with the new food pyramid, you are at the right place. We need to take our health seriously, we've only got one life to live.