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The New And Improved Food Pyramid, Nutrition Pyramid
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The New And Improved Food Pyramid, Nutrition Pyramid
In April 19, 2005, the United States Department of Agriculture
unveiled its new My Pyramid food pyramid. Available at
its own web site (www.mypyramid.gov), the new guidelines aren't
so much NEW as they are more in depth, detailed and helpful.
My Pyramid can be personalized. On the main page, you have the
option of entering your age, gender and activity level.
Simply click “submit” and get a recommendation that's
more specific than '6-11 servings of grain per day'. Instead
of those vague, wide-ranging recommendations, you'll get a pyramid
that says, "6 ounces of grain products", or 2 1/2 cups
vegetables.
No more guessing whether you should aim for closer to six servings
or closer to eleven. The nutrition calculator factors in your
age, gender and activity level (above your normal daily routine)
to come up with a recommended caloric intake. From there, it
breaks down the calories by food group, and tells you exactly
how much of each group you should eat per day for a healthy diet.
It's far easier to figure out what 2 cups of milk is than it
is to figure out how much '3-5' servings of dairy is!
And it doesn't stop there. Beneath the nutrition pyramid
chart with the specific serving sizes on it, you'll find a list
of links to 'tips' for making the healthiest choices from each
food group - divided by food group.
There are some great diet tips there, along with ways to serve
foods in appetizing and nutritious ways. A sampling from each
category includes:
* Grain: Substitute whole grain cereal for bread crumbs in toppings.
* Vegetables: Try crunchy vegetables raw or lightly steamed.
* Fruits: Try applesauce as a fat-free substitute for oil in
baking.
* Milk: Trim down from whole milk to fat-free gradually, week
by week.
* Meat/Beans: Replace some of the meat in your diet with nuts.
Want to know how your actual diet stacks up against the dietary
guidelines and get specific, personalized recommendations for
improving it? Tucked away at the bottom of the list of links
in the menu you'll find the My Pyramid Tracker.
Enter the foods that you eat in a typical day, click Analyze,
and you'll get a detailed analysis that includes the calories,
the amount of over 25 specific nutrients, the difference between
your diet and an optimum diet, and specific recommendations for
changes you should make to eat a healthier diet.
Better yet, you can save your history day by day to keep track
of your eating habits and watch the improvements. It's the diet
diary with a difference. Use it - and see yourself eating better
every day.
My comments on the nutrition pyramid:
As someone who has worked with my clients nutrition for a
number of years,
Rather than following the food pyramid as it is, my suggestion
is to change the bottom row on the pyramid as to number of servings
of breads, grains, pasta, cereal and put the consumption of these
things down to two or three servings daily.
Why? Most of the people I consult with and see, eat too many
carbohydrates and starches. This leads to blood sugar problems,
insulin spikes and the storage of fats. In other words, it leads
to obesity.
By cutting
down, but not cutting out carbohydrates, this eases the situation
and cuts down on the body's tendency to make fat because of the
excess carbs we eat and the insulin spikes it causes.
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Article by Jeannie Crabtree C.Ac. Visit her site for weight
loss diets, weight
loss plans and exercise
equipment.
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