Friday, March 04, 2005 | 10:43 AM
Food Pyramid: The Shape of a Healthy Diet
Perhaps you've noticed that the days of the four basic food groups - dairy, meat, vegetables and fruit - are long gone. Today, healthy eating plans encompass a far wider range of options: legumes, whole grains, seeds and nuts, fish, and even plant oils, such as olive oil. Add in ethnic, religious, cultural and personal preferences, and you have more options than ever when planning healthy meals and snacks.
A healthy eating plan can be illustrated many ways, but they're most often found in the shape of a pyramid. These pyramids outline various food groups and food choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the foundation of a healthy diet.
Is there an ideal eating plan?
Many people yearn for - and spend a lot of time and money seeking - the perfect eating plan. An ideal diet would assure excellent health, provide energy and strength, and promote resistance to some diseases. It would delay aging and keep you at your ideal weight.
Does such an eating plan exist? Probably not. Your nutritional needs differ at different stages of life, and they may change if you have a chronic disease. Everyone has unique genetic tendencies toward certain diseases, so food components such as salt or fats pose different risks for different people. Food intolerances and allergies also affect what kind of food you eat. In addition, such factors as your culture, family background, religious and moral beliefs, and the cost and the availability of food can all affect your food choices. People like different foods and prepare similar foods in different ways.
The pyramid plan
Although there really isn't one perfect diet for everyone, some general principles for choosing foods apply to most people. These principles are often represented in a food pyramid.
The triangular shape of the pyramid shows you where to focus when selecting foods. Foods that you should eat the most of create the large base of the pyramid, and those foods you should eat sparingly form the smaller tip.
Probably the most familiar food pyramid is the Food Guide Pyramid, established by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. But many others now exist, including the Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean Diet Pyramids, the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, and the Vegetarian Diet Pyramid, just to name a few.
These food pyramids have much in common, and you can use any of them as a basis for healthy eating. They follow the same premise of variety, portion control and moderation in eating. Most follow these basic principles:
Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Reduce saturated fat and cholesterol.
Limit sugar and salt.
Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation, if at all.
Eat moderate-sized portions.
Include physical activity in your daily routine.
Focus on food groups
Your body requires certain nutrients, such as protein, carbohydrates and fiber, to function properly. Since no single food provides all of the nutrients that your body needs, eating a wide variety of foods ensures that you get the necessary nutrients and other substances that promote good health.
In general, food pyramids present these types of food:
Fruits. From apricots to oranges, fruits are great sources of vitamins and minerals and soluble fiber. Except for a few varieties - such as coconuts - they're low in fat and calories.
Vegetables. Like fruits, vegetables are great sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. If you don't smother them in cream sauces, butter or dips, vegetables are low in fat and calories.
Grains. Breads, pasta, rice, noodles, couscous, polenta, bulgur and other grains are your main sources of carbohydrates. Most are low in fat. Choose whole grains as much as possible for more fiber and a wider variety of nutrients.
Dairy products. Milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium, protein and other vitamins and minerals. However, these foods can be high in cholesterol, fat and calories, so choose low-fat versions.
Meat and beans. Meat, poultry and fish provide protein and are good sources of B vitamins, iron and zinc. However, some types of meat may be high in cholesterol, fat and calories. Legumes - such as soybeans, black beans, split peas and lentils - are good substitutes for meat because they provide protein and also have added fiber, without the extra cholesterol, fat and calories.
Fats, oils and sweets. These types of foods - which include salad dressings, sour cream, and margarine along with cakes, cookies, ice cream and pastries - are high in fat and calories.
So what's the difference?
Although all food pyramids reflect the same general principles of healthy eating, they demonstrate different food choices. These differences reflect personal preferences, dietary patterns, food availability and cultural eating patterns. For example, some pyramids, such as the Latin American Diet Pyramid, might include tortillas and cornmeal within the grains food group, whereas another, such as the Asian Diet Pyramid, might emphasize noodles and rice.
Another difference is in the food groups themselves. For example, some pyramids group plant-based proteins - soybeans, beans and nuts - separately from animal proteins found in meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. This is because animal proteins are often higher in fat and cholesterol, and some diets limit animal proteins, placing them toward the top of the pyramid.
These six pyramids also differ in how they address servings. The Food Guide Pyramid recommends a daily number of servings from each food group. And it specifically defines serving sizes, for example, a serving of rice is 1/2 cup and a serving of milk is 1 cup.
But other food pyramids offer more general guidelines, such as eating particular foods at every meal, or on a weekly or monthly basis. For example, the Latin American Diet Pyramid recommends that you eat whole grains, vegetables and fruits at every meal but eat red meat, sweets and eggs once a week or less.
No matter which pyramid diet you follow, remember to select a variety of foods from each food group and focus on those groups toward the bottom of the pyramid.
How to use a food pyramid
To see how your diet matches up to any of these pyramids, keep a food diary for several days. Then compare how much of your diet comes from the bottom of the pyramid and how much comes from the top. If you're top-heavy, work your way toward the bottom by making small, gradual changes, such as eating more vegetables, fruits and whole grains and limiting fats and sweets.
Here are other tips for using a food pyramid:
Choose a variety of foods from each major food group. This ensures that you get all of the calories, protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber you need.
Choosing a wide range of foods also helps make your meals and snacks more interesting.
Adapt a pyramid to your specific tastes and preferences. For example, a serving of grains doesn't only mean a slice of wheat bread. It can be long-grain or wild rice, grits, cornmeal muffins, or even popcorn.
Combine foods from each major group in a pyramid however you like. For example, you might make a meal of tortillas from the grain group and beans from the meat and beans group. Or you could top your fish with fruit salsa or serve steamed vegetables over pasta. The possibilities are endless.
Select your meals and snacks wisely if you need to avoid all foods from one or more food groups. For example, if you don't consume dairy products because of lactose intolerance or for another reason, choose other foods that are good sources of calcium.
Create a daily menu following the pyramid guidelines. Emphasize foods at the bottom of the pyramid and limit those at the top. These sample menus show how the pyramid can help you plan your meals and snacks.
Perhaps you've noticed that the days of the four basic food groups - dairy, meat, vegetables and fruit - are long gone. Today, healthy eating plans encompass a far wider range of options: legumes, whole grains, seeds and nuts, fish, and even plant oils, such as olive oil. Add in ethnic, religious, cultural and personal preferences, and you have more options than ever when planning healthy meals and snacks.
A healthy eating plan can be illustrated many ways, but they're most often found in the shape of a pyramid. These pyramids outline various food groups and food choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the foundation of a healthy diet.
Is there an ideal eating plan?
Many people yearn for - and spend a lot of time and money seeking - the perfect eating plan. An ideal diet would assure excellent health, provide energy and strength, and promote resistance to some diseases. It would delay aging and keep you at your ideal weight.
Does such an eating plan exist? Probably not. Your nutritional needs differ at different stages of life, and they may change if you have a chronic disease. Everyone has unique genetic tendencies toward certain diseases, so food components such as salt or fats pose different risks for different people. Food intolerances and allergies also affect what kind of food you eat. In addition, such factors as your culture, family background, religious and moral beliefs, and the cost and the availability of food can all affect your food choices. People like different foods and prepare similar foods in different ways.
The pyramid plan
Although there really isn't one perfect diet for everyone, some general principles for choosing foods apply to most people. These principles are often represented in a food pyramid.
The triangular shape of the pyramid shows you where to focus when selecting foods. Foods that you should eat the most of create the large base of the pyramid, and those foods you should eat sparingly form the smaller tip.
Probably the most familiar food pyramid is the Food Guide Pyramid, established by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. But many others now exist, including the Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean Diet Pyramids, the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, and the Vegetarian Diet Pyramid, just to name a few.
These food pyramids have much in common, and you can use any of them as a basis for healthy eating. They follow the same premise of variety, portion control and moderation in eating. Most follow these basic principles:
Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Reduce saturated fat and cholesterol.
Limit sugar and salt.
Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation, if at all.
Eat moderate-sized portions.
Include physical activity in your daily routine.
Focus on food groups
Your body requires certain nutrients, such as protein, carbohydrates and fiber, to function properly. Since no single food provides all of the nutrients that your body needs, eating a wide variety of foods ensures that you get the necessary nutrients and other substances that promote good health.
In general, food pyramids present these types of food:
Fruits. From apricots to oranges, fruits are great sources of vitamins and minerals and soluble fiber. Except for a few varieties - such as coconuts - they're low in fat and calories.
Vegetables. Like fruits, vegetables are great sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. If you don't smother them in cream sauces, butter or dips, vegetables are low in fat and calories.
Grains. Breads, pasta, rice, noodles, couscous, polenta, bulgur and other grains are your main sources of carbohydrates. Most are low in fat. Choose whole grains as much as possible for more fiber and a wider variety of nutrients.
Dairy products. Milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium, protein and other vitamins and minerals. However, these foods can be high in cholesterol, fat and calories, so choose low-fat versions.
Meat and beans. Meat, poultry and fish provide protein and are good sources of B vitamins, iron and zinc. However, some types of meat may be high in cholesterol, fat and calories. Legumes - such as soybeans, black beans, split peas and lentils - are good substitutes for meat because they provide protein and also have added fiber, without the extra cholesterol, fat and calories.
Fats, oils and sweets. These types of foods - which include salad dressings, sour cream, and margarine along with cakes, cookies, ice cream and pastries - are high in fat and calories.
So what's the difference?
Although all food pyramids reflect the same general principles of healthy eating, they demonstrate different food choices. These differences reflect personal preferences, dietary patterns, food availability and cultural eating patterns. For example, some pyramids, such as the Latin American Diet Pyramid, might include tortillas and cornmeal within the grains food group, whereas another, such as the Asian Diet Pyramid, might emphasize noodles and rice.
Another difference is in the food groups themselves. For example, some pyramids group plant-based proteins - soybeans, beans and nuts - separately from animal proteins found in meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. This is because animal proteins are often higher in fat and cholesterol, and some diets limit animal proteins, placing them toward the top of the pyramid.
These six pyramids also differ in how they address servings. The Food Guide Pyramid recommends a daily number of servings from each food group. And it specifically defines serving sizes, for example, a serving of rice is 1/2 cup and a serving of milk is 1 cup.
But other food pyramids offer more general guidelines, such as eating particular foods at every meal, or on a weekly or monthly basis. For example, the Latin American Diet Pyramid recommends that you eat whole grains, vegetables and fruits at every meal but eat red meat, sweets and eggs once a week or less.
No matter which pyramid diet you follow, remember to select a variety of foods from each food group and focus on those groups toward the bottom of the pyramid.
How to use a food pyramid
To see how your diet matches up to any of these pyramids, keep a food diary for several days. Then compare how much of your diet comes from the bottom of the pyramid and how much comes from the top. If you're top-heavy, work your way toward the bottom by making small, gradual changes, such as eating more vegetables, fruits and whole grains and limiting fats and sweets.
Here are other tips for using a food pyramid:
Choose a variety of foods from each major food group. This ensures that you get all of the calories, protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber you need.
Choosing a wide range of foods also helps make your meals and snacks more interesting.
Adapt a pyramid to your specific tastes and preferences. For example, a serving of grains doesn't only mean a slice of wheat bread. It can be long-grain or wild rice, grits, cornmeal muffins, or even popcorn.
Combine foods from each major group in a pyramid however you like. For example, you might make a meal of tortillas from the grain group and beans from the meat and beans group. Or you could top your fish with fruit salsa or serve steamed vegetables over pasta. The possibilities are endless.
Select your meals and snacks wisely if you need to avoid all foods from one or more food groups. For example, if you don't consume dairy products because of lactose intolerance or for another reason, choose other foods that are good sources of calcium.
Create a daily menu following the pyramid guidelines. Emphasize foods at the bottom of the pyramid and limit those at the top. These sample menus show how the pyramid can help you plan your meals and snacks.
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