Bye bye food pyramid, the USDA is serving up a new visual to get you eating better.
This new guidelines certainly focuses on balance – some food advocates argued the old pyramid encouraged people to eat too many grains. Last year we told you about the Honest Food Pyramid which carries some of the same principals laid out above.
Along the new guidelines the USDA offered up these tips:
Balancing Calories
- Enjoy your food, but eat less.
- Avoid oversized portions.
Foods to Increase
● Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
● Make at least half your grains whole grains.
● Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
Foods to Reduce
● Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
● Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
Your thoughts? Share them with us…
Photo Courtesy: blog.superhealthykids.com
4 comments
Ruth says:
Jun 3, 2011
I live in Jamaica, but I had to come over from my Reader to ask a couple of questions… What was wrong with the Food Pyramid? Is this supposed be what your meal looks like at each sitting?
This thing seems rather protein-heavy (given that grains and dairy are protein-rich foods), which leads me to wonder if any real science went into this. Hmmm….. if this is how we should fuel our bodies, maybe next up is figuring how to convert iron and aluminium filings to fuel for cars.
Lastly, since fruits and vegetables have very different digestion rates and really shouldn’t be had at one sitting because of the resulting fermentation in the gut… the resulting bodily explosions should have an interesting smell to say the least.
Ah well… I guess if it’s not greenhouse gas emissions, it’s all good. LOL!
NewNaturalista says:
Jun 3, 2011
Really good points Ruth – this new guideline actually breaks up the food groups almost equally. The old one really focused on grains and meats. Please share your diet breakdown there in Jamaica!
Chai says:
Jun 3, 2011
I experienced some of the same issues Ruth mentioned above. after eating a more proportioned plate of fruits/vegetables my stomach was aggravated to say the least. Foods that are good for you sometimes need to be eaten in strict moderation, just like other foods. It won’t stop me from eating healthy, but it’s best to know what you’re in for, lol
NewNaturalista says:
Jun 4, 2011
You know Chai it can take a few good months of eating this way for your body to adjust to the fiber intake. I wouldn’t say strict moderation for healthy foods but more so the right combinations at the right times. I could certainly see this being a shock to someone not used to eating balanced meals regularly.