Food Pyramid: Is It A Guide To Healthy Eating?

Copy of a Food Pyramid

Overview

It was comprised of five food groups. Starting at the bottom was the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group. The next level consisted of the vegetable group and the fruit group.

On the following level you could find dairy and protein groups. Then finally at the very top were the fats, oils, and sweets. A copy of a food pyramid can be printed from a number of various websites.

Food Group: The Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group

The pyramid suggests that all carbohydrates are good. Actually some are and some aren’t.

The carbohydrates most Americans eat is white bread, white rice, potatoes, and pasta. These are all simple carbohydrates and digest a lot more rapidly than complex carbohydrates.

Like sugar in sweets, these foods cause a fast rise in your blood sugar. Then when they have digested, your blood sugar drops just as fast.

The rollercoaster effect of these simple carbohydrates can lead to heart disease and diabetes, which are restricted on a diabetes diet.

It can also lead to hunger pangs, which leads to more frequent eating. More frequent eating leads to weight gain. This in turn will open you up to an onslaught of various diseases.

Stick with whole foods at most meals. Whole grains keep your blood sugar control center on an even keel. This will help prevent diabetes. It will also protect against digestive disorders and constipation.

Eating whole grains will also help protect you from getting colon cancer and possibly other types of cancers. Fiber in whole grains also helps to decrease your cholesterol. Heart disease is less common in people who eat whole grain food.

Food Group: Vegetable and Fruit Group

However, they do classify potatoes as a vegetable. This is the one exception you will need to eat sparingly due to it being a simple carbohydrate.

Just be sure not to overcook your vegetables. They will lose most of their nutrients if they are overcooked. Steaming them is a better alternative.

Food Group: The Dairy/Protein Group

When choosing foods to eat from this group, limit the amounts of meat, especially red meat. Meat contains a high amount of saturated fat, which is not good for the blood vessels and the heart.

Whole milk has a lot of saturated fat also. Rather, get most of your protein from beans, nuts, eggs, and other non-meat sources.

Food Group: Fats, Oils, and Sweets

Monounsaturated fats such as flax seed oil and polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 fatty acids are very healthy to eat. These fats are essential fats, which means our bodies can’t make these. We need to ingest them.

The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are many, which is why we should consume them on a regular basis. They help in the development of cell membranes. They help in regulating a hormone that reduces inflammation, which helps with and lupus. They may also be involved in helping to prevent certain cancers. These are just a few of the benefits.

As my final thought. When you eat, eat as many organic foods as possible.

Source:

Willett, Walter C. M.D. and Skerrett, Patrick J. Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy. The Harvard Medical School Guide To Healthy Eating. New York. Free Press 2001.