Food Fun Health

Healthy Eating Pyramids

photo credit: rick manwaring

The first food pyramids were designed in the early 1990s as a nutrition education tool aimed at helping the average person choose a healthier diet. The idea was that the pyramid embodied the ideal diet in a simple picture and that following the recommendations contained in the pyramid would guide consumers in choosing and eating a balanced, healthy diet. 

The original pyramids, namely the Improved American Food Guide Pyramid published in 1992 by the United States Deparment of Agriculture and the CSIRO 12345+ Food and Nutrition Plan published in Australia in 1991, have been criticised for being overly simplistic and based on dated and questionable nutrition knowledge. In 2005 the USDA released the My Pyramid food pyramid, essentially the same as the 1992 pyramid, except flipped on its side, with a consideration of the need to be physically active. This new pyramid however still fails to take in account recent nutrition research, especially in areas such as fats (unsaturated, saturated and trans fatty acids and essential fatty acids) and wholegrains and dietary fibre.

Do food pyramids still have a role in guiding food choices?

Nutrition Australia and The Harvard School of Public Health have attempted to make food pyramids that more accurately reflect recent nutrition research and knowledge. Both guides have moved away from suggested number of servings from each food group and emphasis the need to eat a wide variety of different foods and be physically active.

The Nutrition Australia Healthy Living Pyramid (latest version published in 2004) uses the pyramid structure to encourage eating patterns that follow the eat most, eat moderately, eat least format. At the base of the pyramid is fruits, vegatables, cereals, grains and legumes. The middle of the pyramid includes dairy, meat and eggs, with the top of the pyramid emphasising limited intakes of sugar and fat. Outside of the pyramid is the recommendations to move more, drink water and limit salt intake. The Healthy Living Pyramid can be viewed here.

I find the Harvard School of Public Health the most useful of all the food intake planning tools. This pyramid certainly plays an important role in guiding healthy food choices and pictorally depicting a healthy, balanced diet.

This healthy eating pyramid emphasises:

• The need to exercise;
• Food not grams;
• Plant based diets – a variety of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and oils and wholegrains;
• Reduction in common staples - sugary drinks, refined grains, red meat, potatoes and salty snacks;
• Moderate consumption of alcohol;
• Moderate intake of nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy.

Again, this pyramid was designed so that those foods at the base of the pyramid (fruits, vegetables, healthy oils and wholegrains) are eaten the most each day, with those foods at the very top of the pyramid (sugars, refined grains, red meat and potatoes) to be eaten sparingly. The Harvard School of Health Food Pyramid can be viewed here.

The bottom line

The Nutrition Australia and The Harvard School of Public Health food pyramids are useful tools in guiding healthy food choices. They can be used by individuals and families to help plan meals and guide food intake. A dietary intake consistent with the notions contained in these pyramids will ensure that you are consuming the wide range of nutrients that you need everyday for optimal health and well being.

To read more about the Harvard School of Public Health’s rebuilding of the original USDA food pyramid, click here for more information.

Leave a Comment November 10, 2009

Healthy Eating – an introduction

photo credit: Teleyinex

Eating well is about understanding food and nutrition and making food choices that support a healthy diet. Eating well is a lifestyle choice that should be simple and sustainable. Unfortunately in today’s world making healthy food choices can be challenging and confusing. Despite the obesogenic environment that we find ourselves living in, it is still possible to consume a nutritionally sound, varied diet that is tasty and healthy.

What is a healthy diet?

A healthy diet is one that involves eating a variety of nutritious foods in moderation and balance.

Variety sees the consumption of a range of different food types from between and within the major food groups (fruits, vegetables, cereals, meat and meat alternatives and dairy).

Nutritious foods are defined as those foods that provide a significant range of nutrients in appropriate amounts.

Moderation is about being conscious of portion sizes without over eating.

Balance is concerned with eating a range of foods from across the different food groups in appropriate portion sizes.

A healthy diet is one based on:

• Unsaturated fats (mono and polyunsaturated) and essential fatty acids;
• Complex carbohydrates and fibre;
• Quality protein (lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and pulses);
• Vegetables;
• Fruit;
• Low fat dairy or alternatives;
• Water as the main drink.

It is also a pattern of eating that reduces consumption of:

• Added sugars;
• Salt;
• Saturated and trans-fats;
• Soft drinks;
• Artificial additives;
• Excessive alcohol.

Healthy eating is also about consuming whole foods, taking care of the produce we eat and avoiding those foods that are overly processed, altered and refined. A healthy diet provides the full range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, amino acids, essential fatty acids, dietary fibre, energy and water that the body needs everyday to function properly.

Is healthy eating synonymous with boring?

Just hearing the word ‘healthy’ is enough for some people to tune out and become disinterested. Healthy eating does not automatically mean boring. It is about making food fun, exploring different tastes and textures and trying a range of different foods. Healthy eating does not have to be only lentils, vegetables and soy milk. It is about having a smart and sensible attitude towards food and recognizing that we should enjoy whole, minimally processed foods that are fresh and tasty.

Leave a Comment November 5, 2009