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Reshaping the food guide pyramid
Developed ten years ago by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the food guide pyramid (FGP) was designed to help Americans create a healthier diet. Much research has been done since the inception of the original FGP that supports a slight restructuring and a clearer distinction of healthier foods to choose within the various food groups.
Walter Willet, Chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston feels that: "The Public has been told for many years that fats are bad and carbohydrates are good. In fact, we've known for 30 or 40 years that is not really true." New data proves that some fatty foods, like olive oil or fats in nuts, fish and avocados do provide health benefits. This data comes from a recent study in which Willett and his colleagues assessed the diets of more than 100,000 men and women that found that those who ate alternative diets to the well known pyramid, distinguishing between good and bad fats and carbohydrates had a lower risk of chronic disease by nearly forty percent in men and 30 percent in women. These results support Dr. Willett's proposal to reconsider how we eat and rearrange our FGP.
Note: some RD's may disagree saying that the pyramid was not meant to stand alone, but rather, used as an educational tool, along with the help of nutrition professionals. One of the important messages, often conveyed, is that there are healthier choices within each food group, which should be chosen most often.
An example of a restructuring recommendation supported by Willet's study is moving "good fats" closer to the base of our pyramid and shifting refined carbohydrates or "bad carbs" closer to the top. As more knowledge is gained from long-term studies, we will learn more about how to confidently restructure our FGP. In the meantime here are a few tips from Dr. Willett to help you sort it all out.
"Good Carbs" - Fruits, vegetables, beans and other legumes, and whole grains that are rich in fiber and nutrients. Look for: Whole grain products such as whole wheat or oat bread, cereals and pasta; oats; brown and wild rice, and grains such as barley, quinoa and millet. Fruits and fibrous vegetables (crunchy ones) apples, melons, berries, greens, peppers, broccoli, beets, spinach, green beans, peppers, greens, lettuce.
"Bad Carbs" - Sugary foods and starches. These foods are quickly absorbed into our digestive system and quickly raise our blood sugar levels. Examples of these foods are: white bread, potatoes and pasta.
"Good Fats" - Liquid oils found in most plants, as well as fats in nuts, seeds and many fish. Foods to look for: fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Nuts, such as pecans, walnuts and almonds. Seeds, including sesame, sunflower, pumpkin and olives and avocados. Plant oils, such as olive oil, peanut, canola, corn, soybean and products made using these oils.
"Bad Fats" - Saturated animal fats found in meat and dairy products, and the trans-fatty acids found in margarines, vegetable shortening and many processed foods. Avoid products that contain partially hydrogenated oils in the list of ingredients. Foods to limit: marbled red meats; full-fat dairy products, such as butter, hydrogenated vegetable oils like margarine and other oils that are solid at room temperature, commercial deep fried foods, tropical oils, such as coconut and palm oils.
Foods to limit: sugared drinks, such as soda, fruit juice, sugar, honey, molasses, syrups, refined white flour products like white bread, pretzels, pizza, bagels, white pasta, white rice most cereals, starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn.
Developed ten years ago by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the food guide pyramid (FGP) was designed to help Americans create a healthier diet. Much research has been done since the inception of the original FGP that supports a slight restructuring and a clearer distinction of healthier foods to choose within the various food groups.
Walter Willet, Chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston feels that: "The Public has been told for many years that fats are bad and carbohydrates are good. In fact, we've known for 30 or 40 years that is not really true." New data proves that some fatty foods, like olive oil or fats in nuts, fish and avocados do provide health benefits. This data comes from a recent study in which Willett and his colleagues assessed the diets of more than 100,000 men and women that found that those who ate alternative diets to the well known pyramid, distinguishing between good and bad fats and carbohydrates had a lower risk of chronic disease by nearly forty percent in men and 30 percent in women. These results support Dr. Willett's proposal to reconsider how we eat and rearrange our FGP.
Note: some RD's may disagree saying that the pyramid was not meant to stand alone, but rather, used as an educational tool, along with the help of nutrition professionals. One of the important messages, often conveyed, is that there are healthier choices within each food group, which should be chosen most often.
An example of a restructuring recommendation supported by Willet's study is moving "good fats" closer to the base of our pyramid and shifting refined carbohydrates or "bad carbs" closer to the top. As more knowledge is gained from long-term studies, we will learn more about how to confidently restructure our FGP. In the meantime here are a few tips from Dr. Willett to help you sort it all out.
"Good Carbs" - Fruits, vegetables, beans and other legumes, and whole grains that are rich in fiber and nutrients. Look for: Whole grain products such as whole wheat or oat bread, cereals and pasta; oats; brown and wild rice, and grains such as barley, quinoa and millet. Fruits and fibrous vegetables (crunchy ones) apples, melons, berries, greens, peppers, broccoli, beets, spinach, green beans, peppers, greens, lettuce.
"Bad Carbs" - Sugary foods and starches. These foods are quickly absorbed into our digestive system and quickly raise our blood sugar levels. Examples of these foods are: white bread, potatoes and pasta.
"Good Fats" - Liquid oils found in most plants, as well as fats in nuts, seeds and many fish. Foods to look for: fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Nuts, such as pecans, walnuts and almonds. Seeds, including sesame, sunflower, pumpkin and olives and avocados. Plant oils, such as olive oil, peanut, canola, corn, soybean and products made using these oils.
"Bad Fats" - Saturated animal fats found in meat and dairy products, and the trans-fatty acids found in margarines, vegetable shortening and many processed foods. Avoid products that contain partially hydrogenated oils in the list of ingredients. Foods to limit: marbled red meats; full-fat dairy products, such as butter, hydrogenated vegetable oils like margarine and other oils that are solid at room temperature, commercial deep fried foods, tropical oils, such as coconut and palm oils.
Foods to limit: sugared drinks, such as soda, fruit juice, sugar, honey, molasses, syrups, refined white flour products like white bread, pretzels, pizza, bagels, white pasta, white rice most cereals, starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn.