Food Pyramid

How On Target is the Food Pyramid?

Within The United States Department of Agriculture is The Center of Nutrition Policy and Promotion who developed the MyPyramid Food Guidance System as seen in food stores, on food packages and on www.MyPyramid.gov. This revised pyramid does incorporate many great ideas such as exercise and a “target” to reach, but in reading the recommendations, the pyramid doesn’t hit upon the quality of the foods it recommends.

Let’s start with the basics of vegetables. Is it healthier to eat raw carrots or carrots that have been boiled, had preservatives added, and have been sitting in a freezer for six months or more? (answer: raw carrots) Now let’s move on to meats. Is it better for your body to eat chicken that has been feed sawdust and antibiotics and kept in artificial lighting situations, or chicken that has grown naturally and been able to roam and eat freely? (answer: chicken that has grown naturally and been able to roam and eat freely). Do you get the idea about healthier choices?

As far as the pyramid and choices go, when you choose a food make sure it is at the top of the pyramid, where I put the healthy choices. The healthier the food, the higher up the pyramid it belongs. The less processed and more natural the food is, the higher on the pyramid it belongs. If you are keen, you will realize that there is not much at the top of the pyramid, and that is because most of the food that is available to us is highly processed and unnatural. Follow the foundations of health and strive for the top!

The food pyramid is a general dietary recommendation plan for the general public ages 2 and over. It is not recommended for pregnancy, lactating mothers, therapeutic diets, or individuals with health conditions. It would be interesting to find out how much research went into the studies of the dietary recommendations for preventative measures and which foods would really be best for the general public without considering the financial consideration that each respective council gives to the government in order to produce dietary guidelines like this. In any event, always remember to aim for the top and you will help yourself stay much healthier.