The New Food Guide Pyramid
We all know of the food guide pyramid. But in 2005, the United States Department of Agriculture released a brand new edition. So, how up to date are you on the details of the most recent food guide pyramid? Many of us simply know the general food groups and that we need to have a balanced diet of these groups. The latest food guide, however, has been updated and has new information regarding healthy eating.
Here’s a detailed look at the new food guide pyramid and the valuable health information it possess.
The Food Guide Pyramid and You
The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new food guide pyramid is more personalized to the individual, rather than a general reference guide for everyone. The new food guide pyramid takes into consideration a person’s age, gender, and activity level, and provides a personalized breakdown of the food groups you need to eat, and how much of each food group to consume. (For a personal assessment, visit the United States Department of Agriculture website.)
The Food Guide Pyramid – What’s New
Even though it has been updated, the food guide pyramid still has five basic food groups. Those groups are grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat/beans. However, the new food guide pyramid now also takes into consideration oils. Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature, like the vegetable oils used in cooking. The new food guide pyramid advises that the only oils/fats you should eat are polyunsaturated (PUFA) or monounsaturated (MUFA) fats. Oils are the major source of MUFAs and PUFAs in the diet. Polyunsaturated fats contain some fatty acids that are necessary for health—called essential fatty acids. Since oils contain these essential fatty acids, the new food guide pyramid advises you on your oil intake. In case you didn’t know, some foods that are naturally high in oils include nuts, olives, some fish, and avocados.
The new food guide pyramid also emphasizes physical activity as an important part of a healthy lifestyle, not just food. The food guide pyramid recommends that you participant in normally, daily activity in combination with a healthy balance of food. However, just like food intake, the new food guide pyramid doesn’t just offer a general fitness level everyone should follow. The new food guide pyramid takes into consideration your age and how much activity you currently involve yourself in. The end result is a more detailed estimate of how much activity you should be engaging in if you want to live a healthy lifestyle.
The Food Guide Pyramid and Dining Out
We all love to eat out occasionally. The new food guide pyramid understands this and has numerous guidelines on how to dine and keep your health in mind. For starters, the food guide pyramid recommends that you drink water, fat-free milk, or unsweetened drinks. These are much healthier choices than soda. It also recommends that you start your meal with a salad. And by salad, it means salad. A few leafs of lettuce drenched in ranch dressing won’t cut it. Make sure your salad has a lot of veggies in it, and select a low-fat dressing.
When selecting your main course, the food guide pyramid suggests ordering steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of meals that are deep fried. A meal cooked in oil is not as healthy as one steamed, grilled, or broiled. Also, choose smaller portions instead of large “all you can eat” sizes. The less you have, the more likely you are not to over indulge.
The new food guide pyramid contains valuable information that everyone should follow, if they want to live a health-conscious lifestyle. By customizing your appropriate food intake quantities based on your age, gender, and activity level, the new food guide pyramid has become an even more valuable resource for us all, and a great guide on how to eat a balanced diet.
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