The Food Guide Pyramid (Food Pyramid) is a model of eating that was introduced in 1992 to help Americans make better food choices. The Food Pyramid divides foods into groups, which it displays in the shape of a pyramid to represent the number of servings of each group people need to eat each day; more servings at the bottom; fewer servings at the top.
At the bottom of the pyramid is the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group, which makes up the largest proportion of the diet, at six to 11 servings a day. Just above that are the fruit (two to four servings daily) and vegetable (three to five servings) groups. The next level is the milk, yogurt, and cheese group (two to three servings), and the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group (two to three servings). At the pinnacle of the Food Pyramid are fats, oils, and sweets, which should be eaten sparingly.
The Food Pyramid includes the daily amounts of food people need at three different calorie levels; 1,600 calories (for sedentary women and older adults), 2,200 calories (for children, teenage girls, active women, and sedentary men), and 2,800 calories (for teenage boys, active men, and some active women).
In 2005, the Food Pyramid evolved into the MyPyramid system. This updated version maintained the pyramid design, but it was divided into vertical sections representing the five food groups, plus oils. MyPyramid turned out to be too complex, making it difficult for consumers to determine how much of each food they needed to eat.
In 2011, the USDA introduced MyPlate. This plate-shaped icon was designed to provide consumers with a simple visual reminder of how to create a balanced meal. The plate is divided into four sections: fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein, with a circle off to the side that represents dairy. Since its introduction, MyPlate has largely replaced the Food Pyramid as a guide to healthy eating.
Originally developed in 1924 to treat epilepsy, the ketogenic diet has most recently rose in popularity as the latest and greatest miracle weight-loss plan. Additionally, proponents of the ketogenic diet—or keto diet, as it's commonly known—advertise health benefits ranging from glucose control to treatment of Alzheimer’s. But, what does the … Read More
Vegetables have always had a reputation for boosting our health. Research continues to support the long-held standard that a vegetable-rich diet is a key part of any complete nutrition plan—and a winning approach to optimal health and disease protection. Research suggests that a vegetable-rich diet can lower your risk of … Read More
Fruits provide slow-digesting carbs, various types of fiber, and a host of vitamins, including A, C, E, and K plus several B vitamins. Fruits also provide many important minerals, including calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and copper, along with a cornucopia of phytochemicals. Among plant foods, fruits are especially high in … Read More
Do you live a healthy lifestyle by following a whole grain diet? Unfortunately, despite your actions to thwart a heart attack, your whole grain diet may do more harm than good. Why? Because the root cause of heart disease is inflammation! And, managing inflammation goes much beyond the standard prevention … Read More
Do you live a healthy lifestyle by following a whole grain diet? Unfortunately, despite your actions to thwart a heart attack, your whole grain diet may do more harm than good. Why? Because the root cause of heart disease is inflammation! And, managing inflammation goes much beyond the standard prevention … Read More
Do you live a healthy lifestyle by following a whole grain diet? Unfortunately, despite your actions to thwart a heart attack, your whole grain diet may do more harm than good. Why? Because the root cause of heart disease is inflammation! And, managing inflammation goes much beyond the standard prevention … Read More
Insulin resistance is most well known for its links to heart disease, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes, however a growing body of research links insulin resistance to a decline in cognition, or the ability to learn and process information.[1] Insulin necessary for brain function The brain makes its own insulin … Read More
