How many of us go by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) food pyramid when planning our diets? The figure above shows the food pyramid and I think people pay too much attention to the top and bottom of the pyramid without much consideration to the middle. Too much importance is placed on carbohydrates (up to 11 servings) without regard to the type of carbohydrate consumed. On the other hand fats have been lumped with sugars and banned, without regard to the type of fat. Due to this the food pyramid is to blame for most of today's obesity problems. Just as all carbohydrates are not created equal, so is the case with fat. There are good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates and by the same token there are good and bad fats. This low fat/high carbohydrate dictum has spawned a whole industry of low-fat foods. So we now consume low fat cookies, low fat ice-cream etc without regard to the calorie content, thinking that its healthy to do so. In one of my previous articles, I talked about how fat slows the absorption of sugars in your blood stream. Also good fats (MUFA) and omega 3 fats are healthy for your heart and mind. Fats are also necessary to transport important fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K).
A comparative study lasting 31 years (starting 1960) and spanning 7 countries (Italy, Greece, former Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Finland, United States, and Japan) looked at dietary habits of these populations and the incidence of deaths from heart disease and various cancers. 13,000 people between the ages of 40-59 years participated in this study. At the conclusion of this study 50% of the participants from Crete (island of Greece) were still alive while there were no survivors from the participants of the other 6 countries. In the Cretan diet, olive oil accounted for 33% of caloric needs apart from the fat from fish, eggs and some cheese. Their diet consisted of as much as 40% of total calorie intake from fat (29 percent monounsaturated fat, 8 percent saturated fat, and 3 percent polyunsaturated fat). The rest came from vegetables, fruits, whole grains and moderate amounts of cheese, fish and occasional red meat. Based on these findings researchers suggest rebuilding the food pyramid from the ground up with fat, vegetables and fruits occupying the bottom of the pyramid, with whole grains, fish, milk and cheese in the middle and sugars and simple carbohydrates on top.
A comparative study lasting 31 years (starting 1960) and spanning 7 countries (Italy, Greece, former Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Finland, United States, and Japan) looked at dietary habits of these populations and the incidence of deaths from heart disease and various cancers. 13,000 people between the ages of 40-59 years participated in this study. At the conclusion of this study 50% of the participants from Crete (island of Greece) were still alive while there were no survivors from the participants of the other 6 countries. In the Cretan diet, olive oil accounted for 33% of caloric needs apart from the fat from fish, eggs and some cheese. Their diet consisted of as much as 40% of total calorie intake from fat (29 percent monounsaturated fat, 8 percent saturated fat, and 3 percent polyunsaturated fat). The rest came from vegetables, fruits, whole grains and moderate amounts of cheese, fish and occasional red meat. Based on these findings researchers suggest rebuilding the food pyramid from the ground up with fat, vegetables and fruits occupying the bottom of the pyramid, with whole grains, fish, milk and cheese in the middle and sugars and simple carbohydrates on top.
It is now argued that the USDA was the wrong organization to be building the food pyramid in the first place. The USDA is affiliated to the department of agriculture that is responsible for the productivity of grains for the most part and so has a vested interest in promoting grain consumption. On top of that the USDA is not a research organization with any ability to perform dietary research so it should have no role in the formulation of the food pyramid. I am just thankful that the American Sugar Alliance didn't have a role in formulating the food pyramid, otherwise we all would be looking like the Thanksgiving turkey!
Very interesting blog post...thanks
ReplyDeletehttp://cms.skidmore.edu/health/education/Nutrition/healthy-eating-pyramid.cfm
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if you could come up with a nutrition pyramid that you think makes most sense.
Dr. Walter Willet from Harvard has a pyramid similar to the pyramid at skidmore college and I think that is a healthy pyramid. In my blog I try point out the importance of healthy fats in the diet, because most people think low fat high carb diet is healthier than a moderate fat moderate carb diet.
ReplyDelete