 The food pyramid was developed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in order to explain the different type of nutrients and to help us choose from variety of products, so that we get correctly the nutrients our organisms need.
The initial food pyramid has many variations nowadays, however according to the main one, the foods are divided into 4 categories, representing 4 stages of the pyramid.
» How is the food pyramid divided?
At the base of the pyramid we have bread, grains, cereals, pasta etc. These are complex carbohydrates and they provide energy to the body, hence it is recommended that you take more servings from these type of foods than from the others.
Above the breads and grains in the food pyramid we have vegetables and fruits. These are also complex carbohydrates, but just as well rich in vitamins and fiber and low in fats and sodium. Vegetables are recommended to be part of every main course. As for fruits - they contain sugars and should be avoided after the late afternoon. You should also keep in mind that the quantity of fruits you eat daily is not unlimited – the recommended portion is one big fruit per day (e.g. apple, banana) or 150g of small fruits (strawberries, cherries etc.).
Above the fruits and vegetables we have the next group – dairy products and proteins. These include eggs, milk, lean meat, fish. These foods are rich in protein, iron and zinc. As for the meat red meats should be avoided and lean meats (mostly chicken and beef) should be preferred instead in order to be healthy and not to influence the cholesterol levels negatively. Fish and sea food are rich in Omega3 fats, which are also extremely healthy for the organism.
At the top of the food pyramid are located the fats and sweets. We are talking here about the artificial fats and sweets that should represent the lowest percentage of the daily calorie intake. The point here is that these nutrients contain loads of calories, however none of these are healthy, and they take up a very large part of our daily calorie intake.
» Caloric limits according to the food pyramid
The quantity of foods we should obtain according to the food pyramid is divided into different categories and depends on age, sex, size, activity level etc. The following calorie categories are the most general ones:
1600 calories/day – for women, who have sedentary way of life
2200 calories/day – for children, teenage girls, active women and many men with sedentary way of life
2800 calories/day – teenage boys, men with active way of life, some women with extremely active way of life
» How to use the food pyramid for weight loss
The food pyramid can also be used for weight loss and weight gain. If you want to use it for weight loss, the recommendations are that you find a diet replacement for the foods from each group. If you have to go for some low-carb diet, it is recommended that you replace the bread with whole-wheat bread, pasta with its brown replacement, from the group of fruits and vegetables it is recommended that you avoid fruits, due to their content of sugars, and replace these with vegetables, especially the green ones.
From the protein group you should choose low-fat meats, fish, eggs, and from the dairy products – low fat milk, cottage cheese, and avoid yellow cheese and fatty types of cheese.
It is important that you skip the highest stage of the pyramid – the trans-fats and the artificial sweets.
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