All Things PT

Is the Food Guide Pyramid Hurting Us?

After much reading and Internet searches I have discovered a fact that baffles my mind. The Food Guide Pyramid gives people a false sense of comfort in the foods we eat. That isn't what is so baffling. Something, like the Pyramid, was developed to 'help' Us and in fact it has false information offered on the way we should eat. The information for the Pyramid was gathered and presented by the federal government responsible for promoting American agriculture, it doesn't come from agencies protecting our health. WHHHHHAAAATTTT!

It's hard enough to determine what is good for us and what is not, but then to have a symbol embodied by the population as a 'truth', well, I'm very upset. Others realized the Pyramid was outdated so a 'new' model was introduced. So, let's look at the old Pyramid and the 'new' one.

Now, the new Pyramid...

Exercise is a key component in the 'new' Pyramid called MyPyramid. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, 'a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate cardio and 2 or more days a week of muscle strengthening for adults.' That's more than realistic but less than half of the population (48%) meet that requirement.

Another improvement was making ALL foods equal in value but limiting the intake of some more than others. It doesn't stress on what kinds of foods. For instance grains should be 100% whole wheat (or an equivalent), and the fact that red meat isn't as nutrient dense as say chicken or eggs. And what about fats? Good fats, bad fats that's an entire article. 

Is the 'new' pyramid better? Yes, better than the old one. But, good? Not really, we need to educate on the types of foods to consume and how often. That would be a good starting point.

My point in sharing this information is don't believe everything you read. Chances are it is biased to benefit someone other than you. Educate yourself and read everything you can to protect your health.