Build your own food pyramid

You’ve probably known only one pyramid all your life. And you don’t mean the Pyramids of Egypt or the pyramid scam. You can only be referring to the one and only food pyramid or the dietary guideline program. Back then, it was called the "four food groups" (although there were really five food groups), which you must have learned from your grade school teacher. Then in 1992, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) decided it was time to reinvent the food groups and came up with the food pyramid to tease the eye and the taste buds. Forming the base of this pyramid were carbohydrate foods like bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. At the tip of the pyramid were small amounts of fats and sweets. In between were lesser amounts of vegetables and fruits, dairy products, meats, and eggs.

But according to nutrition/health expert Dr. Philip Maffetone in his very absorbing book titled In Fitness and in Health, the food pyramid turned out to be a "misguided public information campaign" because "rather than building a pyramid using sound general recommendations of scientists and clinicians, the USDA allowed special-interest groups and lobbyists from the food industry to have their input."

And consumers, take double note: "Following this high-carbohydrate program is equivalent to eating two cups of sugar a day."

Needless to say, this pyramid has only produced a country fraught with such big problems as obesity and diet-related diseases.

A few years later, in 2005, the US government updated its Food Guide Pyramid. The old pyramid was all about what Americans should eat to stay healthy. But the government thought that ain’t enough. People need more than food to to keep body and soul together – man does not live by bread alone, literally speaking. He also needs to exercise so the food experts redesigned the pyramid showing a person climbing the stairs, to drive home the point that physical activity is as important as food when it comes to our health.

And now, the pyramid is called MyPyramid because it’s not just about food, it’s also about making healthy lifestyle choices. And when it comes to food and exercise, one size doesn’t fit all. For instance, active teens need additional food to fuel their activity levels. On the other hand, people who are less active need to eat less food so they don’t put on those unwanted pounds.

Here are top tips from The Food Guide Pyramid:

• Combine healthy eating with a good dose of exercise. Exercise is good for the body and the mind. According to experts, exercise fights off a range of health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and even depression. Even teens need more than 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day to stay healthy.

• Eat a variety of foods. The different color bands in the Food Guide Pyramid mean that it’s important to eat lots of different foods. Eating a variety of foods not only supplies our body with all the nutrients it needs, it also keeps the palate stimulated.

• Eat foods in moderation. Like they say, everything in moderation. Even too much of a good thing can be bad.

Yes, you can build your own pyramid. "Actually, that’s the only sound recommendation," says Dr. Maffetone. "Since we all have individual requirements, it’s best for each of us to have an individualized pyramid."

So, how would you design your own pyramid?

Dr. Maffetone says that if he were to construct a food pyramid, it would be expandable in all directions; in other words, an adjustable, flexible pyramid because "some people need more or less of certain foods and nutrients."

Take a look at Dr. Maffetone’s pyramid:

• At the base would be water because it is the most important nutrient the body needs. Totally agree!

• The next layer would be made up of vegetables. He recommends at least five or more servings of cooked and raw vegetables daily, including a raw salad. He sends this very meaty message about vegetables: They supply fiber, vitamins, minerals, and the important disease-fighting phytonutrients.

• While carbohydrates form the base of the USDA’s food pyramid, Dr. Maffetone’s pyramid would have these foods nearer to the middle layer. And this layer would not be made up of refined carbos such as white bread and pasta or processed cereal. It will be a "slimmer carbohydrate layer" composed of fruits, legumes, 100-percent whole grains, and items made of 100-percent whole grains such as sprouted-grain breads.

• Sharing a layer in Dr. Maffetone’s pyramid are proteins and "healthy fats."

Dr. Maffetone writes, "Many nutritional experts are now beginning to realize that many people, including those over age 50, do not meet protein requirements. And while many people eat too much fat from saturated and omega-6 vegetable-oil sources, most people are deficient in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats such as those obtained from extra-virgin olive oil. In addition, omega-3 fats found in fish and flaxseed oil are essential and are basically devoid from the USDA pyramid. Today, it is virtually impossible for people to obtain enough of these fats from a normal diet and so supplementation is often necessary."

• At the top of Dr. Maffetone’s pyramid (which you should eat the least of) are refined carbohydrate foods such as breads, rolls, and bagels made with refined flour, as well as sweets. Strange some of these items form the base of the USDA food pyramid.

So, have you designed your own pyramid yet?

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