{"id":339,"date":"2021-04-20T00:08:12","date_gmt":"2021-04-20T00:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplestartnutrition.com\/?p=339"},"modified":"2021-04-20T00:27:58","modified_gmt":"2021-04-20T00:27:58","slug":"the-food-pyramid-is-long-gone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplestartnutrition.com\/?p=339","title":{"rendered":"The Food Pyramid is long gone"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"339\" class=\"elementor elementor-339\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7b728c4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7b728c4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9eb67ed\" data-id=\"9eb67ed\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f5c30c elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4f5c30c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Food Pyramid is long gone<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-749fd23 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"749fd23\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"172\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/simplestartnutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image.png?fit=640%2C172&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-341\" alt=\"food pyramid graph\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/simplestartnutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image.png?w=1212&amp;ssl=1 1212w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/simplestartnutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image.png?resize=300%2C81&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/simplestartnutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image.png?resize=1024%2C275&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/simplestartnutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image.png?resize=768%2C207&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-78a76e85 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"78a76e85\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Food Pyramid was introduced by the USDA almost 30 years ago to help translate the Dietary Guidelines, so Americans could understand what foods they should be eating and how much of each food.\u00a0 It was a great first attempt.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0It was revamped in 2005:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It added a\u00a0 little person climbing those stairs to encourage people to exercise!<\/li>\n<li>The addition of the word \u201cMy\u201d was to indicate isn\u2019t not a \u201cone size fits all\u201d pyramid, but one that needs to be customized to the individual<\/li>\n<li>The blocks became wedges; this was supposed to help people understand that no food is more important than another (the grain block being the foundation of the original Food Pyramid made it seem like grains are the most important food, which is so not true).\u00a0 I also like to think it meant that within each food group, some options can be healthier than others; for example in the dairy group, the base of the wedge would be made up of low fat milk, cheese, and yogurt, where the top (aka less) is where ice cream and heavy cream would be found.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, My Pyramid didn\u2019t seem to last very long; it was a little too busy and hard to understand for the general public, so it was time for another revamp!<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.myplate.gov\/\">My Plate<\/a> was unveiled in 2011. Simple, colorful, easy.\u00a0 Compared to the My Pyramid, it is vast improvement, but it\u2019s not without its faults.\u00a0 Let\u2019s start with the good stuff first:<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pros:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We all eat off a plate, or at least know what a plate is!\u00a0 It\u2019s a really clear visual for people to see eating fruits and veggies at every meal, keeping protein to 3-4 ounces\u00a0 (without needing to get out the kitchen scale, because who\u2019s got time for that), and keeping your grains in check- the never ending bowl of pasta at Olive Garden will NOT fit in the corner of your plate. And don\u2019t forget your glass of milk!\u00a0 It\u2019s all laid out quite nicely.<\/li>\n<li>It doesn\u2019t call the food group \u201cmeat and beans\u201d anymore, it\u2019s just protein, which is nice for vegetarians and vegans.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019re supposed to customize it, suggested\u00a0 by the \u201cMy\u201d that remains in the title.\u00a0 Going on the website allows you to explore different options from each of the food groups.\u00a0 Gluten free, no problem, fill the grains with rice and quinoa.\u00a0 Follow a Mediterrean diet, easy, the protein group can focus on fish and beans.\u00a0 It\u2019s built to be utilized across all types of cultures and cuisines.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cons<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It\u2019s a plate, but not every meal is a plate.\u00a0 What about a bowl?\u00a0 Additionally, not every food is divided into individual foods or sections like soup or tacos.\u00a0 This makes it slightly trickier to implement the MyPlate for those foods\/meals.<\/li>\n<li>Where are the fats??!?!\u00a0 I love healthy fats, like avocado and olive oil; they\u2019re good for your brain and heart, help keep you full, and are needed at every meal for vitamin absorptions (A, D, E, &amp; K are fat soluble vitamins, aka, they need fat to be absorbed).\u00a0 But they\u2019re nowhere to be found&#8230;<\/li>\n<li>The dairy group, some people don\u2019t like dairy, or are lactose intolerant, or vegan.\u00a0 Dairy is the best way for us to meet our calcium needs, but it\u2019s not the ONLY way. What about calling it a \u201ccalcium\u201d food group.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Water\u2026 it\u2019s the most important thing we can consume, and we need a lot of it.\u00a0 Water isn\u2019t mentioned either.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">3 meals a day following this guide will give you 6 servings of fruits and veggies (the recommendation is for 5-9); 3 servings of dairy and protein, which is on track for the dietary guidelines; and plenty of grains.\u00a0 It reminds you to diversify your plate at each sitting.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to grab a hoagie for lunch, but you would only be getting 2 food groups: grains and protein.\u00a0 Maybe stretch it to vegetables too, if you really pack on the lettuce and tomatoes.\u00a0 But instead of a hoagie, how about a turkey and cheese sandwich on wheat (grains, protein, dairy) with side salad and an apple; then you\u2019ve got each food group covered and you\u2019re still eating a sandwich, albeit a smaller one, but that means you have room for some fruits and veggies!<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bottom line-MyPlate has some flaws, but overall I really like it, and for the general public, it\u2019s a great jumping off point.\u00a0 It\u2019s also a great teaching tool that can be used at a young age, and SHOULD be used at a young age.\u00a0 Kids need to learn about the food groups and how to build healthy meals themselves.\u00a0 I would love to have one of my kids point out I\u2019m missing the fruit on my plate\u2026one day.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the MyPlate helps you realize you forgot the dairy food group (or as I like to call it- the calcium group) at lunch, and you have a yogurt for your afternoon snack, then it\u2019s working.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So try using it as a guide when you build your next meal&#8230;missing anything?<\/p>\n<p>This blog was written by Chris Henigan MS, RD, LDN, co-founder of Simple Start Nutrition.\u00a0 For more blog posts and nutrition information follow @simplestartnutrition on Instagram and Facebook.\u00a0 Also feel free to contact us, by visiting our website (<a href=\"http:\/\/simplestartnutrition.com\/\">simplestartnutrition.com<\/a>) to schedule an appointment to discuss your nutrition related needs.\u00a0 We are here to help.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-819916a elementor-post-navigation-borders-yes elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-navigation\" data-id=\"819916a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-navigation.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation__prev elementor-post-navigation__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/simplestartnutrition.com\/?p=279\" rel=\"prev\"><span class=\"post-navigation__arrow-wrapper 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