Food Pyramids

A food pyramid is a dieting tool to consider

Keeping in mind that weight loss diets are at the heart of weight loss programs, food pyramids then can be a useful weight loss tools in planning a dieting endeavor. Especially when combined with others like body fat percentage or waist hip ratio.

Since the inception of food pyramids by the USDA a number of other food pyramids have surfaced. They include the Vegan Food Pyramid, Mediterranean Food Pyramid as well as the Asian Food Pyramid. Fat Loss 4 Idiots (lose 40 lbs with Calorie Shifting )   recommends one that encapsulates the concepts of weight loss. 

Food pyramids are among tools you can employ in dieting. Others include calorie counting and Glycemic Index among others. 

Before we go into the details of food pyramids, let’s first understand why they exist. 

The pyramid designed by USDA basically reflected what is referred to as the dietary guidelines of American. The guidelines were compiled by an array of intelligence from the crème de le crème of their health related specialties. These experts packed their knowledge together to provide an authoritative advice on good dietary habits that promote good health and reduce any risk for major chronic diseases; so far a noble idea. 

However as a review by the Harvard School of Public Health reports, the credibility of USDA food pyramid revised in 2005 and rebranded My Pyramid is very questionable. 

Evidently the recommendations of the dietary guidelines and consequent constitution of the food pyramid has great implications on how billions of dollars are spent on food. Indeed the dietary guidelines lay the foundation for all other federal nutrition projects in the U.S. Consequently there is such “politicking” in determining who sat on the panel of experts creating the dietary guidelines. 

A food fight pitting health enthusiast against food manufactures is usually inevitable as each stakeholder tries to get their “man” into the panel. And probably the resulting lack of credibility of the USDA food pyramid led to the mushrooming at the other food pyramids.

Food pyramids when understood are a handy weight loss tools. They provide easy means by which to plan your meals. Here we look at recommendations agreed upon by most food pyramids. 

In nearly all food pyramids, carbohydrates are always at the base of the pyramids. This means they should be served daily, in significant amounts and in nearly all meals. This is consistent with the fact that we use carbohydrate for energy the most. But noticeably in the Asian food pyramid there is no emphasize of whole grain carbohydrates. 

Whole grain carbohydrates are known to have a low glycemic load (GL). A low GL allows for sustainable release of energy in the body reducing your body’s inclination to store excess energy. 

The Harvard School of Public Health food pyramid introduces also a significantly different element at the base. They include plant oil like olive oil, soy oil, corn oil etc at the base. Most food pyramids recommend sparing use of fats and oils. But we do know that unsaturated fats as found in plants are much safer than the saturated and trans-fat found in animals fats and processed oils. The Mediterranean food pyramid also includes plant oil at the base. 

Vegetables and fruits follow the carbohydrate. These are recommended for frequent use daily and though all the major food pyramids include plant protein here i.e. nuts legumes etc the Harvard’s food pyramid tend to recommend moderate use but nothing really differs significantly in this group among major food pyramids. 

Poultry and fish i.e. the meats as well as dairy, dairy products and eggs are recommended for sparing use. This varies from 0-2 times a day. Obviously the meats and their byproducts are absent in the Vegan food pyramid. Legumes, dairy low fat products or non-fat alternative populate this area for the vegetarian. 

Nearly all food pyramids now recommend very sparing use of red meat, sweets and salts. However noticeably, the Vegan pyramid also recommends sparing use of oils unlike the Mediterranean food pyramid and the Harvard food pyramid that put these oils towards the base. 

Some pyramids do not differentiate processed carbs from whole carbohydrates which can interfere with a weight loss process. And like all other weight loss tools, food pyramids should be used in conjunction with other tools like calorie counters and serving sizes to improve their effect. 

Notably and also very importantly the now slightly different USDA food pyramid branded “My Pyramid” includes exercising to improve health.   Fat Loss 4 Idiots (lose 40 lbs with Calorie Shifting ) , identifies weight loss exercises as one of the Top 4 Reasons you Fail in Losing Weight. It notes a well planned weight loss diet should always be accompanied by a structured energy expenditure regime. The book goes on to show you how food pyramids and exercises go hand in hand. 

In the next page, you get to learn more about Calorie Shifting. You will discover;

1. The one missing link in weight loss


2. Fat burning secrets of the best natural fitness models.


3. Simple yet proven ways to your permanent weight loss.


4. How to get easy yet unstoppable motivation NOW!


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