Whether you’re looking at the American, Asian or Mediterranean food pyramid, it’s easy to see exactly how your diet should be broken up between the food groups. However, that’s not the only important aspect to consider when you look at the food pyramid. Whether you’re looking at the American or another ethnic pyramid, you’ll find reliable information on how to create a healthy and balanced diet for yourself and others. Here are a few important reasons to take advantage of the food pyramid.
No More Diets
Every week there’s a new fad diet to follow promising a healthy body and slim figure. However, navigating between all of those options can be confusing and frustrating. Instead, rely solely on the food pyramid to determine exactly what it is you should be eating. Every food pyramid is created based on scientific evidence of what the body needs to function at its best, so you can be sure you’re on the right track.
Easy to Remember
Colors and images represent each food group, making it easy to remember when you’re grocery shopping, making dinner for yourself or out to dinner with friends. This is easier than remembering a point system and takes away the stress of restrictive rules.
Serving Sizes
While MyPlate, which is the new version of the USDA food pyramid, lacks this information, nearly every other version of the food pyramid includes recommended daily serving sizes for all the food groups. Simply eat that much of each food group a day and you can be sure you’re getting a little bit everything that you need.
Food Ideas
If you’re new to healthy eating, you may not know where to start at the grocery store. Take a look at any food pyramid and you’ll find a variety of options to start with. Harvard’s healthy eating pyramid provides a number of choices in each category, and it even breaks protein up into meat and fish, providing a number of options for both.
Extra Resources
The USDA food pyramid, now MyPlate, offers an interactive website, where you can learn more about each food group, find recipe ideas, and get suggestions on how to pass this healthy knowledge onto your friends, family and kids.
If you’re unsure about how to start eating a healthy diet, take advantage of the food pyramid. With easy to understand categories, colors and basic information, you have all you need to choose the right foods at home, at the grocery store and in the restaurant.
