Out with the Old … Food Pyramid That Is
September 28, 2011
•Le Cordon Bleu
•St. Louis
• 0 Comments
Out with the Old … Food Pyramid That Is
Even in our world of modern technology and advanced medicine, doctors, nutritionists, dieticians and other healthcare professionals are unable to agree on what constitutes healthy eating. Sure, they can all agree that pizza, burgers, soda, and fries for every meal are bad for you. Beyond that, however, there is little agreement on what a “balanced meal” is.
Those in the food services industry were also left scratching their heads. What was healthy eating? What was a balanced meal? And why did it matter?
The Food Pyramid to the Rescue
For decades, Americans could point to the USDA’s food pyramid for a balanced approach to eating. With a base level of breads and grains and intermediate levels of fruits and vegetables, it was topped off by two levels of meat and completed by a small level of fats and sweets. It was a way for schools to balance meals for kids and for parents to balance meals for their families. The food services industry could also use it to offer healthier menu choices. It was a good fit. Or was it?
From its introduction, the USDA food pyramid created controversy. Some thought it was complicated, others disliked the food hierarchies, and still more thought that it encouraged too much grain consumption.
So in 2005, the USDA launched a revamped food pyramid, which unfortunately did little to solve the issues facing the original pyramid. Some thought that it just made matters worse. It did very little to help a family cooking in Missouri serve more nutritious and healthy options to their families.
Food Cause Illness Is on the Rise
There is no question that America is a fat nation despite the best intentions of the USDA and its food pyramid. Food and its over consumption leads directly to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and a host of other illnesses. Clearly the American people are not getting the message.
Enter the Food Plate
In 2011, the USDA launched a new graphic: the food plate. It replaces the old, confusing pyramids with a plate divided into four sections: vegetables, grains, fruits, and protein. It also comes with a side order of dairy. Vegetables and grains are the largest of the sections with fruits and protein being smaller and dairy smaller still. Together, fruits and vegetables make up half of the plate. This is a fact that many nutritionists see as a positive change.
The hope is that the new plate can easily be translated into real world eating habits by simply matching portion sizes to those in the graphic. It is also seen as a way to encourage the pursuit of healthy, balanced eating rather than the avoidance of certain foods.
The plate also comes with these USDA recommendations:
- Eat a variety of foods without overeating
- Drinkwater instead of sugary drinks
- Switch to low-fat dairy choices
- Reduce overall sodium intake
- Avoid over-sized portions
It remains to be seen if the new food plate works better for the average person cooking in Missouri than the previous pyramids, but it appears to be a good start.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in St. Louis. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in St. Louis offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs in the St. Louis, Missouri area. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/St-Louis for more information.
Find disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.chefs.edu/disclosures. Le Cordon Bleu® and the Le Cordon Bleu logo are registered trademarks of Career Education Corporation. Le Cordon Bleu cannot guarantee employment or salary. Credits earned are unlikely to transfer.