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The Food Guide Pyramid Gets Stood
On Its Head
By Andrea Pennington, M.D.



A recent flurry of reports declares that the US government's food guide pyramid is seriously flawed. So flawed that it may be partly to blame for this country's obesity epidemic. Nutrition experts from Harvard and elsewhere claim that this knowledge has been around for several years, but due to sticky politics, the pyramid has not been changed.

Instead, other groups have created new food guides to show us how we really should eat.

The current pyramid's flaws
If you were to conscientiously follow the recommendations of the current food guide pyramid, you would likely not lose weight, not lower your cholesterol, not lower your blood pressure, nor lower your risk of chronic disease. This is because the current guide is too general.


All fats are not created equal
For instance, it lumps all fats together, and recommends that they be used sparingly. Well, as you've probably heard by now, there are 'good' fats and 'bad fats.' The good ones are the unsaturated fats that are largely derived from plants and nuts. These provide essential fatty acids — essential because the body cannot manufacture them itself.
The bad fats are hydrogenated and saturated; they are modified plant fats or derived from animal fats. These 'bad' fats promote plaque formation in the arteries and raise cholesterol levels.

So, while the convenience of margarine and similar products seems appealing, you really should tend toward the good fats obtained from oils like canola oil or olive oil. For the same reason, red meat intake should be limited in quantity and frequency and you should tend toward lean cuts.

But sources of fat should not be totally eliminated from your diet. You should simply make better choices of where you obtain your fat. Chips and cookies are not sources of good fat!


Processed grains can be harmful
In addition, the USDA food guide puts grains and cereals at its base, but fails to encourage whole grains over the processed and bleached flours, cereals and pastas. The refinement of such products leeches out the nutrients. Furthermore, a diet heavy in refined rice and pasta will cause weight gain in those that are not actively burning more than they are consuming. That's because these foods have a high glycemic index. They pour sugar (glucose) into the bloodstream, which if not used for energy gets stored as fat and promoted diabetes. (For more on this topic, visit this link: http://health.discovery.com/newsbre...us/insulin.html)
So, for your grain and cereal intake, I encourage you to select whole grain cereals, rice and pastas. They are better for the digestive system and may even be beneficial in lowering the risk of colorectal cancer.


Protein sources abound
Protein sources in the current government food guide pyramid are obtained from meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and beans. However, some protein sources are better than others according to some experts.
Dr. Walter Willett and co., of the Harvard School for Public Health, have devised a "Healthy Eating Pyramid" based on the latest clinical nutrition science and research. They believe that dairy products such as cheese and yogurt should be considered optional sources of protein and that one could obtain the calcium normally obtained therein from a supplement. Instead, throughout the new pyramid are sources of protein including nuts, legumes, fish, poultry and eggs.


Veggies rule
Vegetables are the one category of food that everyone agrees can be eaten from in abundance. And fruits naturally should be consumed several times per day.
New Pyramids Emerge


Healthy Eating Pyramid
Rather than wait on government officials to change the existing food guide, some nutrition experts have created new pyramids to guide our eating habits. As mentioned, the Healthy Eating Pyramid, promoted by the Harvard School of Public Health offers sensible guidelines based on current scientific knowledge and research. Learn more about it here:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/now/aug24/

The Mediterranean Pyramid
This pyramid breaks food down into daily, weekly and even monthly consumption. It is based on the traditional diets of those living in the Mediterranean regions that are known to have lower rates of heart disease and obesity.
The diet is rich in olive oil, fish, garlic and other tasty delights. For more information, click here: http://www.diet4uonline.com/mediterraneanpyramid.htm

You should note that the Harvard pyramid and the Mediterranean pyramids both put physical activity and exercise at the base of their pyramids, stressing the importance of an active lifestyle in health promotion.

For my tips on a healthful diet, click here: http://health.discovery.com/converg...n/pennplan.html

For healthy recipes tailored to your specific desires, click here: http://discoveryhealth.foodfit.com/dh_recipe_search.asp

Back to News in Focus Archive

Wishing you tasty, healthy nutritious meals. Andrea Pennington, MD

Andrea Pennington, M.D., is the medical director for Discovery Health Online and spokesperson for the Discovery Health Channel.

Additional Info:
Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating. Walter C. Willett, P. J. Skerrett and Edward L. Giovannucci. Simon & Schuster, 2001.



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Wow, great article!

It's a step in the right direction, but I dunno about that Walter Willett guy. He says, with respect to changes in the pyramid, "Whether the USDA is capable of doing the revision without being influenced by meat and dairy lobbying groups remains to be seen." Yeah: I'm sure the *grain* producers have *nothing* to say about it. No lobbying there.

I'll keep indulging in my butter and red meat, thank you very much.

Thanks for the article!

My comments, for what they are worth. I suppose it's a start, but will we be substituting one misinformed trend for another? Is this guy, Willett, a vegetarian?

Red meat is considered just as bad as sugar, only to be consumed sparingly. Between 0-2 times/day of fish, poultry or eggs. Apparently protein is not that important, but fruits should be eaten 2-3 times/day? It seems a bit skewed to me.

If they are going to re-do the pyramid, I hope they put more effort into obtaining more valid and reliable data. I'd rather wait 10 years and have them do it right than wait 2 years to find that it needs to be redone.

From the aritcle, "Furthermore, a diet heavy in refined rice and pasta will cause weight gain in those that are not actively burning more than they are consuming. That's because these foods have a high glycemic index. They pour sugar (glucose) into the bloodstream, which if not used for energy gets stored as fat and promoted diabetes. (For more on this topic, visit this link: http://health.discovery.com/newsbre...us/insulin.html)
So, for your grain and cereal intake, I encourage you to select whole grain cereals, rice and pastas." This statement starts out well, explaining that a diet heavy in refined rice and pasta causes weight gain, and causes glycemic problems. Then in almost the same breath, the author encourages "whole grain cereals, rice, and pasta." People have become so brainwashed that cereals, rice and pasta are good for them, that even when they are aware of the problems with glycemic index and insulin resistance they can't stop with their enthusiasium for these glycemic products. I find this amazing, it seems to be nothing short of brainwashing that people can't shake. I guess hearing 20+ years of "food gospel" that is now proving to be incorrect is just too much for some people to handle. Regards.

I don't respond very often to any item, but recommendations like these drive me crazy! I not only can't find ANY breads, pastas or other "healthy" whole grain products that my diabetes can handle, but any fruit and most vegetables raise my blood glucose levels to unacceptable heights.
Why can't people accept that carbohydrates of almost any sort are NOT healthy choices for some of us?

I too am perplexed at the constantly badgering of red meats and saturated fats in general. It would appear that anyone who earns a degree in nutrition wishing to work in the industry afterwards must first make a solemn oath to forever bash red meats, butter, or anything having saturated fats and foreswear their consumption forever more.

I agree entirely with the person pointing out the farcical nature the establishment now agreeing consuming too many grains isn’t advised; and, yet, whimsically and inexplicably, in the next breath, suggest people should have whole grain cereals, rice, and breads as the mainstay of their diets.