The Healthy Eating Pyramid
The Healthy Eating Pyramid was prepared by the Harvard Medical School in response to the US Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid which they say was "built on shaky scientific ground" and has been intentionally falsified by the department's requirement to promote local US agriculture, especially local dairy and grain farming.
The Healthy Eating Pyramid stated:
1. Whole grain foods should be consumed at every meal as the body needs energy but the body can't digest whole grain foods very quick. This means energy is released slowly and so you are less likely to feel hungry after eating and your blood sugar levels are more balanced.
2. Healthy unsaturated fats should be consumed regularly as they are not only another important source of energy but they help to improve cholesterol levels. Some of the best sources of healthy unsaturated fats include olive oil, canola, and other vegetable oils. Fatty fish such as salmon are other healthy source of unsaturated fats.
3. Vegetables should be consumed as much as possible and fruits should be consumed two to three times per day. The benefits of eating fruit and vegetables are many and these include the lessening your chances of developing heart disease, protection against cancers and lowering blood pressure.
4. Nuts and legumes should be consumed two to three times per day as they are an essential source of protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Some nuts such as walnuts, almonds and pecans also contain healthy unsaturated fats.
5. Fish, poultry and eggs should be consumed one or two times per day as they are important sources of protein.
6. Dairy products or calcium supplements should be consumed one to two times per day. Milk is not the only source of calcium and it contains large quantities of saturated fat which is unhealthy.
7. At the tip of the Healthy Eating Pyramid is red meats and butter which should be consume sparingly as they contain high quantities of saturated fat. Also at the tip of the pyramid and to be consumed sparingly are white bread, white rice, potatoes, white pasta, soda, and sweets as they can be easily converted into simple sugars by the body which results in large fluctuations in your blood sugar levels which is not very healthy.
