The Health Pyramid

Avoid fats, go high on protein and natural vitamins and minerals…is the dictum of good health. But there are finer nuances too…..and the Food Pyramid helps the layman to identify the foods that are beneficial and those that seem so but aren’t. For instance, did you know that egg is healthy but too much of it is bad since the yolk is loaded with cholesterol, and that hard boiled eggs are a better idea than otherwise done?

In order that we derive the maximum nutrition from our daily food intake, the food guide outlines the exact proportions in which the foods should be consumed, so we can get benefited from every nutrient available to us in the foodstuff we eat. It goes without saying that our body needs not one or two but a combination of nutrients to survive and thrive. Of course, the combination of nutrients required varies in different stages of life, and being mindful of our exact requirements will help to take care of our actual needs. This is what the food pyramid helps us to do.

The tip of the pyramid outlines what should be consumed in smallest quantities – fats, oils and sweets. The middle portion of the pyramid is broken up into blocks that identify the other nutrition we need- milk group, protein group (meat, poultry and eggs),vegetable group, fruits group , and finally the base of the pyramid – the cereal group, the largest servings. These are the five major food groups that our body needs.

Food Group Consisting of Servings required Nutrients provided
Fats, oils and sweets Butter, margarine, oils, fats, added sugar, soft drinks, candies, desserts ( ice creams, chocolates etc) Minimum possible
Milk Products Milk, yoghurt, cheese, cottage cheese, curd 2-3 servings Iron, protein, zinc, calcium
High Protein Group Fish, meat, poultry, nuts, eggs and dry beans 2-3 servings Iron, protein, zinc, calcium
Vegetable Group Fresh vegetables, salads 3-5 servings Vitamins, fiber and minerals
Fruits group Fruits and fruit juices 2-4 servings Carbohydrates, gluten
Cereals group Bread, rice, pasta, cereal 6-11 servings Carbohydrates, gluten

This, then, is the basic knowledge of the food pyramid summarized. The fact that the quantity servings required is lowest at the top and gradually increases till the base, makes this structure a pyramid and gives it its name.

The pyramid emphasizes the fact that no food group is complete by itself and cannot be replaced by any other, you need ALL these foods, EVERY time you eat.

Remember that while the food items lower down on the pyramid may be healthier choices, it is also the mode of preparation that matters. For example, meats are rich in proteins, but fried chicken is richer in fat..potatoes fall under the vegetable category and are essential, but fries are the first category. So a little bit of thought can go a long way to help us choose healthy foods. Baked potato would be a good vegetable food choice, it has almost half the number of calories that fries hoard. Besides, baked vegetables have only traces of fat, largely vegetable fat that is actually required by our body.

One of the most misleading food categories is that of oils and sugars. In most cases, we catch only the sugars we can see, for instance, desserts, candies and chocolates. The amount of sugar we consume unknowingly is sometimes shocking.

But even given this very clear shape of our diet preferences for health, we need to know what a serving is in order to be able to make a healthy choice.

Essentially, one serving equals one helping. For instance, one slice of bread or half a cup of cooked rice or pasta is a single serving. Given this, it is easy to understand that with a sandwich for lunch, two toasts for breakfast and about two helpings of pasta or cooked rice for dinner, we can take care of the minimum requirements of cereals for the body. Similarly, half a cup of cooked vegetables or a cupful of raw leafy vegetables equals one serving of veggies, while one piece of fruit equals one serving for fruits. So we need at least 2-4 fruits in a day. For the milk group, a serving is one cup of milk or yoghurt which can be equated with 2 ounces (30 grams or two tablespoons) of processed cheese or one and a half ounce of natural cheese (45 grams or about 3 tablespoons of cottage cheese). For meats, half a cup of dry beans or one egg counts as one ounce of lean meat, or equivalent amount of chicken meat or fish. Two or three ounces will make a serving, or which we need 2-3 servings. This means you need only about 9 tablespoons (about 200 grams) of lean meat a day, remember, for all the meals in the day. Anything more than this is not really required, and actually is harmful in the long run.

Broadly, sticking to this pyramid will definitely help in maintaining the diet sensibility. However, experts are still working on it, given the recent researches in food science and findings thereof. What they are coming up with is a modified and an even better version of this good food pyramid. More on that in the next article.