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Interesting Facts About The Food Pyramid

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It feels as if the food pyramid has been around for ages; however it was only developed in 1992. There are several different types of food pyramids in use though out the world. There is an Asian, Latin American, Harvard, Mediterranean, Vegetarian and USDA food pyramids. In 2011, the USDA food pyramid has been changed to My Plate. They vary widely from pyramid to pyramid, their common goal however is to provide people with appropriate serving amounts and sizes of the major food groups. To find out more about the food pyramid, continue reading.

Original

In 1992, the first pyramid was developed. There were different tiers, the bottom tier was grains and starches. It was suggested to be the biggest part of a person’s diet. The next tier up was split in half, one half was fruits and the other was vegetables. The following tier again was split in half and consisted of dairy foods and proteins (meat, fish, dry beans, nuts and eggs). The tip of the pyramid was the fats and oils suggesting you should consume these sparingly.

Revamped

In 2005, the original food pyramid was revamped into the one. Instead of having tiers with suggested food servings, there were wedges that suggest the amount of each group can be adjusted to suit a person’s personal needs. It also states how much should be consumed on a daily basis a little more clearly instead of giving suggesting as in 3-5 severing a day. It suggest it like 2 cups, or in ounces.

Added Features

With the new food pyramid, it not only shows you a pyramid with the suggested serving sizes sectioned out but it also provides a detailed chart that states what foods are in each section and how much you should eat. Along with this chart there is a recommendation at the bottom that suggest finding a balance between physical activity and food.

Use

The pyramid is not a strict guideline as it is easily adjusted for people that may have different nutritional needs. It has suggestions for people that are on a lower calorie diet as well as for people that have medical needs.