Examining the New USDA Food Pyramid

The USDA food pyramid has been the iconic symbol of nutritious eating for decades. Now in the midst of an obesity epidemic, the USDA decided it was time to give the old food pyramid a new make-over. The make-over started with the name, as the former 'Food Pyramid' is now 'My Pyramid.' My Pyramid has more individual leeway than its predecessor. Instead of suggesting the same cookie cutter nutrition plan for every American, My Pyramid invites each individual to derive their own unique nutritional requirements by going to the USDA website.

Tailoring towards the individual

The My Pyramid Plan page on the USDA web site asks three questions to compute the nutritional needs of each individual. The three questions concern age, weight, and physical activity. We'll look at an example of a 220 pound, 30 year old man, who exercises less than 30 minutes a day. Recommended daily intakes of food for a man meeting these criteria would be 8 oz. of grains, 3 cups of vegetables, 2 cups of fruit, 3 cups milk, and 6.5 oz. of meat and beans.

This new individual approach provides a much better blueprint than the one size fits all diet recommended by the old Food Pyramid. Another added bonus is the quantification of each food group with actual measurements. Instead of using serving sizes, My Pyramid uses traditional measurements that the public understands. Hopefully the changes will make more of the American public evaluate present food choices, and possibly try to change to a healthier regimen.

More specific recommendations

Other added features to the web site include more specific recommendations within each food group. For example, the hypothetical man mentioned earlier would also be advised to consume seven teaspoons of oil, and less than 360 calories of sugars and fats. The vegetables are broken down into different categories such as dark green, orange, and starchy with suggested weekly totals in each category. This added information provides the extra details that many people are looking for when trying to decide what constitutes healthy eating.

Things to watch out for

While the new My Pyramid appears to be a step in the right direction, there are some companies who may take advantage of the situation. Shortly after the My Pyramid release, a major cereal producer ran an ad urging consumer to buy their whole grain products. Whole grains are recommended daily by the USDA. While all of the cereals advertised were whole grain, some also included massive amounts of sugar, and were loaded with marshmallows and sweets. I don't believe marketing these types of products as endorsed by the USDA is what they had in mind when establishing My Pyramid. The health conscious consumer should use caution with these types of advertising campaigns. Using a little common sense should help sort out the good from the bad.

My Pyramid offers individual diet recommendations to the American public that can aid each individual to healthier eating. To take full advantage of My Pyramid, go to the USDA website at http://www.mypyramid.gov/.