What constitutes a sensible balanced diet can be difficult to assess because there are so many opinions. A sensible balanced diet can also depend on your age, general health, and whether you consider yourself a vegetarian or meat-eater. To make things easier to understand, it is best to take a broad view and look for similarities rather than differences when it comes to food guides. Generally speaking, integrating exercise and a healthy lifestyle go hand-in-hand with good eating habits.
History
The first U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food pyramid was created in the late 1800s by a man named Wilbur Olin Atwater who had his doctorate in agricultural chemistry and was studying human metabolism. In 1902, he wrote a treatise explaining the principles of eating moderately. This piece of writing was primarily aimed at farmers and men and it emphasized eating an inexpensive diet consisting of protein, lots of beans, vegetables and a small amount of carbohydrates and sugar. This assumption was developed through studies he conducted on the amount of energy particular foods generated in the human male.
Different Theories
In 1917, the first USDA food guide was written by a woman, Caroline Hunt, a nutritionist for the USDA. Her guide was intended for the general public rather than just men and farmers. She had just five food groups and she did not leave out sugar. Dairy products and animal protein were at the top of her chart, followed by cereals, vegetables and fruit, fatty foods, and finally sugary foods.
Then, there was a rather lengthy period of time until a new guide was published by the National Academy of Sciences in 1940, which was concerned with wartime rationing. It was revised several times in the 1940s until it settled on seven food groups. Some food categories were expanded on and moved around, with milk and meat still at the top.
Considerations
There will always be controversy surrounding the issue of what completes a balanced, sensible diet because our society is so diversified. However, nutritionists agree that integrating or combining a variety of foods with a healthy lifestyle serves the human body best.
According to the Harvard School of Health, a good diet can not stand alone. Daily exercise and weight should be factors in what you choose to eat. The Harvard food pyramid places vegetables and whole grains in the largest, most prominent place on the pyramid (which happens to be at the bottom), and as you progress up the pyramid the least important food shifts to the consumption of red meat, refined grains, sugary drinks, and salt.
Politics and Food
Unfortunately for consumers, seeking the answer to what is a sensible balanced diet is highly politicized based on what food group is being targeted as "not sensible." Salt and sugar companies are some of the groups that often pop up in Washington, D.C. to defend their products. Obesity is a problem in this country, so it is sensible and reasonable to assume that many doctors and nutritionists will tell you to eat less fatty, processed food (which contain high levels of salt and sugar) and focus on fruits and vegetables. However, if you want an individualized diet plan, you should consult a nutritional therapist.
Expert Insight
If you can not afford to consult a nutrition therapist and are interested in the latest findings about proper diet, the USDA's latest guidelines are an excellent source of information. Best of all, you can access information right off their website and have your diet plan individualized and analyzed by accessing their Interactive Tools.
The USDA guidelines are similar to Harvard's guidelines in that they accentuate exercise. Also, they pinpoint certain groups of people who may need to follow very specific diet programs, such as pregnant women, women who are breast feeding and children. They also thoroughly explain what particular foods are found in each food group.
Prevention/Solution
There is general agreement that exercise and paying attention to your weight can enhance or hinder any sensible diet plan. Whether you are a vegetarian or a meat eater, there is mounting evidence from almost every food advocacy group that a diet low in fat can reduce your risk of chronic illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), good nutrition is for everyone and it does not have to be difficult to understand.
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