If you are seeking a healthy, variety-based diet plan, whether it be to lose weight, to learn about healthy options during pregnancy, or just to plan for a daily balanced diet, a food pyramid diet plan is the ideal starting point.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, through its food pyramid, provides basic information about content of diet, portion sizes, and how much of each food group should be eaten for a balanced diet.
Types of Food Pyramids
For Americans, the most well-known food pyramid is likely that provided by the USDA called MyPyramid. There are many other food pyramids based on ethnic and cultural traditions and food preferences, including a Mediterranean food pyramid, Latin American, Asian, vegetarian, vegan, and many others. Food pyramids are also available for people with chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and for conditions such as pregnancy. Diet plan food pyramids may be found for teens and children, although the food pyramids are generally not available for children age 2 years and younger. Whatever your needs and preferences, there is likely a food pyramid for your diet plan.
Benefits
No matter which food pyramid you choose for your diet plan, a variety of foods from each of the appropriate food groups will be suggested. The guesswork is eliminated as to diet content. With the guesswork out of the picture, you may be inspired to try new foods or food combinations. You receive peace of mind knowing that your diet plan represents healthy, well-balanced food choices. Fad diets come and go, but a diet plan based on the food pyramid of your choice represents the development of sustainable and realistic food choices.
Getting Started
Working with the food pyramid to develop your diet plan may seem daunting at first, but in getting started, it might be best to familiarize yourself with the food groups and the overall recommended servings of each group daily.
MyPyramid, provided by the USDA, provides you with a number of interactive tools to get you started on your diet plan, including the basic Pyramid Plan, MyPyramid Menu Planner and a "Foodapedia." This last tool allows you to obtain basic food information, comparisons between foods and more.
Misconceptions
By their nature, some diet plans are very restrictive as to the types and amounts of foods that may be eaten. Diet plans based on food pyramids, while advising portion sizes and suggesting the number of portions of each food group to be eaten daily, offer a wide variety of food options. After familiarizing yourself with MyPyramid, you may want to choose another food pyramid type that is more suited to your individual likes and needs.
Considerations
You may already be following a specific diet plan, such as the popular Mediterranean diet, a vegetarian diet, or one of many other diet plans. It is likely you are familiar with the types of foods in each plan, but if you are looking for more specific information and guidance as to nutrients, caloric content, adjustments for pregnancy or nursing, a food pyramid is your go-to resource.
Member Comments