The well known food pyramid created by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers guidance for a well-balanced diet for the general population, as well as more specific guidelines for particular groups, including children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. The pyramid is divided by food groups, and includes grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy, meat and beans, and fats and oils.
Function
The food pyramid is designed to ensure that people get a broad spectrum of nutrients from a variety of sources, as different food groups differ in their nutrient content. According to the USDA, no single food source can supply all necessary nutrients in adequate amounts, and it recommends that anyone who avoids all foods from any of the basic food groups "seek guidance to help ensure that you get all the nutrients you need."
Significance
According to a USDA press release announcing the release of a redesigned pyramid in 2005, the pyramid "is part of an overall food guidance system that emphasizes the need for a more individualized approach to improving diet and lifestyle ....The MyPyramid symbol, which is deliberately simple, is meant to encourage consumers to make healthier food choices and to be active every day."
Food Groups
The pyramid's grain group includes foods made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or other cereal grains and includes products such as bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas and grits. The grain group is divided into whole grains and refined grains.
Vegetables are divided into five subgroups based on their nutrient content: dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, starchy vegetables, dry beans and peas, and other vegetables. As with vegetables, people should try to eat a variety of fruit. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help reduce the risk of a number of chronic diseases.
The dairy group includes milk, cheese, and yogurt, all of which provide calcium. Fat-free or low-fat products should be chosen most of the time.
The meat and beans section of the pyramid includes foods made from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts and seeds. Dry beans and peas, also part of the vegetable group, are included here as well.
Most fat in the diet should come from fish, nut, or vegetable sources, while consumption of solid fats, such as butter, shortening and lard should be limited.
Features
The grain group is at the base of the pyramid, with 11 servings daily recommended for a 2,800 calorie diet. On top of this grain foundation is vegetables (5 servings daily), followed by fruit (4 servings daily), dairy (2 to 3 servings), meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans (2 to 3 servings), and fats, oils, and sweets (use sparingly). Recommended diets for all ages begin with the three food groups at the pyramid's base: grains (primarily whole grains), fruits and vegetables.
Personalizing the Pyramid
You can personalize the pyramid with an online tool at MyPyramid.gov that can help you use the USDA's Dietary Guidelines to make good choices from each food group, find the right balance between food intake and physical activity, get the maximum amount of nutrition out of calories, and stay within your individual daily calorie needs.
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