Shattering the food Pyramid

By Dennis Karuri

 

Have you ever wondered how the food pyramid came to be such a recognizable symbol of good nutrition and a balanced diet? We all strive to be our best selves, and a healthy diet is often a foundational piece of that goal. Food pyramids offer suggestions on how to achieve that essential healthy diet, but where does this guidance come from?

Nutrition drives every part of daily life, and every person's needs are a little bit different. It's a very complex subject that can be impacted by any number of factors. Visual guidelines like food pyramids and food plates are great tools to lay a sturdy groundwork, but they only tell part of the story. They're good starting points, but a deeper dive into underlying science is needed to be able to truly utilize them.

In Shattering the Food Pyramid, explore:

The history and origins of the food pyramid

How the recommendations were decided on

Essential nutrients and the science behind them

Breakdowns of each food group, their constituent foods, and their nutrient composition

Common recommendations for each group designed to balance nutrient content

Expand your mind and gain the knowledge needed to create a balanced diet that's right for you. Understand what creates good nutrition and promotes health without trends or fad diets.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dennis Karuri
• Release date: Apr 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201321567

Book preview

Shattering the Food Pyramid

Dennis Karuri

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Nutritional Foundation—Origin of the Food Pyramid

Why the Food Pyramid Was Designed

Behind the Pyramid

How to Use the Food Pyramid

Where the Food Pyramid Falls Short

Creating a Balanced Diet

Chapter 2: The Basics—Macronutrients

What Is a Macronutrient?

Macronutrients in the Diet

How the Body Uses Macronutrients

Macronutrient Requirements

Chapter 3: The Basics—Micronutrients

What Is a Micronutrient?

Micronutrients in the Diet

How the Body Uses Micronutrients

Micronutrient Requirements

Chapter 4: Food Groups—Grains, Fats, and Oils

What’s in the Grain Food Group?

What’s in the Fats and Oils Food Group?

High—Density Nutrients in the Grain Food Group

High—Density Nutrients in the Fats and Oils Food Group

Recommendations for Grains

Recommendations for Oils and Fats

Chapter 5: Food Groups—Protein and Dairy

What’s in the Protein Food Group?

What’s in the Dairy Food Group?

High—Density Nutrients in the Protein Food Group

High—Density Nutrients in the Dairy Food Group

Recommendations for Protein

Recommendations for Dairy

Chapter 6: Food Groups—Fruits and Vegetables

What’s in the Fruits Food Group?

What’s in the Vegetables Food Group?

High—Density Nutrients in the Fruits Food Group

High—Density Nutrients in the Vegetables Food Group

Recommendations for Fruits

Recommendations for Vegetables

Chapter 7: Nutrition Gone Awry

Macronutrient Excesses

Macronutrient Deficiencies

Micronutrient Excesses

Micronutrient Deficiencies

Conclusion

Glossary

References

Image References

Introduction

If we really are what we eat, then it’s not surprising that nutrition is so important. Creating a balanced diet is so important, that many governments have taken steps to provide information that is easy to understand and readily available. This is often found in the form of colorful graphics like food pyramids and food plates featuring different food groups and their suggested amounts or proportions.

However, these depictions are prone to flaws, some of which go all the way back to the very first pyramid, and they leave a lot of questions unanswered. Are those 2–3 recommended servings the same for an 80-pound child and a 180-pound adult? How much is in a serving? Can you eat steak, fruit salad, and baked potatoes every meal with bread as an appetizer since you include all the food groups? Butter counts as a serving of dairy, right?

The answer to all these questions can be found, but it’s scattered across various sources, including buried deep on a couple of government-run websites. That’s where this book comes in, providing answers to these questions and more in one convenient location.

The food pyramids have a long history and have been influenced by any number of factors over the years. Knowing how the food pyramids we see today came into being allows them to be utilized more effectively and sheds some light on the goals and intentions behind them.

Modern food pyramids and food plates, however, are primarily founded in nutrition research and the science behind how the body uses different kinds of food. A good foundation in these topics goes a long way towards being able to create a balanced diet that fits your needs.

This book helps you get that foundation by taking a closer look at what makes up the foods you eat and diving into what role things like protein, vitamins, and fats play in maintaining health.

With the rise of diet-related health concerns, understanding what goes into good nutrition is becoming increasingly important. Research has shown time and again that what we eat is closely related to our overall health, and certain parts of our diets hold greater sway over certain processes within our bodies than others. Too much of one nutrient or too little of another can have large repercussions, and there is a