These are a few of the discrepancies that research developments found in real life and the Food Pyramid propounded by USDA about a decade and a half ago. So scientists set about making their own pyramid of recommended diet. It is based on the best scientific evidence and is the best link between good food habits and a healthy life. (till of course, further researches do it in). While serving measures are left to individuals, the foods that should be present on your plate have been enumerated. The new recommendations are as below:
- Oils are not all bad, in fact some good sources of healthy unsaturated fats are sunflower seeds, olives, corn, soy, canola and peanut too. These may be actually good for your heart, while some animal sources like salmon can also take care of the oil requirement of the body. They may actually serve to improve cholesterol levels (unlike butter, margarine and other fats and highly processed carbs). Oil to be used sparingly is not the dictum any more.
- Recommendations include a multivitamin supplement and interestingly, a daily shot of alcohol in moderate quantities, working out to not more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. This may help to lower the risk of heart diseases, but only in these quantities.
- Vegetables and fruits have to form an abundant part of your plate, their good effects on almost every body function has been proved and sealed time and again. In fact one cannot have enough of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- The USE SPARINGLY tip is now occupied by red meats, white flour products-white rice, white bread, pasta, potatoes butter and cream, excessive sugar and derivatives. Instead of red meats, chicken or fish several times a week will be better, and butter can be replaced by olive oil.
- Milk and other dairy products are not all white today, in fact, large quantities of milk can contain a very high amount of fats. So cheese, low fat milk and yoghurt are a good replacement. In fact doing away with milk products altogether is also a healthy option, since the proteins and Vitamin D that dairy products boasted of, can be derived from supplements or even other sources.
- Most people agree that fish poultry and eggs are a good source of proteins, but today, a large number of people do not appreciate them as the SOLE source of proteins. Fish can reduce the risk of heart diseases, eggs are not stuffed with cholesterol as was earlier believed and meats are not all great. So proteins have to be a mixed bag today, with a good choice between fish, eggs, white meat (chicken and turkey) and dried nuts like black beans, navy beans, sprouted mung beans and other beans. Some varieties of dried nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios) are actually good for your heart.
- Whole grains cereals in the form of unpolished rice, whole wheat breads, oatmeal, serve the multi-fold purpose of supplying the required carbohydrates (with bran and starch), controlling insulin and sugar levels (since they take longer to digest than refined foods), and of course, fill you up to control overeating. These should be the major part of every meal one takes and form the base of the new pyramid.
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Main Article: Food Pyramid