USDA nutritional values still wrong after two decades

The famous food pyramid from 1992 was ousted in 2010 by the food plate, but the portions still aren’t right, as reported by The Huffington Post.

The food pyramid featured a base of six to 11 servings of carbohydrates (breads, cereal, rice and pasta), but that has changed to just a quarter of a plate containing carbs. Fruits and vegetables make up 5 to 9 servings total on the food pyramid, but half the food plate contains fruits and vegetables. The food pyramid had two other categories: milk, yogurt and cheese and meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts. The food plate has a place for protein, and a separate component for dairy.

Despite the nutritional changes from the food pyramid to the food plate, many Americans still face heart disease, diabetes and obesity. A high carb diet can play a large part in these health problems, but so can a diet that includes many low-fat products, which leave out other necessary nutrients. Proportion sizes, socioeconomic situations and junk food also contribute to health problems.

Updated insights on what a balanced, nutritional diet should look like will be provided with 2015 guidelines.

Via: The Huffington Post > What the government got wrong about nutrition — and how it can be fixed