healthy food pyramid essay

Food Pyramids, Plates and Guides: Building a Balanced Diet

Most European countries have developed food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs), or, simply, healthy food recommendations, for their populations. They provide “advice on foods, food groups and dietary patterns to provide the required nutrients to the general public to promote overall health and prevent chronic diseases”. 1  Some countries provide a graphic representation, such as a food pyramid or a plate, to illustrate and sum-up the advice. As the food pyramid is one of the most common and hence most familiar graphic representations, it is used as an example throughout this article. To make it simpler, healthy food guides are used as an umbrella term for FBDGs.

Old and new food pyramids

The original food pyramid was created in Sweden in 1974.  2 ,  3  Other food advice had been presented earlier to the public, both in Sweden and elsewhere, but often as text or as a food circle. This first pyramid, which both grouped different types of food and showed the relative proportions in which they should be consumed, gained national and international attention. It was praised as easily understandable by everyone, including people with a low literacy.

Today, 90 countries worldwide have developed food-based dietary guidelines, or healthy food guides, for their populations. Some messages are nearly universal, such as consuming a variety of foods (including ample amounts of fruits and vegetables and water as the beverage of choice) and limiting intake of sugar, fat and salt.  4  There are, however, some variations from country to country, as the guidelines are adapted to local situations.  1 For example, in the Middle Eastern countries, legumes (like chickpeas and lentils) are commonly given in a food group of their own as they are a culturally important part of the diet in this region. 4 Some Mediterranean countries, such as Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Spain, highlight the importance of choosing olive oil in the diet. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8

Traditionally, advice was only given on food consumption, but some have evolved to also include advice on food safety and lifestyle (e.g. physical activity or social settings). More recently, many countries have added advice on sustainability, where they advise choosing local and seasonal, or otherwise sustainably sourced foods (Table 1).

Table 1: Food safety, lifestyle and sustainability messages in the food-based dietary guidelines of different EU countries.

Building a balanced diet

Food pyramids are developed to help people build a balanced and varied diet by following the food groups (levels of the pyramid) and consuming them in the right proportions (the size of the levels, from bottom to top). In practice, a balanced diet means that we should eat a variety of foods, in different proportions, and in general avoid leaving out entire food groups, as each food group provides fuel and nutrients required for optimal health. There are some differences in how foods are grouped from country to country.

The main food groups

Most dietary guidelines group foods into different categories, such as fruits and vegetables, grains and starches, protein rich foods, dairy foods, fats and oils, and foods to be limited. Each food group will provide different proportions of carbohydrates , fats and proteins . These so-called macronutrients are the main building blocks of our diet. Macronutrients provide energy and allow for normal growth and development. Different food groups contain varying amounts of macronutrients, but usually one or two dominate. For example, potatoes contain mostly carbohydrates, meat contains both proteins and fat, and beans contain carbohydrates and proteins. This composition also determines which food group food will belong to. In addition to the macronutrients, each food group will provide different proportions of vitamins and minerals, also called micronutrients , which are required in much smaller amounts and which support the proper functioning of our bodies. By consuming foods from all levels in the pyramid, we get all the important nutrients our bodies need. For example, dairy products can help provide calcium to support bone health, and consuming enough fruits and vegetables will supply vitamin C to support a healthy immune system. Excluding certain food groups from the diet increases the risk of getting too little or too much of some macronutrients, but also too little of the wide range of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy living. Additionally, it is crucial to think about portion sizes to avoid over- or undereating.

Some people have allergies or intolerances that necessitate exclusion of some products from the diet, whilst others (like vegans and vegetarians ) choose to leave out certain products. In these cases, people should seek out alternatives that provide the same nutrients. Examples include fortified soya or nut drinks in place of dairy milk.

Examples of balanced meals

So, where to start? Look up the dietary guidelines of your country and have them in mind when planning your meals and grocery shopping. Here, we will use the Irish food pyramid as an example. This example meal plan is aimed at the general population, so portion sizes and nutrient needs will vary depending on age, gender, activity level, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and health status.

Figure 1: Example of Irish food pyramid, with levels 1-6 from bottom to top. 13

For breakfast , the first meal of the day:

• Start by choosing something from the two bottom levels of the food pyramid: i.e. vegetables, salad and fruit (level 1) and wholegrain cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice (level 2). This could be achieved by, for example, a bowl of oatmeal with apple slices. Then add smaller amounts of foods from other levels, for example by topping the oatmeal with low-fat cottage cheese (level 3) or almonds (level 4).
• A quicker breakfast could be unsweetened, wholegrain cereal (level 2) with low-fat milk (level 3) and a glass of orange juice (level 1, but only one glass of 150 mL a day), which could also be topped with fruit or berries (level 1) or nuts (level 4).

A balanced lunch could be a vegetable soup (level 1) with wholegrain crispbread (level 2) and some hummus made with chickpeas (level 4) and vegetable oil (level 5) and a yoghurt (level 3).

A balanced dinner could be a tasty stir-fry made with vegetables (level 1), fish, chicken filet or tofu (level 4) and low-salt soy sauce. How about changing the normal white rice and serve the stir-fry with fibre-rich brown or wholegrain rice instead (level 2)?

Snacks can be eaten between meals, for example, a banana (level 1), a closed handful of nuts (level 4), carrot sticks with hummus (level 1 & 4), an apple with a touch of peanut butter (level 1 & 4) or a yoghurt (level 3).

However, not all meals have to be perfectly proportioned. We should aim for balance over a day or a week. If lunch one day contains a lot of grains and cereals, then dinner could contain more protein. And, when aiming for balance over a period of time, there is also room for an occasional treat.

Food pyramid for kids

Existing food pyramids represent healthy diets for populations in general, sometimes with adjustments for people in specific conditions, life-stages or circumstances (e.g. pregnant and breast-feeding women, or elderly). Children have slightly different nutritional needs to adults, but healthy food guides usually apply for children from 2 years of age and older. 4  Still, portion sizes need to be adjusted for children, but always keeping in mind their activity level and growth. Generally, children are advised to be more physically active than adults (Table 2).

Table 2: Advice on physical activity for children from the food-based dietary guidelines.

Food pyramid for vegetarians and vegans

Similarly to healthy food guides for children, there are no official guides specifically for people who choose to eat vegetarian or vegan. However, more plant-based diets are gaining popularity, and balanced diets can be adjusted accordingly. Careful planning might be required to ensure the diet provides the right nutrition. For example, vegans and some vegetarians need to think carefully about getting enough vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium, iron, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids, in addition to high quality protein. It is also important to know that iron from plant-based foods is not as well absorbed as (haem) iron from animal-based foods. While many plant-based foods such as tofu, lentils and chickpeas can be rich in iron, this iron is not as well absorbed as iron from animal-based foods. One way to improve the absorption of iron from these foods is to consume them with foods rich in vitamin C, such as orange juice, which can help improve iron absorption from plant-based sources.

For those on a vegan diet, it can be very difficult to get enough vitamin B12 from dietary sources as this vitamin is only naturally present in animal-based foods. It can also be found in fortified foods and yeast extracts, but these sources may not always be available. For this reason, it may be necessary to take vitamin B12 supplements to ensure an adequate intake.

Healthy food guides for people with diabetes

In general, people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are also advised to follow the dietary guidelines for a healthy and balanced diet. As for the rest of the population, this means that starchy vegetables, wholegrain products and fruit should be the main sources of carbohydrates, and the consumption of added sugar, saturated fat and salt should be limited. In addition to medication, spreading carbohydrate intakes across the day and staying active may help keep blood sugar stable.  16 ,  17 For people with diabetes it is recommended to consult a registered dietitian or general practitioner before making significant dietary changes.

Food pyramids and healthy eating guidelines are made to represent a healthy diet for the population in general. We should adjust them by choosing the right amounts of preferred foods within each food group to fit our individual health, lifestyle, life-stage and preferences. Aiming for balanced meals and a variation of foods within each level of the pyramid is beneficial for optimal health. Physical activity is equally important for living a balanced and healthy life.

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• H. e. al., "A Global Review of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines".
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Healthy Eating Plan by Food Pyramid Research Paper

Introduction, food pyramid.

The problems related to obesity are well-documented in this country. There is a public awareness campaign with regards to the harmful effects of overeating and the lack of physical activity. There are various government agencies involved in this endeavor but one of the most helpful is the Food Pyramid designed and implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This website allows the visitor to enter health-related information and then be able to receive feedback and access to resources that will help in reducing weight or sustaining an ideal weight. One of the most important features of this service is the part where one can get information regarding the food consumed daily. This way one can create an effective plan to become healthy.

After using the USDA program I discovered that I am overweight and need to shed off those pounds using a combination of exercise and a sensible healthy eating plan. But before going into that it must be pointed out first that I consume high-calorie foods. This is because I like to eat processed food, especially those that are rich in carbohydrates. This means that I am having trouble when it comes to burning excess calories because I consume more than I should. I am also aware that I need to consume more fruits and vegetables but I am addicted to high-calorie food, especially those that are artificially sweetened.

One way to motivate me is to realize that I can die prematurely due to my unhealthy diet. Obesity is also a medical as well as a social problem. When it comes to the social aspect of obesity I am well aware that it can sometimes cause low self-esteem, especially on campus, in the office, as well as in the community. Interacting with people can be a problem when weighed down by the negative impact of obesity. Aside from the emotional impact of such a problem, my quality of life can suffer considering that obesity can result to:

• type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar)
• high blood pressure
• heart disease and stroke
• some types of cancer
• sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short periods during sleep)
• osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints)
• gallbladder disease
• liver disease
• irregular menstrual period

Yet, first of all, I have to make sure that there are no other explanations for my being overweight other than the fact that I like to consume sugar-filled snacks and other junk food. I have to find out first if I am suffering from hypothyroidism. This medical condition can easily cause significant weight gain. Certain types of medication can also increase weight. After I am certain that I am not dealing with this kind of problem then I am sure that my weight problem is due to eating high-calorie food.

One of the significant changes that should be made is with regards to the consumption of processed food. To be more specific I should limit my intake of refined products such as white bread. Rather than eating refined products, I should consider taking in more whole grains. Thus, it is much better if I will eat whole-wheat bread. Examples of whole-grain are whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, whole cornmeal, and brown rice. The advantages of eating whole grains can be understood by looking at the components of whole grains. It still contains the entire grain kernel – the bran, germ, and endosperm. This means that it is healthier as it contains dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Refined grains are turned into products that have a finer texture and longer shelf life but are also less nutritious.

The practical way to add more whole grains into my diet is to use the idea of substitution. For instance, if I like eating baked green peppers or tomatoes, instead of using white rice, I can substitute it with brown rice. This is easy to understand because the overpowering taste of the pepper can easily mask the taste of the more unrefined brown rice. It means I can hardly taste the difference. The same principle applies to substituting whole wheat or oat flour for refined flour in making pancakes, waffles, and muffins. I may detect some changes but the slight difference in texture and taste can be ignored.

I must not only worry about reducing my consumption of refined products, but I must also consider adding more vegetables into my diet. There is no need to elaborate on the importance of vegetables. These are excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals. In my case, I have to eat more dark green vegetables, orange vegetables as well as dry beans and peas. Examples of vegetables that are highly nutritious are sweet potatoes, white potatoes, white beans, tomato, beet greens, soybeans, lima beans, winter squash, spinach, lentils, kidney beans, and split beans, carrots, and celery.

Aside from whole grains and vegetables, I must add to my plan a healthy serving of fruits. Just like vegetables, fruits are excellent sources not only of dietary fiber but also of essential vitamins and minerals. There must be a variety of fruits in my diet for different types of fruits also contain different types of nutrients. The best way is to consume fresh fruits that are in season. This means that I should not be eating apples every day but consuming a variety of fruits that are in season In this way I can be assured of consuming a wide variety of fruits from January to December. Moreover, eating fruits in the season has the added advantage of being less expensive.

Foods that are rich in calcium must be added to my diet. It is good for building bones. The best sources are milk products and this includes cheese, yogurt, and milk-based desserts. Since I am trying to reduce weight the best kind of milk for me is fat-free milk – I get all the benefits of calcium-rich milk minus the fat that can add more pounds to my frame. While I am convinced of the benefits of drinking milk daily this part of the diet plan requires some strategy.

The first thing to do is to make milk as a beverage at meals. It can also be added to coffee and can be used as an important ingredient in cappuccinos or lattes. When eating oatmeal and other cereals it is best to put milk in it. Eat yogurt as a quick snack. For dessert, low-fat milk can be used to make chocolate pudding. In casseroles, soups, stews, or vegetables I can add shredded cheese to improve the taste of the food.

While it is a healthy decision to consume more whole grains, fruits and vegetables it does not mean that I can no longer eat meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts. These foods are good sources of protein and other vitamins and minerals. The most important thing to consider, when dealing with this food group is to always make it a point to eat lean meat and to reduce the fat content of food products coming from this group.

Thus, for beef the leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts such as round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts. The same thing applies for ground beef, I must insist that it should be extra lean ground beef and upon checking the labels I must be able to see that it is at least 90% lean. For pork, I must remember that the leanest portion includes pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.

When it comes to poultry, chicken must be skinless. If the customer is unable to request a skinless chicken then he or she must remove the skin of the chicken. The same thing goes for other poultry products such as duck, turkey, and goose. My diet should also consist of nuts and seeds such as almonds, cashews, mixed nuts, sunflower seeds, etc. Fish products are also included such as catfish, cod, flounder, herring, mackerel, salmon, snapper, etc. Fish products are not only good sources of protein but are also good sources of calcium and other nutrients.

The best way to implement a successful diet plan is to first understand the reason why I am overweight. As mentioned earlier when hypothyroidism and side effects of medication are not the reason for the significant weight gain then it is safe to assume that my struggle with weight is due to my addiction to sugar, carbohydrates, and junk food. The next step is to review the feedback of the USDA food pyramid and create a sensible weight loss plan. This plan is not only about eating the right kind of food but it is also about getting the body in shape by doing a more systematic way to exercise.

When it comes to whole grains it must be reiterated that one of the best solutions is to substitute whole grain with processed flour when it comes to making muffins, pancakes, and other flour-based products. By mixing whole grains with other ingredients I will not be able to detect the slight differences in flavor and texture. This means that it would be easier for me to follow the plan for I continue to enjoy food without feeling deprived of good-tasting food.

The next thing to do is to create a system where I will be forced to eat more vegetables and more fruits. One way of doing it is to have fruits visible at all times. It can be placed in the kitchen where it can be easily spotted. It can also be prepared beforehand so I can easily take a snack without having to reach out to processed food in the kitchen area. Vegetables must also be consumed in greater amounts because they can help me reduce weight. Substitution of one ingredient with vegetables can also spice up traditional recipes. It is like hitting two birds with one stone – a meal rich in nutrients but one that is not as fattening.

All of these things are of no use if I will forget one of the most important aspects of weight loss and it is physical activity. It is only through physical activity that humans begin to lose weight. Exercising can burn calories. There is no substitute for vigorous exercise. I must maintain my brisk walking. I must also add to my repertoire different kinds of physical activity.

In my case, the real culprit for my being overweight is the consumption of processed foods. The high sugar content in many processed foods added to my weight problems. Thus, in my weight plan, there must be a significant reduction of foods with high-calorie content. Most of the time it would be a struggle to follow the plan. It must be pointed out that to lose weigh one must consider the psychological aspect of burning all those excess calories. I must remind myself that if I will not lose weight now I may encounter some serious problems down the line when my body could no longer support the activities that I like. It is therefore time to embark on a journey to weight loss.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Home Essay Examples Health Nutrition

Food Pyramid And Main Principles Of Healthy Diet

• Category Health
• Subcategory Medicine
• Topic Nutrition

PROPER NUTRITION – HEALTHY NUTRITION

Proper nutrition is the key to health, strength, and beauty. Even Hippocrates said: ‘Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are sick with.’ A healthy person is most often quite inattentive to what he eats. Ill, people go to pharmacies for expensive drugs, forgetting about such a reliable and constantly acting remedy as food. The statement of Hippocrates is still relevant: ‘Let your food be medicine for you, and medicine – food.’

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Our health, disease prevention, and life expectancy largely depend on proper nutrition based on the data of nutritional science. Healthy eating is an ancient and wise science, its laws are simple: variety, balance, sense of proportion. We eat more than we expend energy, so everyone needs to increase their physical activity in order to be in harmony with themselves and nature. The influence of nutrition on life expectancy and longevity has been experimentally proven. The conditions for longevity were formulated by the ancient: eat less, move more, always be in a good mood. The harm of an unhealthy diet manifests itself gradually. Therefore, often many people relate to the issue of nutrition with insufficient attention and seriousness. Unfortunately, there is still an opinion that eating right means eating delicious food and how much you want.

How often do we underestimate the role of proper nutrition, prepare food in haste, without attaching importance to the selection of products and dishes? Until now, many treated vegetables and fruits as “frivolous” foods. But the food of plant origin contains all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body, it is low in calories, has an anti-atherosclerotic effect, improves metabolism, and normalizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. Back in the early 20th century, scientists decided to divide products into groups depending on how useful they are for the human body. Over the course of many decades, this model has been formed and modified to acquire the final shape, which has received the name – the universal food pyramid. It happened in America in 1992.

Since then, this theory has bypassed the whole world, but each country has developed its own pyramid, which depended on the national characteristics and gastronomic habits of the region. New discoveries in science and medicine over the past decade have also made adjustments to the structure of the food pyramid. The last pyramid was developed by the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles. Unfortunately, an independent version of the pyramid, adapted for residents of post-Soviet countries, has not been created.

What is the meaning of the healthy eating pyramid? At the heart of the food pyramid are the healthiest foods on which the diet should be based. Above the main level, there are three more floors, which gradually narrow as the use of foods in the human diet decreases. The foundation of the pyramid, and as a result, the basis for our health are vegetables and fruits. Indeed, it is in vegetables and fruits that the greatest amount of vitamins and microelements is contained. These foods are low in calories and contain an optimal amount of energy. On the second floor of the pyramid, cereals and cereals rich in fiber were settled. It also includes potatoes, durum wheat pasta, and brown rice. Fiber and starches, which are abundant in these foods, contribute to healthy digestion. The third floor contains high protein foods. This category can be divided into two parts. The first is dairy and fermented milk products. The second is animal proteins (meat and eggs), vegetable proteins (legumes), and seafood. The top of the pyramid was headed by the so-called flavoring additives and seasonings: garlic, aromatic herbs, peppers, avocados, olives, nuts. In the previous pyramid, there was also a fifth floor, which included animal fats, butter, and sweets. However, in the new version, these products are completely excluded. The developers of the pyramid have come to a consensus that these products have nothing to do with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

The basic principle of the pyramid is the rule – daily it is necessary to eat foods from all four floors. However, products from the lower floor (vegetables and fruits) should make up half of the daily ration, the aggregate of products from other sectors of the pyramid will make up the second half (25% – cereals, 20% – milk, meat, fish, 5% – additives). To calculate the servings, the following measures are taken: milk, yogurt -1 cup, medium fruit – 1 piece, bread – 1 slice, cereals, rice, pasta – 90-100 grams, eggs – 2 pieces. Daily it is recommended to eat from 7 to 11 servings of vegetables and fruits. It is desirable that each portion be a different color. Ideally, a daily healthy diet should contain foods of all colors of the rainbow. It is better to start the day with yellow and orange fruits (orange or carrot juice), during lunch it will be useful to eat something green (cabbage, cucumbers), but in the evening, pink or red foods (tomatoes, berries) will be just right. Second-floor foods should make up about a third of your diet (6 to 7 servings daily). Cereals should choose dark colors, they contain fewer carbohydrates, unlike light cereals, and pasta made from durum wheat. The potato should not be abused. Prefer rye bread. Of the protein group products, nutritionists advise paying attention to fish. Of meat products, you should consume lean beef and veal, as well as white meat of chicken and turkey. But sausages, sausages, and semi-finished products are best excluded from the diet. From dairy products – kefir, yogurt, and low-fat cottage cheese. The daily diet should include 1-2 servings (100-150g) of these foods. It is believed that we get the full products from the top of the pyramid by consuming products from the lower floors. Therefore, their consumption must be minimized.

Following the principles of proper nutrition, laid down in the pyramid, we not only provide a full healthy diet but also normalize metabolism, get rid of excess weight. Nutritionists around the world support the principles of the pyramid of healthy eating, creating on its basis diets and weight loss programs. In order to be in shape and at the same time not to suffer from hunger, it is not necessary to go on a diet. If you are not satisfied with your appearance, but you may accidentally gain excess weight, you do not need to eat less. It is enough just to reduce the calorie content while maintaining the same amount of food eaten – to switch from fatty to lighter. The calorie table of foods will help you with this. Do not under any circumstances reduce the frequency of meals. On the contrary, it is recommended to eat more often, but in smaller portions. It would also not hurt to introduce fasting days into the daily routine and engage insufficient physical activity. The main and wholesome diet is a healthy diet, it is the healthiest way to be healthy and look at 100. And in case of need, under no circumstances should you go on a diet without first consulting your doctor because thoughtless starvation or exclusion of certain foods is fraught with impaired liver function, loss of protein, and vitamin deficiency. Sometimes, in order to be healthy, we subject ourselves to such tests, from which, probably, it would be bad for the inquisitors: now we are starving, now we are ‘cleansed’, now we are being treated. Or is it better to stick to the laws of smart eating? And then many problems will be solved at once: appearance, weight, health, and budget. The food should be varied, freshly prepared. Food that is repeatedly warmed up, which has stood in the refrigerator for several days, loses its beneficial properties. Digestion, overcooking food is unacceptable. A burnt crust will harm your health. It is necessary to pay attention to the quality of drinking water.

Reduce the intake of unhealthy foods. These are canned foods, especially meat and fish, smoked meats, hydrogenated fats, mayonnaise, Coca, Fanta and almost all carbonated drinks, many confectionery products. It is also advisable to avoid all salty, refined vegetable oils, sugar, and all products containing it, table vinegar, spices. Finally, it is recommended to limit the use of white bread made from refined flour and polished rice (especially for sick and slightly mobile people).

Fans of all kinds of preservatives, flavors, essences, emulsifiers, sweeteners, carcinogens, hot spices, and canned foods should know that fast food that came from the West with the beautiful name “Fast Food” is not only very harmful to our body but simply catastrophically dangerous and poses a serious threat to our health. Despite the dubious advantages of fast food – the speed of preparation and its special taste – it has a number of undoubted and very serious disadvantages. Our stomach and intestines are simply not accustomed to such foods, fatty and heavy. It is much easier and more useful for our body to eat what our ancestors have eaten for centuries – traditional cereals from various cereals, first courses for lunch, and many of our vegetables and fruits, which carry the least risk of allergies to them. In food outlets with a similar name — like McDonald’s or Kentucky Chicken — literally all the fried foods — sandwiches, hamburgers, french fries, and fried chickens — contain oxidized cholesterol, which helps accelerate the development of atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of blood vessels. In addition, frequent consumption of fast food is fraught with the occurrence of heart disease, allergies, obesity, diabetes, indigestion, and liver upset.

Not without reason, most of the US population is suffering from obesity, because fast food has long been a part of their daily lives as much taken for granted that it is already considered as full-fledged food as home-cooked food.

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• Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins
• Milk, yoghurt, cheese and plant-based alternatives
• Oil and spreads

Your body needs lots of different nutrients to stay healthy. That means eating a variety of foods from each of the main food groups.

In Ireland, the Food Pyramid is used to make healthy eating easier. It shows the different food groups and how much of each we need to have a healthy diet. Eating the right amount from each food group is called eating a "balanced" diet.

Eating well is important for all of us. In the short-term, it can help us to feel good, look our best and stay at a healthy weight. In the long-term, a healthy, balanced diet can reduce our risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers.

The Food Pyramid for adults, teenagers and children aged 5 and over

The Food Pyramid organises food into five main shelves - a shelf for each food group. The most important shelf is on the bottom and the least important on the top. 

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What's on each shelf of the food pyramid

Vegetables, salad and fruit - Eat plenty of these, up to seven servings a day.

Starchy foods - Have wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta or rice with each meal. Wholegrain is best.

Dairy - Have some milk, yoghurt and cheese. Choose reduced-fat or low-fat.

Meat and alternatives - Have some meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts. Choose lean options and have fish at least twice a week – one being oily.

Fats, spreads and oils - Have small amounts and choose unsaturated or reduced-fat options.

We call these 'treats ' - foods that have high amounts of salt, fat and sugar. This is the least important shelf. Have a treat once or twice a week. 

You don’t have to get the right balance at every meal. It's fine if you balance it out over the whole day or even a week.

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3 Reasons the Food Pyramid and Other Food Icons Are Important

Whether you follow the one developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or another authoritative source, food pyramids and other visual aids play a crucial role in establishing and sustaining healthy eating habits.

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That's because they serve as a visual reference for what to eat in what amounts and help you get a variety of nutritious foods into your diet each day. Here are three reasons to refer to them periodically, as well as how to use them.

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1. Provides Dietary Guidance

The primary benefit of food pyramids is that they provide dietary guidance in an easy-to-follow visual format. In 2011, the USDA replaced its pyramid with a colorful four-section plate with a cup on the side called MyPlate .

It serves as a simpler way to represent healthy eating patterns. The idea is still the same, to illustrate the five food groups — fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy — as a means to help you build healthy, well-balanced meals .

2. Helps Improve Eating Habits

Many people want to eat healthier but don't know where to start. Food pyramids and plates provide guidance on what foods to eat more of and which foods to cut back on.

MyPlate encourages you to eat more fruits and vegetables , as the food icon is divided into four main sections, with one quarter for fruits and another quarter for vegetables. Most Americans don't get enough fruits and vegetables, so filling half your plate with them is a good place to start.

3. Acts as a Reminder

Food icons help you to stay on track in getting the recommended daily requirements . Print out MyPlate and post it or another food icon on your fridge, in your office or in a place where you'll see it regularly.

It nudges you to eat healthfully and reminds you of which foods you've already eaten and which ones you need to include in your next meal. For example, if your breakfast for the day excluded dairy, MyPlate reminds you to have a snack like yogurt or to include low-fat dairy with lunch.

How to Use Food Icon Guides

The USDA's MyPlate is easy to follow. The goal is to fill half your plate with fruits and veggies, a quarter with protein and the other quarter with grains. The cup reminds you to have a serving of dairy.

Faculty members at the Harvard School of Public Health built the Healthy Eating Plate as an alternative with more detailed guidance. Its sections remind you to also have nuts, seeds and beans; choose whole grains; eat two weekly servings of fish; consume healthy oils; reduce red meat; limit sugary drinks, sweets, salt and refined grains; engage in regular exercise; and consume alcohol in moderation if you drink.

• Harvard School of Public Health: "Healthy Eating Plate"
• U.S. Department of Agriculture: "MyPlate"

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Essays About Eating Healthy Foods: 7 Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

If you’re writing essays about eating healthy foods, here are 7 interesting essay examples and topic ideas.

Eating healthy is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But we can all struggle to make it a part of our routine. It’s easier to make small changes to your eating habits instead for long-lasting results. A healthy diet is a plan for eating healthier options over the long term and not a strict diet to be followed only for the short.

Writing an essay about eating healthy foods is an exciting topic choice and an excellent way to help people start a healthy diet and change their lifestyles for the better. Tip: For help with this topic, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing ?

1. The Definitive Guide to Healthy Eating in Real Life By Jillian Kubala

2. eating healthy foods by jaime padilla, 3. 5 benefits of eating healthy by maggie smith, 4. good food bad food by audrey rodriguez, 5. what are the benefits of eating healthy by cathleen crichton-stuart, 6. comparison between healthy food and junk food by jaime padilla, 7. nutrition, immunity, and covid-19 by ayela spiro and helena gibson-moore, essays about eating healthy foods topic ideas, 1. what is healthy food, 2. what is the importance of healthy food, 3. what does eating healthy mean, 4. why should we eat healthy foods, 5. what are the benefits of eating healthy foods, 6. why should we eat more vegetables, 7. can you still eat healthy foods even if you are on a budget.

“Depending on whom you ask, “healthy eating” may take many forms. It seems that everyone, including healthcare professionals, wellness influencers, coworkers, and family members, has an opinion on the healthiest way to eat. Plus, nutrition articles that you read online can be downright confusing with their contradictory — and often unfounded — suggestions and rules. This doesn’t make it easy if you simply want to eat in a healthy way that works for you.”

Author Jillian Kubala is a registered dietitian and holds a master’s degree in nutrition and an undergraduate degree in nutrition science. In her essay, she says that healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated and explains how it can nourish your body while enjoying the foods you love. Check out these essays about health .

“Eating provides your body with the nourishment it needs to survive. A healthy diet supplies nutrients (such as protein, vitamins and minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates), which are important for your body’s growth, development, and maintenance. However, not all foods are equal when it comes to the nutrition they provide. Some foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are rich in vitamins and minerals; others, such as cookies and soda pop, provide few if any nutrients. Your diet can influence everything from your energy level and intellectual performance to your risk for certain diseases.”

Author Jaime Padilla talks about the importance of a healthy diet in your body’s growth, development, and maintenance. He also mentioned that having a poor diet can lead to some health problems. Check out these essays about food .

“Eating healthy is about balance and making sure that your body is getting the necessary nutrients it needs to function properly. Healthy eating habits require that people eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fats, proteins, and starches. Keep in mind that healthy eating requires that you’re mindful of what you eat and drink, but also how you prepare it. For best results, individuals should avoid fried or processed foods, as well as foods high in added sugars and salts.”

Author Maggie Smith believes there’s a fine line between healthy eating and dieting. In her essay, she mentioned five benefits of eating healthy foods – weight loss, heart health, strong bones and teeth, better mood and energy levels, and improved memory and brain health – and explained them in detail.

You might also be interested in our round-up of the best medical authors of all time .

“From old generation to the new generation young people are dying out quicker than their own parents due to obesity-related diseases every day. In the mid-1970s, there were no health issues relevant to obesity-related diseases but over time it began to be a problem when fast food industries started growing at a rapid pace. Energy is naturally created in the body when the nutrients are absorbed from the food that is consumed. When living a healthy lifestyle, these horrible health problems don’t appear, and the chances of prolonging life and enjoying life increase.”

In her essay, author Audrey Rodriguez says that having self-control is very important to achieving a healthy lifestyle, especially now that we’re exposed to all these unhealthy yet tempting foods that all these fast-food restaurants offer. She believes that back in the early 1970s, when fast-food companies had not yet existed and home-cooked meals were the only food people had to eat every day, trying to live a healthy life was never a problem.

“A healthful diet typically includes nutrient-dense foods from all major food groups, including lean proteins, whole grains, healthful fats, and fruits and vegetables of many colors. Healthful eating also means replacing foods that contain trans fats, added salt, and sugar with more nutritious options. Following a healthful diet has many health benefits, including building strong bones, protecting the heart, preventing disease, and boosting mood.”

In her essay, Author Cathleen Crichton-Stuart explains the top 10 benefits of eating healthy foods – all of which are medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, a registered and licensed dietitian nutritionist. She also gives her readers some quick tips for a healthful diet. 

“In today’s generation, healthy and unhealthy food plays a big role in youths and adults. Many people don’t really understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods, many don’t actually know what the result of eating too many unhealthy foods can do to the body. There are big differences between eating healthy food, unhealthy food and what the result of excessively eating them can do to the body. In the ongoing battle of “healthy vs. unhealthy foods”, unhealthy foods have their own advantage.”

Author Jaime Padilla compares the difference between healthy food and junk food so that the readers would understand what the result of eating a lot of unhealthy foods can do to the body. He also said that homemade meals are healthier and cheaper than the unhealthy and pricey meals that you order in your local fast food restaurant, which would probably cost you twice as much. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked both an increased clinical and public interest in the role of nutrition and health, particularly in supporting immunity. During this time, when people may be highly vulnerable to misinformation, there have been a plethora of media stories against authoritative scientific opinion, suggesting that certain food components and supplements are capable of ‘boosting’ the immune system. It is important to provide evidence-based advice and to ensure that the use of non-evidence-based approaches to ‘boost’ immunity is not considered as an effective alternative to vaccination or other recognized measures.”

Authors Ayela Spiro, a nutrition science manager, and Helena Gibson-Moore, a nutrition scientist, enlighten their readers on the misinformation spreading in this pandemic about specific food components and supplements. They say that there’s no single food or supplement, or magic diet that can boost the immune system alone. However, eating healthy foods (along with the right dietary supplements), being physically active, and getting enough sleep can help boost your immunity.

If you’re writing an essay about eating healthy foods, you have to define what healthy food is. Food is considered healthy if it provides you with the essential nutrients to sustain your body’s well-being and retain energy. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water are the essential nutrients that compose a healthy, balanced diet.

Eating healthy foods is essential for having good health and nutrition – it protects you against many chronic non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. If you’re writing an essay about eating healthy foods, show your readers the importance of healthy food, and encourage them to start a healthy diet.

Eating healthy foods means eating a variety of food that give you the nutrients that your body needs to function correctly. These nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. In your essay about eating healthy foods, you can discuss this topic in more detail so that your readers will know why these nutrients are essential.

Eating healthy foods includes consuming the essential nutrients your body requires to function correctly (such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water) while minimizing processed foods, saturated fats, and alcohol. In your essay, let your readers know that eating healthy foods can help maintain the body’s everyday functions, promote optimal body weight, and prevent diseases.

Eating healthy foods comes with many health benefits – from keeping a healthy weight to preventing long-term diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. So if you’re looking for a topic idea for your essay, you can consider the benefits of eating healthy foods to give your readers some useful information, especially for those thinking of starting a healthy diet.

Ever since we were a kid, we have all been told that eating vegetables are good for our health, but why? The answer is pretty simple – vegetables are loaded with the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that our body needs. So, if you’re writing an essay about eating healthy foods, this is an excellent topic to get you started.

Of course, you definitely can! Fresh fruits and vegetables are typically the cheapest options for starting a healthy diet. In your essay about eating healthy foods, you can include some other cheap food options for a healthy diet – this will be very helpful, especially for readers looking to start a healthy diet but only have a limited amount of budget set for their daily food. 

For help with this topic, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing ?

If you’re stuck picking your next essay topic, check out our round-up of essay topics about education .

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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Healthy Food Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on healthy food.

Healthy food refers to food that contains the right amount of nutrients to keep our body fit. We need healthy food to keep ourselves fit.

Furthermore, healthy food is also very delicious as opposed to popular thinking. Nowadays, kids need to eat healthy food more than ever. We must encourage good eating habits so that our future generations will be healthy and fit.

Most importantly, the harmful effects of junk food and the positive impact of healthy food must be stressed upon. People should teach kids from an early age about the same.

Benefits of Healthy Food

Healthy food does not have merely one but numerous benefits. It helps us in various spheres of life. Healthy food does not only impact our physical health but mental health too.

When we intake healthy fruits and vegetables that are full of nutrients, we reduce the chances of diseases. For instance, green vegetables help us to maintain strength and vigor. In addition, certain healthy food items keep away long-term illnesses like diabetes and blood pressure.

Similarly, obesity is the biggest problems our country is facing now. People are falling prey to obesity faster than expected. However, this can still be controlled. Obese people usually indulge in a lot of junk food. The junk food contains sugar, salt fats and more which contribute to obesity. Healthy food can help you get rid of all this as it does not contain harmful things.

In addition, healthy food also helps you save money. It is much cheaper in comparison to junk food. Plus all that goes into the preparation of healthy food is also of low cost. Thus, you will be saving a great amount when you only consume healthy food.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Junk food vs Healthy Food

If we look at the scenario today, we see how the fast-food market is increasing at a rapid rate. With the onset of food delivery apps and more, people now like having junk food more. In addition, junk food is also tastier and easier to prepare.

However, just to satisfy our taste buds we are risking our health. You may feel more satisfied after having junk food but that is just the feeling of fullness and nothing else. Consumption of junk food leads to poor concentration. Moreover, you may also get digestive problems as junk food does not have fiber which helps indigestion.

Similarly, irregularity of blood sugar levels happens because of junk food. It is so because it contains fewer carbohydrates and protein . Also, junk food increases levels of cholesterol and triglyceride.

On the other hand, healthy food contains a plethora of nutrients. It not only keeps your body healthy but also your mind and soul. It increases our brain’s functionality. Plus, it enhances our immunity system . Intake of whole foods with minimum or no processing is the finest for one’s health.

In short, we must recognize that though junk food may seem more tempting and appealing, it comes with a great cost. A cost which is very hard to pay. Therefore, we all must have healthy foods and strive for a longer and healthier life.

FAQs on Healthy Food

Q.1 How does healthy food benefit us?

A.1 Healthy Benefit has a lot of benefits. It keeps us healthy and fit. Moreover, it keeps away diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and many more. Healthy food also helps in fighting obesity and heart diseases.

Q.2 Why is junk food harmful?

A.2 Junk food is very harmful to our bodies. It contains high amounts of sugar, salt, fats, oils and more which makes us unhealthy. It also causes a lot of problems like obesity and high blood pressure. Therefore, we must not have junk food more and encourage healthy eating habits.

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Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate

The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate is a visual guide to help educate and encourage children to eat well and keep moving. At a glance, the graphic features examples of best-choice foods to inspire the selection of healthy meals and snacks, and it emphasizes physical activity as part of the equation for staying healthy.

Building a healthy and balanced diet

Eating a variety of foods keeps our meals interesting and flavorful. It’s also the key to a healthy and balanced diet because each food has a unique mix of nutrients—both mac­ronutrients ( carbohydrate , protein , and fat ) and micronutrients ( vitamins and minerals). The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate provides a blueprint to help us make the best eating choices.

Along with filling half of our plate with colorful vegetables and fruits (and choosing them as snacks), split the other half between whole grains and healthy protein :

• The more veggies – and the greater the variety – the better.
• Potatoes and French fries don’t count as vegetables because of their negative impact on blood sugar .

More on vegetables >

• Eat plenty of fruits of all colors.
• Choose whole fruits or sliced fruits (rather than fruit juices; limit fruit juice to one small glass per day).

More on fruits >

• Go for whole grains or foods made with minimally processed whole grains. The less processed the grains, the better.
• Whole grains—whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, and foods made with them, such as whole-grain pasta and 100% whole-wheat bread—have a gentler effect on blood sugar and insulin than white rice, bread, pizza crust, pasta, and other refined grains.

More on whole grains >

• Choose beans and peas, nuts, seeds, and other plant-based healthy protein options, as well as fish, eggs , and poultry.
• Limit red meat (beef, pork, lamb) and avoid processed meats (bacon, deli meats, hot dogs, sausages).

More on healthy protein >

It’s also important to remember that fat is a necessary part of our diet, and what matters most is the type of fat we eat . We should regularly choose foods with healthy unsaturated fats (such as fish, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils from plants), limit foods high in saturated fat (especially red meat), and avoid unhealthy trans fats (from partially hydrogenated oils):

• Use healthy oils from plants like extra virgin olive, canola, corn, sunflower, and peanut oil in cooking, on salads and vegetables, and at the table.
• Limit butter to occasional use.

More on healthy oils and healthy fats >

Dairy foods are needed in smaller amounts than other foods on our plate:

• Choose unflavored milk , plain yogurt , small amounts of cheese , and other unsweetened dairy foods.
• Milk and other dairy products are a convenient source of calcium and vitamin D, but the optimal intake of dairy products has yet to be determined and the research is still developing. For children consuming little or no milk, ask a doctor about possible calcium and vitamin D supplementation.

More on dairy >

Water should be the drink of choice with every meal and snack, as well as when we are active:

• Water is the best choice for quenching our thirst. It’s also sugar-free, and as easy to find as the nearest tap.
• Limit juice—which can have as much sugar as soda—to one small glass per day, and avoid sugary drinks like sodas, fruit drinks, and sports drinks, which provide a lot of calories and virtually no other nutrients. Over time, drinking sugary drinks can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other problems.

More on water and choosing healthy drinks >

Finally, just like choosing the right foods, incorporating physical activity into our day by staying active is part of the recipe for keeping healthy:

• Trade inactive “sit-time” for “fit-time.”
• Children and adolescents should aim for at least one hour of physical activity per day, and they don’t need fancy equipment or a gym—The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest choosing unstructured activities for children such as playing tug-of-war, or having fun using playground equipment.

More on staying active >

Overall, the main message is to focus on diet quality.

• The type of carbohydrate in the diet is more important than the amount of carbohydrate in the diet , because some sources of carbohydrate—like vegetables (other than potatoes), fruits, whole grains, and beans—are much healthier than sugar,  potatoes, and foods made from white flour.
• The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate does not include sugary drinks, sweets, and other junk foods. These are not everyday foods and should be eaten only rarely, if ever.
• The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate encourages the use of healthy oils in place of other types of fat.

About the Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate

The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate was created by nutrition experts at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, based on the best available science, to enhance the visual guid­ance provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate icon. The Kid’s Plate reflects the same important messages as the Healthy Eating Plate , with a primary focus on diet quality, but is designed to further facilitate the teaching of healthy eating behaviors to children.

We authorize permission to use the image of the Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate in accordance with the following terms and conditions:

• You must include the following credit line: “Copyright © 2015 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. For more information about The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate, please see The Nutrition Source, Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/kids-healthy-eating-plate .”
• Your use of The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate is of a non-commercial nature.
• Your use of The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate must comply with all applicable laws.
• You may not modify the image or text in any way.
• Harvard may revoke this permission at any time at its sole discretion. In the event that permission is revoked, you shall remove the image from any website or public space within no more than five business days.
• Harvard strictly forbids any indication—either explicit or implied—that suggests or might cause others to believe that Harvard, the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, or The Nutrition Source website has endorsed any goods, services, individual, group, or organization of any kind.  Therefore, you may not use the names “Harvard,” “Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health,” or “The Nutrition Source,” or any Harvard-owned trademarks in connection with The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate without prior approval, in writing, except for reproducing the specific credit line for the image as set forth above.
• You may not use The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate in any manner that could harm the reputation of Harvard.
• Harvard disclaims all warranties of any kind (express, implied or otherwise) concerning The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate, including, without limitation, any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Harvard University and its governing board members, officers, faculty members, students, employees and agents from and against all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs and expenses of every kind arising from or relating to your use of The Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate.

Terms of Use

The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products.

Healthy Food Essay

500+ words essay on healthy food.

Before starting your daily activity, you must have food. Food is essential for our body besides water. Eating healthy food gives you the required nutrients you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Your daily food should have carbohydrates, proteins, water, vitamins, fat and minerals. To keep ourselves fit, we need healthy food.

When we talk about our health, healthy food plays a crucial role. It helps preserve our health, and some nutrients renew the health of various organs. Besides, healthy food is always delicious and mouthwatering. Kids, nowadays, should eat healthy food more than ever. We must encourage kids to eat healthy food so that our future generations become healthy and fit.

We should speak more often about the harmful effects of unhealthy food and the positive impact of healthy food. In this way, we can teach our kids about eating healthy foods from an early age.

To keep our internal organs healthy, we should make a habit of eating healthy food. Unhealthy food welcomes life-threatening diseases like heart attack, high or low blood pressure, increased or decreased glucose level, etc. In today’s scenario, with so many changes around the world in terms of climate, pollution, etc., eating healthy food should be on our priority list.

Advantages of Eating Healthy Food

• We get a solid and fit body by eating healthy and nutritious food.
• Healthy food also gives the body physical strength; that way, one can go about their duties comfortably.
• Eating healthy food gives good health, saving you from wasting time, money and resources seeking medical assistance and solutions.
• By eating nutritious food, we can protect our bodies from getting serious diseases like diabetes, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and so forth.
• It also helps maintain our weight, and unhealthy food leads to obesity.
• Likewise, healthy sustenance gives us a fit and fine body and smooth skin.
• We never feel lazy in the wake of eating light and solid nourishment; instead, we feel dynamic and energetic.
• Eating healthy food helps build the body and its immunity levels, enhancing the living standards one gets to enjoy.
• It is one of the ways individuals enjoy life as they get to spend good time with friends and family.
• Healthy food is, therefore, a principal requirement for the body.

Junk Food vs Healthy Food

In today’s scenario, consumption of junk food is increasing rapidly, due to which the fast-food market is also growing fast. Junk foods are easier to prepare and delicious. It became more accessible after the arrival of the food delivery apps. People can now sit at their homes and order junk food as per their choice.

But, unknowingly, we are compromising our health by having junk food. After eating it, you will feel more satisfied. Junk food leads to poor concentration and creates digestive problems as it contains less fibre, which causes indigestion.

Junk food also results in varying blood sugar levels because it contains less protein and carbohydrates. Consumption of junk food also increases levels of triglyceride and cholesterol.

When we talk about healthy food, it contains a plethora of nutrients. It keeps our bodies physically and mentally fit. It enhances our immune system and develops our brain functionality. If we are worried about our health, we should not consume processed food.

We know that junk food seems to be more appealing and tempting, but it comes at a very high price. Therefore, we should eat healthy food to live a longer and healthier life.

Conclusion of Healthy Food Essay

We can end the essay by stating that eating healthy food is our primary need. Eating healthy food is a simple way to increase the ease of the body and the happiness of the mind. Eating junk food will make our bodies weaker and have low immunity. So, it is essential to consume healthy food to maintain good health.

Students of the CBSE Board can get essays on different topics from BYJU’S website. They can visit our CBSE Essay page and learn more about essays.

Frequently Asked Questions on Healthy Food Essay

What are the negative impacts of junk food.

1. High sodium content 2. Excessive carb intake and cholesterol intake 3. Obesity and cardiac diseases

What are some of the healthy food items?

1. Fruits and vegetables 2. Foods with high fibre content  3.  Foods containing saturated fats 4. Foods with less salt and sugar

How to regulate our body with food intake?

1. Eat at regular intervals 2. Do not overeat or have junk food 3. Drink water and be hydrated

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Healthy eating pyramid.

• Word Count: 1511
• Approx Pages: 6
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• Grade level: Undergraduate
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            a) Describe the selected food model and describe its nutritional principle.              b) A brief description of the various diet related diseases (either due to excess or deficiency of specific nutrients. Include direct and indirect costs to the community (gov't).              d) How effective is the chosen food model? Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the food model criteria.              The healthy eating pyramid is a visual representation of the ideal selection of foods according to the proportions in which they should appear in our diet. Using the dietary guidelines as a base, the healthy eating pyramid is formed in the shape of a pyramid, the base of which is formed by foods we should eat of most. Forming the mid-section of the pyramid are the foods that should be consumed moderately with the small apex at the top indicative of the foods that one should eat of less frequently. .              Foods from the "eat most" section of the Healthy Eating Pyramid consist of breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, dried peas, beans and lentils. It is recommended to eat most of these foods as not only are they generally low in fat but they provide an excellent source of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals and do not contain a lot of sugar. Cereals usually enrich the diet with complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre and minerals. Nutritionists recommend wholegrain over refined cereals because of the additional complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre and B group vitamins. The consumption of a variety of fruits is linked to Vitamin C in citrus fruits and Vitamin A in yellow and orange fruit and vegetables. Dried peas, beans and lentils also contain some carbohydrates and supply the body with plenty of protein, fibre and minerals. Fibre content aids in lowering the blood cholesterol.              Foods forming the "eat moderately" section of the healthy eating pyramid include lean meant, eggs, fish, chicken, nits and dairy products. These foods are renowned for its abundance of protein and calcium assisting muscle repair and body tissues.

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Essays Related to Healthy Eating Pyramid

1. rebuilding the food pyramid.

Rebuilding the Food Pyramid This show was about Walter Willett, M.D. new book Eat, Drink and Be Healthy. ... He stated we can eat to live and live longer. He goes on to say that the USDA pyramid is wrong. ... The central message in the USDA Pyramid is that you should feel good about eating carbohydrates especially if you are eating them in place of fats. ... The USDA Pyramid does not place the importance on eating fish, chicken and beans and nuts. ...

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2. Personal Nutrition

Eating right is the key to a healthy life. In class I learned that while eating right can be healthy, eating wrong could be deadly. ... And now that I know the importance of every food group in the Food Guide Pyramid is going to be easier to follow it and as a result, I will be eating the appropriate number of calories needed per day. ... He is at risk of various health diseases because he does not eat according to the Food Guide Pyramid suggested servings. ... To be healthy, the body needs the right balance of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. ...

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3. Promoting Healthy Pregnancy

Eating for two does not mean eating twice as much. An expecting mother requires only 300 more calories per day to maintain a healthy unborn child. The food guide pyramid provides an excellent reference as to what foods should be consumed, what foods contain essential vitamins and minerals, and the recommended intake amounts of each food group. ... Do not eat raw meat or seafood, and wash all fruit and vegetables carefully. ... A prenatal multivitamin, combined with healthy, nutritious foods can prevent nausea and help ensure a healthy mother and child. ...

• Word Count: 766

4. Functions of a Healthy Lifestyle

As a member of national guard, I have an obligation to stay fit and healthy. ... Unfortunately, staying fit and healthy in the winter also impossible to people. ... Agriculture had published a new food pyramid with recommend each day people should eat 6 oz of grain, 2.5 cups of vegetables, 2 cups of fruits, 3 cups of milk, 5.5 oz of beans or meats, and with a small amount of fats. ... Not only you eat right, you would be able end up saving money. ... One of the most important aspect of healthy living is sleep. ...

• Word Count: 677

5. Why We Should All be Vegetarians

Nowadays there are lots of people all over the world who have chosen being vegetarians as a way of staying healthy and saving animals' lives. ... To eat meat or not to eat meat. ... A healthy diet takes planning and a food pyramid can be helpful tool. The vegetarian pyramid outlines food groups and food choices. ... Do not eat meat! ...

• Word Count: 728

6. Excercise keep the body health

The vitamins and minerals that are in the foods we eat help a persons body run and stay fit and healthy. Following the food pyramid helps people avoid eating fatty foods that clog arteries and cause damage to the artery walls. Eating healthy is said to help keep the heart and other important organs running functionally and keeps them in great condition. ... Working out muscles helps keep joints healthy and strong for years to come. ... Eating healthy , exercise and reducing stress are some ways that we can work for our body to keep it running the best it possible can. ...

• Word Count: 464

7. Balancing Your Diet

BALANCING YOUR DIET Foods provide us with nutrients we need for healthy bodies and calories we need for energy. ... There are several benefits of a balanced diet : Increased Energy Lower Cholesterol Improved muscle tone Better attitude & high self-esteem Reduce risk of premature death There are several steps a person can take that will lead toward a lean, healthy body: Eat regular, balanced meals, and have at least the minimum number of servings from each food group. (Remember to eat a variety of foods & try to eat every 5 hours at the latest, it keeps your metabolism on ...

• Word Count: 304
• Approx Pages: 1

8. Junk Food In Schools

At the top of the pyramid are fats, oils and sweets, and when we were taught we were always told not to consume too much of them. ... Teaching children the foundation of good nutrition is important if the children are to develop healthy eating habits. ... There are so many overweight children from not eating healthy because they have the choice of eating these kinds of food. ... But without schools with these products it would help the children eat healthy. ... We need to teach children to eat correct, to have a healthy body and to create a start of a healthy lifestyle so they are able to c...

• Word Count: 944
• Approx Pages: 4

This is where you maintain your eating habits and your weight by eating the "good" carbs and "good" fats. ... This is just plain healthy eating along with exercise. Follow the food pyramid, which we all learned about in elementary school. ... According to the food guide pyramid, we are to eat 8-11 servings of grains a day. ... Some of you probably have, but anything that tells me to cut out certain foods that are healthy, just doesn't seem right to me. ...

• Word Count: 747

The Healthy Eating Pyramid Essay Example

• Pages: 2 (501 words)
• Published: March 8, 2022

Utilizing the Food Guide Pyramid, food labels, and DRI's for a healthy diet

The Food Guide Pyramid is an important resource for understanding proper nutrition. It assists individuals in selecting the appropriate quantities of food from the four main food groups to fulfill their nutritional needs. The pyramid is divided into four sections that provide recommendations on recommended intake amounts. For example, the upper section advises restricting sugar, fats, and oils consumption, while the second level recommends consuming 2-3 servings of proteins, calcium, iron, and zinc.

The third level of the food pyramid suggests eating 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables, which contain vitamins, minerals, and fibers. The base section of the pyramid recommends consuming 6-11 servings of grain-based foods. To comply with the law, companies must include standardized nutrition information on their packaging through food labels.

Wallace (2012) suggests that food product labels should contain various details to a

ssist consumers in understanding the food and determining appropriate serving sizes. These include information on ingredients, nutrition facts, daily values, nutrient claims, and health claims. Additionally, Wallace (2012) explains that the Dietary Reference Intake serves as a guide for recommended energy and nutrient intake among healthy individuals. Its purpose is to prevent nutrient deficiencies and minimize the chances of developing nutrient-related diseases.

These dietary recommendations cover a range of factors, including energy requirements, weight management, physical activity, encouragement of food groups, and food safety. By following these guidelines, individuals can achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The measures included in these recommendations are the Estimated Average Requirement, Recommended Dietary Allowance, Adequate Intake, Tolerable Upper Intake Level, Estimated Energy Requirements, and Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range.

What is the difference between macronutrient

and micronutrients? In comparison to micronutrients that are needed in smaller amounts,micronutrients are required in larger quantities. While macronutrients provide sufficient energy for the body,micronutrients play a vital role in detoxification and protecting against diseases. Macronutrients consist of protein, carbohydrates,and fats while Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals.

The impacts of consuming excessive or insufficient amounts of both Macronutrients and Micronutrients.

As per recommended dietary guidelines, it is advised to consume larger quantities of macronutrients in comparison to micronutrients (Bierenbaum, 1974). Insufficient intake of micronutrients can result in age-related conditions such as cancer caused by mitochondrial decay. Conversely, excessive consumption of micronutrients can lead to various health issues including bleeding, blurred vision, birth defects, heart diseases, and liver diseases. Similarly, the overconsumption of macronutrients can cause unhealthy weight gain and increase the risk of heart diseases. On the other hand, inadequate consumption of macronutrients can lead to illnesses like kwashiorkor, heart diseases, and fatigue.

• Wallace, T. (2012). Dietary Reference Intakes and Nutrition Labeling: Updating the Daily Values for Vitamins and Minerals. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 31(4), 233-238.
• Bierenbaum, M. (1974). To diet or not to diet and what diet? American Heart Journal, 87(3), 401-402.
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The Saturday Profile

Documentary Filmmaker Explores Japan’s Rigorous Education Rituals

Her movies try to explain why Japan is the way it is, showing both the upsides and downsides of the country’s commonplace practices. Her latest film focuses on an elementary school.

By Motoko Rich

Reporting from Tokyo

The defining experience of Ema Ryan Yamazaki’s childhood left her with badly scraped knees and her classmates with broken bones.

During sixth grade in Osaka, Japan, Ms. Yamazaki — now a 34-year-old documentary filmmaker — practiced for weeks with classmates to form a human pyramid seven levels high for an annual school sports day. Despite the blood and tears the children shed as they struggled to make the pyramid work, the accomplishment she felt when the group kept it from toppling became “a beacon of why I feel like I am resilient and hard-working.”

Now, Ms. Yamazaki, who is half-British, half-Japanese, is using her documentary eye to chronicle such moments that she believes form the essence of Japanese character, for better or worse.

To outsiders, Japan is often seen as an orderly society where the trains run on time, the streets are impeccably clean, and the people are generally polite and work cooperatively. Ms. Yamazaki has trained her camera on the educational practices and rigorous discipline instilled from an early age that she believes create such a society.

Her films present nonjudgmental, nuanced portraits that try to explain why Japan is the way it is, while also showing the potential costs of those practices. By showing both the upsides and downsides of Japan’s commonplace rituals, particularly in education, she also invites insiders to interrogate their longstanding customs.

Her latest film, “ The Making of a Japanese ,” which premiered last fall at the Tokyo International Film Festival, documents one year at an elementary school in western Tokyo, where students align their shoes ramrod straight in storage cubbies, clean their classrooms and serve lunch to their classmates.

In an earlier documentary, “ Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams ,” Ms. Yamazaki showed high school baseball players pushed to physical extremes and often reduced to tears as they vied to compete in Japan’s annual summer tournament .

In the schools highlighted by Ms. Yamazaki, both films show what can at times seem like an almost militaristic devotion to order, teamwork and self-sacrifice. But the documentaries also portray teachers and coaches trying to preserve the best of Japanese culture while acknowledging that certain traditions might damage the participants.

“If we can figure out what good things to keep and what should be changed — of course, that’s the million dollar question,” Ms. Yamazaki said.

“If we don’t have those what seem ‘extreme’ parts of society — or more realistically as we have less of it, as I see happening,” wrote Ms. Yamazaki in a follow-up email, “we might see trains in Japan be late in the future.”

Some extreme scenes show up in her films. In “The Making of a Japanese,” for instance, one first-grade teacher strongly chastises a first grader and makes her cry in front of her classmates. But the film also shows the young student conquering her deficiencies to proudly perform in front of the school.

Ms. Yamazaki “showed the reality as it is,” said Hiroshi Sugita, a professor of education at Kokugakuin University who appears briefly in the film lecturing the school’s faculty.

Having grown up in Japan and then trained as a filmmaker at New York University, Ms. Yamazaki has a one-foot-in, one-foot-out perspective.

In contrast to a complete “outsider who is exoticizing things, I think she is able to bring a perspective that has more respect and authenticity,” said Basil Tsiokos, senior programmer of nonfiction features at the Sundance Film Festival who selected two of Ms. Yamazaki’s films for documentary showcases in Nantucket and New York.

Ms. Yamazaki grew up near Osaka, the daughter of a British college professor and Japanese schoolteacher, and spent summers in England. When she transferred from a Japanese school to an international academy in Kobe for her middle and high school years, she was surprised that janitors, not the students, cleaned the classrooms. Relishing the freedom to choose electives, she enrolled in a video film class.

She decided to leave Japan for college partly because, as someone of multiracial heritage, she was tired of being treated as a foreigner.

When she arrived at N.Y.U., most of her classmates wanted to direct feature films. Ms. Yamazaki enrolled in a documentary class taught by Sam Pollard , a filmmaker who also worked as an editor for Spike Lee and others, and embraced the medium.

Mr. Pollard spotted her talent right away. “You have to apply yourself to figure out what the story is,” he said. “She had that.”

While she was still an undergraduate, Mr. Pollard offered Ms. Yamazaki some editing work. After graduation, she said, “a lot of my friends were smoking pot and were these artist dreamer people with grand ideas.” But she took on multiple editing gigs to support her passion projects. Even now, editing helps support her documentary work.

She attributed her work ethic to her years in Japanese elementary school. “People would be like, ‘you’re so responsible, you’re such a good team player, you’re working so hard,’” she recalled. She regarded her efforts as “below average in terms of a Japanese standard.”

She met her future husband, Eric Nyari, while interviewing for a job to edit a documentary about the Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto that Mr. Nyari was producing. She didn’t land the job, but the pair became friends. Mr. Nyari, who describes her as “a dictator — in a good way,” is now the primary producer of all her documentaries.

Ms. Yamazaki made the leap from editing to professional directing with a short film for Al Jazeera, “ Monk by Blood ,” that examined the complicated family and gender dynamics at a Buddhist temple in Kyoto.

Next she chose a subject that had nothing to do with Japan. “ Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators ” brought her more attention as it screened at film festivals in Los Angeles and Nantucket.

Ms. Yamazaki and Mr. Nyari rented an apartment in Tokyo seven years ago and Ms. Yamazaki began work on “Koshien.”

One of the high schools she wanted to use in the film is where the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani had trained, but his former coach, Hiroshi Sasaki, was wary after years of media requests.

Mr. Sasaki softened when he saw how Ms. Yamazaki showed up with her crew in the morning, often before the players arrived, and stayed late at night to film the team cleaning the field.

One afternoon, after he had barred her from a particularly dramatic practice and then ribbed her for not filming it, she burst into what she said were tears of frustration because her cameras had missed such a great scene.

“I thought this person really is serious about this and I was so moved,” said Coach Sasaki in a video interview with The New York Times. The morning after the practice, he invited her to turn on the camera while he watered his collection of bonsai plants and answered questions about his coaching philosophy. That episode became a pivotal scene in the documentary.

Ms. Yamazaki, who films her subjects for hundreds of hours, captures vulnerable moments that reveal as much to her subjects as to audiences.

In one scene in “Koshien,” the wife of another high school baseball coach says she resented her husband’s career because it often took him away from their three children.

“Seeing the movie, it was my first time knowing these feelings,” said Tetsuya Mizutani, the coach, whose old-fashioned, hard-driving style is highlighted in the film.

Such discomfiting moments distinguish Ms. Yamazaki’s storytelling from most Japanese documentary filmmakers, said Asako Fujioka, former artistic director of the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival. Filmmakers in Japan try to treat subjects “kindly, like a caring mother or friend,” whereas Ms. Yamazaki “is very bold in the way she creates drama.”

Seita Enomoto, the teacher who chastises a student in “The Making of a Japanese,” said that although some viewers have criticized him, he appreciated that the film also showed the child learning that “she should work hard, and how she changed and succeeded.” Ms. Yamazaki and Mr. Nyari hope next to make a documentary about new recruits at a large Japanese employer, where young staff start with training that can lead to lifelong work at the same company.

For now, they are raising their young son in Tokyo and have enrolled him in a Japanese nursery school. Although human pyramids have been banned by schools because of parental complaints, Ms. Yamazaki hopes her son will absorb some of the values that exercise taught her.

“It was a weird personal experience,” she said, “that I look back on fondly.”

Kiuko Notoya contributed reporting.

Motoko Rich is a reporter in Tokyo, leading coverage of Japan for The Times. More about Motoko Rich