Pyramid of useful products. Nutrition pyramid: guidelines for use. Is the pyramid important for losing weight?

The basic idea of ​​an “omnivorous” type of nutrition can be formulated as follows: “you need to eat everything, but in moderation.” And the “measure” is determined by the so-called “food pyramid” or “food pyramid”, in which all products are divided into several categories. Products of each category should be represented in the daily diet in a certain proportion - as shown in the food pyramid.

This is the most popular type of food. Let's see what the pros and cons of an "omnivorous" diet are and how exactly those who adhere to this type of diet should structure their diet.

The modern food pyramid is somewhat different from the classic one, introduced back in 1992. The main difference is that flour and cereals, which were at the base of the old pyramid, swapped places with vegetables and fruits in the new one.

Serving sizes in the food pyramid:

• Fruit serving - 1 medium fruit/1 glass of fresh juice.
• A serving of vegetables is 200 g of raw vegetables/100 g of cooked vegetables.
• A serving of grains is 1 slice of bread/100 g of porridge/50 g of muesli/50 g of crispbread.
• A serving of meat is 70-90 g of lean boiled red meat, poultry or fish.
• A serving of eggs is 1 egg or 2 egg whites without yolk.
• A serving of dairy products is 100 ml of milk, yogurt, kefir or low-fat cottage cheese/50 g of cheese.
• A serving of oil is 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil.
• A serving of nuts is 1 tablespoon of nuts.

The creators of the nutrition pyramid place special emphasis on the mandatory inclusion of daily physical exercise in the regime. This is no coincidence - otherwise, such a diet will lead to many different problems, including obesity (the food pyramid is not a diet, the calorie content of the daily menu is quite high). However, physical exercise does not interfere with any diet - it is an integral component.

Creating your menu in accordance with the food pyramid is quite simple - there are no special restrictions. You can eat everything, you just need to limit the quantity and follow the proportions as indicated in the pyramid.

Products that are in the same category (at the same level of the food pyramid) are interchangeable, which makes it easier to use the food pyramid in any conditions - when traveling, when there is a lack of time.

Let's look at food pyramids.

Pros of the food pyramid:

• The food pyramid system is extremely simple.
• Products in the same category of the food pyramid are considered interchangeable. Therefore, the principles of the nutrition pyramid can be applied to various types of nutrition (for example, when creating a menu for separate meals or fractional meals).
• The food pyramid does not require any restrictions - you can eat everything, but within certain limits.
• By composing your diet in accordance with the food pyramid, you have almost no risk of suffering from a lack of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The food pyramid approximately covers the body's needs for basic nutrients.

Cons of the food pyramid:

Perhaps the food pyramid is the optimal system for you at the moment. If so, I would like to give tips that will help reduce the disadvantages of the food pyramid:

1. Try to reduce your consumption of the most harmful foods (see list of the most harmful foods). When buying semi-finished and finished products, read the labels - food additives cause great harm to your health.
2. “Omnivorous” nutrition leads to the accumulation of harmful substances in the body. Therefore, cleanse your body from time to time. How to do this correctly (without harm and with maximum effect) is in the article Body Cleansing Program.
3. Include aerobic and anaerobic (strength) exercise in your schedule. In addition to benefiting your figure, exercise will help you get rid of harmful substances from food.
4. Read the article Proteins, fats, carbohydrates. This will help you understand the meaning of the food pyramid and approach your food choices more consciously.

Let's go through all the floors of the food pyramid. On each floor there are more healthy products, and there are less healthy and harmful ones. Let's take a new pyramid (shown in the second picture). Let's start from the top:

1. The top (fifth) floor of the new nutrition pyramid is represented by products that you can safely avoid completely. Giving up confectionery and sugar can in no way harm your health. There is no minimum required quantity of sweets and confectionery products, there is only a maximum, which is not recommended to be exceeded.
2. The next (fourth) floor can no longer be called superfluous. Vegetable oils are a necessary component of proper nutrition. But they do not necessarily have to come in their pure form. There are also hidden sources - nuts (as shown in the picture) and some high-fat vegetables (for example, avocados, olives). Preference should be given to hidden sources of vegetable fats. And, when choosing vegetable oils, a list of the healthiest oils will help you. To better understand which oils are healthy and which ones should be avoided, read the article The benefits and harms of oils.
3. On the third (middle) floor of the food pyramid are all animal products: meat, eggs, milk. When consuming products of the meat and dairy industry, one should take into account the harm that these products inevitably cause to health, and take measures to reduce and neutralize this harm. Anyone who wants to lead a healthy lifestyle should be aware that meat, milk and eggs contain many harmful substances, such as hormones and antibiotics. The most useful of animal products can be considered fish, which, for some unknown reason, is missing from the figure.
4. The second floor of the food pyramid presents some products, the choice of which should be approached with special attention. I mean bread and pasta. As for pasta, preference should be given to those made from whole grain flour and avoid products made from refined white flour. As for bread, the most harmful option is yeast white bread, and the healthiest option is yeast-free (with natural sourdough or no sourdough at all) bread made from whole coarse rye flour. Details about

Absolutely everyone knows that a person’s health and activity largely depend on what he eats. Currently, many scientists in highly developed countries are seriously concerned about the problem of excess weight. After all, it often causes diabetes, stroke and heart attack. As a result of the research, experts developed a healthy eating pyramid. Later in the article we will figure out what it is.

General information

The food pyramid is visually a schematic representation of dietary norms developed by nutritionists. The products placed at the base of the structure form the main part of a person’s complete menu. But the elements at its top are recommended to be consumed in limited quantities or excluded from the diet altogether. nutrition has been recognized by nutritionists around the world and is still considered one of the most effective recommendations for normalizing weight.

Development of Harvard scientists

This food pyramid is of particular interest. The very first published version looked like a structure divided into tiers. It was based on daily physical activity, fluid intake (from 2 liters for men and 1.5 liters for women), and weight control. Each subsequent tier contained a corresponding group of products.

Structural image

The food pyramid, pictures of which are presented below, has the following visual distribution of sectors:

Additionally, the scheme emphasized the need for moderate alcohol consumption, with preference given to red wine. Also, as prescribed by a doctor, it was allowed to take vitamin and mineral complexes. The basic principle of the Harvard Food Pyramid is to communicate the need for frequent consumption of the food group located at its base. The higher the level to which the elements belong, the less benefit they provide to the human body. The healthy nutrition pyramid, developed by Harvard experts, has become widespread throughout the world. Moreover, for a long period of time it has been used as a fundamental system for losing weight.

Food pyramid MyPyramid. Improved development of American nutritionists

The Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid has undergone various changes very often. The final version of MyPyramid, published in 2007, was developed by the US Department of Agriculture and subsequently became a government program. The American food pyramid is based on the latest research in the field of nutrition. Unlike its predecessors, its principle of separating the elements of the diet is not based on belittling the role of simple carbohydrates and fats of animal origin, but puts them on a par with vegetable fats and complex carbohydrates. This food pyramid is based on 5 basic principles:

• Diversity.
• Proportionality.
• Moderation.
• Individuality.
• Physical activity.

Diversity

This principle states that absolutely all products are equally important for the human body. Visually, the diagram is a complex of multi-colored sectors. Moreover, each of them corresponds to a specific group of dietary elements:

Proportion, moderation, individuality

The width of each sector of the pyramid displays the daily intake of products and visually demonstrates their overall ratio. Just look at the chart to understand: vegetables, grains, fruits and dairy products are given top priority; meat, fish, eggs and nuts - secondary; fats are allocated the smallest percentage of consumption. Using the pyramid requires maintaining moderate food consumption. Because even low-calorie foods eaten in large quantities will have the opposite effect on weight loss. The principle of individual nutrition encourages a person to abandon standardization and create a diet taking into account his age, gender and other personal characteristics.

The principle of physical activity

The MyPyramid symbol is a man climbing up a ladder. This is by no means an accident. This image serves as a reminder of the serious importance of physical exercise, which is recommended to be performed for at least 1 hour every day.

Using the Food Pyramid for Children

A child’s diet must contain all the nutrients necessary for his full growth and development. This will fully ensure a healthy diet. The food pyramid makes it very easy to create a children's menu. To do this, you need to focus on elements located in wide sectors. At the same time, you should not completely exclude the remaining products; they should also be present in small quantities in the child’s menu.

Diet for pregnant women

During the prenatal period, a woman’s body needs an increased supply of minerals, protein and vitamins. You can also create a complete diet for a pregnant woman based on the American MyPyramid pyramid, taking into account all the recommendations of the observing specialist.

MyPyramid pyramid differences

Other types of food pyramids

Most people strive to get maximum pleasure and benefit from food. Some go the route of calorie counting. For others, this task seems too difficult. However, I really want a normal, visual example of proper nutrition for weight loss. You can choose another option to control your food intake in accordance with the food pyramid. There are several varieties of it, which will be discussed further.

Harvard Nutrition Pyramid

The very first - the pyramid of the School of Public Health (Harvard, the project was led by nutritionist Walter Willett) was developed in 1992. Over time, it was refined and slightly redesigned, and today it is still popular.

A few words about the components of this pyramid. The base is physical activity and fluid, the required amount of which should be determined in accordance with age and weight. Whole grain products (porridge, whole flour products, brown rice), vegetables, fruits and vegetable oils (sunflower, olive), located in the lower sections, are needed by our body at almost every meal. The “Fruits” box indicates 2-3 servings, which is about 300g, the amount of vegetables can reach up to 400 – 450 g per day.

Nuts, legumes, as well as white products, should be included up to 2 times in the daily diet (some days you can completely exclude them). As for dairy products, it is important to exclude them for people with lactose intolerance, replacing them with calcium supplements plus vitamin D3. The last step contains, among others, potatoes, which previously coexisted with whole grain products at the bottom step of the pyramid. However, nutritionists have recently moved this vegetable because it holds the record for starch content.

Vitamins and alcohol are also located in the Harvard pyramid picture. The need to take the former is shown, since the current diet hardly meets the needs of a modern person. It is recommended to drink alcohol rarely and in moderation.

MyPyramid pyramid differences

Introduced in 2005 in the USA, the MyPyramid pyramid provides modern people with a fairly wide field for creating a menu of proper nutrition for weight loss. The difference with the previous version is that now you can independently select products from the colored zones in the required quantities. By the way, about its interesting and at first glance incomprehensible device.

The pyramid is a series of vertical segments expanding towards the bottom. The required quantity of products can be determined based on the width of the segment (the wider it is, the greater the quantity needed). On the left edge there is a picture of a man running up the stairs - a symbol of the importance of physical activity.

Although both pyramids offer dietary recommendations for American citizens, this information will also be relevant for our compatriots. Russian nutritionists face, by and large, the same challenges as their foreign colleagues. The problem of excess weight and low physical activity is now relevant even for children. Therefore, a version of such a table for the younger generation has been proposed. As you can see, it is actually no different from the “adult” version and demonstrates the need for a variety of products.

This new pyramid gives a general idea of ​​proper nutrition and the fact that each person is individual, so your diet must be tailored individually. Anyone, guided by MyPyramid data, can write their own healthy food menu for the month.

Other types of food pyramids

In addition to these most common food pyramids, there are also options for vegetarians, as well as those that are designed taking into account cultural characteristics (Asian, Mediterranean cuisine). The main difference between the vegetarian pyramid is the absence of meat, dairy products, eggs, and fish (certain types of vegetarianism are less strict and require the inclusion of some of the listed products in the diet).

You can get the necessary substances by eating legumes, nuts, and also by adding complex preparations that compensate for the need for vitamins, calcium, and iron.
The Asian food pyramid will help you create healthy meals for the week for residents of this part of the world. It includes a lot of vegetables, rice, and a variety of soy products. In some regions, a large number of people suffer from lactose intolerance, so dairy products are completely excluded. But green tea for Asians is a very important and healthy drink, which is included in their nutrition pyramid.

Another option is Mediterranean. This pyramid is different in that it regulates the intake of red meat once a month. The basis of the diet there is grains, vegetables, fruits and, of course, olive oil. The following figure will help you compare these types of food pyramids.

The food pyramid is an excellent tool for creating menus and understanding the principles of proper nutrition. According to the idea of ​​its creators, each person can adjust their diet by changing it gradually.

Related articles

articles that proper nutrition is the basis for success in building high-quality muscle mass. Many athletes spend quite a lot of time planning their diet. Those. they include in it those foods that are most valuable for building the correct body composition and try to minimize ballast (empty) calories and useless foods. This is the so-called food pyramid.

Of course, they don’t pull all this information out of thin air, but adhere to certain schemes and rules that are an immutable truth and that have existed for a long time. All these principles are reflected in a geometric figure - a pyramid, but not some kind of Cheops or something else, but in the nutrition pyramid, which serves as the starting point in creating a balanced diet. This is exactly the kind of pyramid we’ll talk about today.

So, we will get answers to the following questions: what is the food pyramid, what role does it play in a person’s life and how to make it work for you. In general, it will be interesting, so make yourself comfortable, we are starting.

The Food Pyramid: An Introduction to Theory

First of all, it is worth saying that all the products that we encounter and consume every day can be classified as certain groups of nutrients according to their physical state, for example - solid (bread, cheeses), bulk (cereals, sugar), liquid (water , milk) . If we take it in general, there are certain products that are most often included in our diet and without which we simply cannot imagine our day. There are also products that we include in our grocery basket in much smaller quantities (compared to basic/core), well, there are some that we generally try to avoid if possible.

So, a generalized, schematic image developed by nutritionists is that same food pyramid. And, as expected, the pyramid has its base and top. Moving from the bottom to the top, a person collects the entire list of necessary products, which make up his grocery basket.

If you delve a little deeper into history and see where the legs of this pyramid come from, then, as usual, America is ahead of the rest. It was there that the Ministry of Agriculture in 1992 The first food pyramid was published (which, by the way, has already undergone many changes and appears before us taking into account all the latest trends and discoveries in the field of nutrition).

In some countries (for example in Japan) decided that they did not need any America with its own pyramid and created their own, somewhat different from the original. I don’t know whether the longevity of the Japanese nation is due to the fact that they have reworked this food pyramid, but the fact is that these are the most tenacious people so far. In Russia, they did not bother with their pyramid and decided to completely adopt the experience of their overseas colleagues.

Regarding nutrition, we can say that if you are young you can still eat anything/anything. But if you play sports (especially bodybuilding), such an approach is unlikely to lead you to your goal. Therefore, it is advisable to build your diet based on the principles of the food pyramid, and, first of all, you need to know what foods (Total 4 main groups) make up the “body” of the pyramid, i.e. what does it even stand on?

So, the basic principle that is embedded in the pyramid is when a person makes everyday body movements (some kind of physical activity) and consumes sufficient fluids. In general, the pyramid looks like this (see image)...

...and its basis includes the following 3 product groups:

1. Whole grain products (bread, pasta, rice, cereals)– sources of “long-lasting” carbohydrates.
2. Vegetable fats containing polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega 3/6 (sunflower, corn, rapeseed oils);
3. Vegetables and fruits (oranges, watermelon, beets).

In relation to the body of a training athlete (bodybuilder), the base of the nutrition pyramid looks like this:

1. Whole grains: wholemeal bread (raw or 1 /2 variety); durum wheat pasta; unpolished rice (wild, brown, golden); cereals – buckwheat, pearl barley;
2. Vegetable fats: mustard oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil;
3. Vegetables and fruits (tomatoes, bananas, apples).

It is advisable to consume products from these groups at every meal, with the share of vegetables and fruits distributed as follows: 3-5 portions of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruit, whole grains must be consumed in quantity 6-11 servings.

The second stage of the pyramid is represented by:

• Protein-containing plant products (legumes, beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, seeds) and animal origin (meat, eggs, chicken, fish, seafood). Products from this group can be consumed up to 2 times a day.

The next step includes:

• and its derivatives (kefir, fermented baked milk, yoghurts)(cheese, cottage cheese). They should be used according to 1 (less often 2 ) servings per day.

Note:

Milk contains a carbohydrate - lactose (milk sugar) and it can cause indigestion in some people. Therefore, if you belong to this category, then replace it with other dairy drinks.

The very top of the pyramid is represented by foods whose consumption should be reduced. These include:

• Animal fats (contained in red meats, butter, margarine), sweets (white sugar, creams, sweet water), white flour products (including baked goods) and alcohol.

Note:

Every brick of the pyramid (product groups) can be divided into portions. The number of servings and its size (in grams) depends on the calorie content of your diet. The latter is dictated by gender, age, and the degree of your activity. In general, you should focus on the following numbers by group:

• a serving of grain products is: 1 piece (slice) of bread, 1 /4 dishes ( 100 g) porridge, cereal or pasta, 2-3 oatmeal cookies;
• a serving of vegetables is: half a glass ( 125 ml) chopped cooked or raw vegetables, 1 a glass of vegetable juice;
• a serving of fruit is: 1 medium orange, banana, pear, half a grapefruit, 1 a glass of fruit juice;
• A serving of protein products is: 100 gr. cooked meat (boneless), poultry, fish, 3 eggs, 3 /4 bowls of beans;
• a serving of dairy products is: 1 cup ( 250 ml) milk, 2-3 slices ( 50 -60 gr) cheese, 1 /3 packs of cottage cheese;
• A serving of food at the top of the pyramid is: 30 gr. butter, 2 spoons of sugar.

I would like to note that the Russian “second head” - potatoes, is also considered by American nutritionists to be at the top of the pyramid (naive, they think we’ll stop eating it). However, I will say that red potatoes are still worth including in your diet. (at least 1-2 once a week), especially baked.

We already know that a person is made up of various nutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates), which are in a certain percentage, so, in the food pyramid, the ratio of these substances is as follows: 60-70% carbohydrates; 15-20% squirrel; 20-25% fat If you are engaged in bodybuilding and your goal is to build muscle mass, then the optimal percentage of the main nutrients will look like this: 50-60% carbohydrates; 20-25% squirrel; 10-15% fat

So, now let’s go over the edges of the pyramid in more detail and consider practical recommendations for each product group.

Whole grain products. Bread and porridge are our food

This is how you can succinctly characterize the products of the first group of the base of the pyramid - this is exactly the complex of “correct” carbohydrates (energy sources), which, along with plant fibers (fiber) and vitamins, give us the necessary long-lasting charge for the whole day. We have already talked about specific products above, now a few words about portions. At first glance, the recommended value in 6-11 portions may seem simply unrealistic, but if you take a closer look, everything is real.

For example, a medium plate (volume 400-450 ml) at breakfast - this is already from 3 before 4 product portions (pasta or porridge), one more at dinner and that’s the norm for you. Many people are wary of carbohydrates, as they say they cause weight gain. However, if you buy exactly those types of products (which are listed above) and minimize the addition of various “goodies” (sugar, oil - in porridge, gravy - in pasta), then there will simply be nothing to fear. Therefore, in one hand - bread with bran, in the other - a plate of rolled oats, and so on all day :).

Fruits and vegetables

It is necessary to carefully approach the inclusion of fruits and vegetables in your diet, because it is not for nothing that they form the basis of the pyramid (its first face). Here are some simple tips that will help you:

• Eat a variety of fruits (let’s say Monday/Wednesday – bananas, apples, other days – oranges, pears, persimmons);
• Foods high in vitamin C (lemon, kiwi) and vitamin A (Carrots, cabbage) should become your faithful companions;
• If it's winter, frozen vegetables are fine. So buy different mixes of vegetable salads, and everything will be a bundle!

Protein products

Choosing proteins wisely is the main building component of muscles; this is, of course, science, but not Newton’s binomial. In a nutshell, then choose:

• Lean meats: beef - sirloin, tenderloin, minced meat; veal – chops, escalope; lamb - legs, pieces of shoulder;
• Poultry: chicken, turkey, goose;
• Legumes: peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas;
• Seafood: shrimp, squid, milk:
• Low-fat fish: tuna, cod, sockeye salmon.

Dairy

Everything is simple here - consume a sufficient amount of various milk derivatives:

• Kefir, fermented baked milk, Varenets, cream;
• Lactic drinks;
• Hard cheeses (parmesan, Dutch);
• Cottage cheese (including low fat).

Fats

This is not only extra pounds, but also a reserve source of energy, so knowing the measure and the right foods, you can safely consume them. There are three types of fats:

• Saturated – found in meat and dairy products. Consumption should be less 1 /3 from the total amount of fat consumed;
• Polyunsaturated – found in fish oil, corn, soybeans and should be more than 1 /3 diet;
• Monounsaturated – found in olives, peanuts and should be more than 1 /3 diet.

Use them wisely - i.e. If you decide to eat a couple of pieces of red fish (salmon), then balance your fat intake with, say, rice, then everything will be fine. So, it is convenient to represent the recommended servings per day for each brick of the pyramid using a picture (see image).

Now, in general, let’s talk about the food pyramid and the pillars on which it is based. It is important to understand that although the food pyramid is your food basket for every day, so to speak, it should not be perceived as a rigid, categorical guide to nutrition. No, this is a flexible tool that allows you to choose from a huge variety of products (included in the concept of healthy eating), suitable for you.

It should also be borne in mind that the food pyramid will give maximum effect when certain conditions are met, and they sound like this:

• Combine your diet so that your body can receive a variety of calories and nutrients;
• The food eaten should be balanced by physical activity;
• Giving preference to food with a lot of cereals, vegetables, fruits, do not forget about white/red meat and seafood;
• Minimize your consumption of white sugar (brown is possible), salt and alcohol;
• In the pyramid, its three lower floors are especially highlighted (5 product categories). Products from these categories cannot be replaced with others, i.e. no group is more important than another;
• Include only fresh foods in your diet, avoiding prepared foods that require heating.
• When purchasing products, do not forget to study information about their nutritional and energy value by looking at the label (read more below).

Nutritional and energy value of the product: study the label

Few people pay due attention to such an inconspicuous, but very valuable attribute of a product as a label. It often reflects:

• The composition of the product, going in descending order - this means that the most “weighty” (more everything by weight) the ingredient comes first;
• Information about the nutritional and energy value of the product, i.e. amount of nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, etc.) contained in the product. Therefore, you can understand as much as possible how this type of product corresponds to your healthy eating principles;
• Information about the caloric content of the product on 100 gr. or portion;
• Methods (recipes) for preparing the product;
• Information about the content of vitamins and minerals. Indicated only when 100 g (ml) of the product contains at least 15% recommended daily intake;
• Information about food additives, dyes, preservatives (If there are any);
• Storage conditions, shelf life and production technology/standard (GOST, TU).

A typical product label looks like this (see image).

So, let's move on to the last point for today.

The Food Pyramid: How to Make It Work for You

We have already said above that for each category of foods on the food pyramid there are certain recommended servings (or rather, their range, see image).

So how many servings should a particular person eat?

It all depends on the number of calories you need. They vary according to gender, age, size (physique) and degree of physical activity. It can definitely be said that the minimum number of servings (lower limit of range) should be present in the diet of any person. Specifically by age group, the distribution of calories is as follows:

• 1600 kcal – sedentary women and elderly people;
• 2200 kcal – most children, teenagers, active women (including pregnant women) and sedentary men;
• 2800 kcal – active men and some very active (I would even say, catchy :)) women.

Note:

It is worth noting that for training athletes (bodybuilders), the number of calories will be approximately as follows:

• for women - 2500-2800 kcal;
• for men - 2800-3400 kcal

For greater clarity, consider the table (see table), which tells us how many servings we need to eat for our specific calorie level.

Note:

1 ounce corresponds approximately 30 gr

For example, if you are an active woman who needs 2200 kcal per day, then 9 servings of cereals (rice, bread, cereal) will be the optimal value for you. You can also use up to 200 grams of meat/seafood and keep the fat level (top of the pyramid) at 70-75 grams/day.

So, we’ve sorted that out, let’s move on to the final part. (well, finally, I deigned to :)).

In general, the food pyramid has undergone more than one reincarnation, i.e. it is revised from time to time, rearranged, supplemented, in general, played with the form. Below you can see how it has evolved over the years. (see image).

Currently, the basic principles of the pyramid are as follows: physical activity (recently), moderation, variety, proportionality and individuality.

Note:

There are also other types of pyramids, for example:

• Pyramid for vegetarians (plant origin)- does not contain meat and/or dairy products, fish, eggs;
• The Mediterranean pyramid is based on grain products, vegetables/fruits, and olive oil, followed by fish and seafood.

Summarizing all of the above, we can say that the food pyramid is a universal tool that allows a person to choose the products he needs from the main groups, focusing only on the recommended portions. Thus, it turns out that, on the one hand, there are clear recommendations and specific instructions, and on the other hand, an individual approach to the food basket of each individual person is maintained. What else do you need?

Afterword

Somehow like this. Today we have discussed the main points regarding the food pyramid, namely, what it is and what it is eaten with :). We will quickly look at each individual facet of the pyramid in more detail and find out why products of a particular group are important and how to evaluate your diet. (for correct compliance with the food pyramid), resorting to a small test, as well as what cholesterol is and much more interesting things.

Well, in order to keep abreast of events and not miss anything interesting, become a full-fledged participant in the project “through the subscription form. Until we meet again, I was glad to see and hear you all, success!

PS. Have something to say? Don’t keep it to yourself, give a voice to your inner self, write an evil kind comment.

P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it in your social network status - plus 100 points to karma, guaranteed.

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

When it comes to nutrition, it is difficult to determine what is useful and what is harmful. The food industry spends billions of dollars every year to influence our choices, and the media feeds us with all kinds of news from the world of nutrition almost daily.
There is so much information and it is so contradictory that the question of choice arises acutely. reliable source, which can be relied upon in this matter.
I want to talk about a book that became such a source for me. Maybe, this is the most useful book of the ones I've read this year. Approximate post size? 7 pages.

The book “Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating” (in Russian translation - “”) was written by a famous nutritionist, Professor Walter Willett from Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Willett is at the helm of the largest nutritional cohort studies examining long term effects of nutrition on the development of diseases.

The scale of the research is impressive; for example, data on the diet of more than 100,000 people has been collected and analyzed over several decades.

The results of such studies and the conclusions drawn from them formed the basis of the so-called Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid.

As is clear from the picture (I apologize for the quality of the scan), this pyramid recommends including in the diet the maximum amount of foods located at its base and lower tiers, and reducing the number of foods at the top.

The 11 chapters of this book detail the scientific evidence on which the pyramid was built.

Key features of the Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid:

• regular monitoring and maintenance of normal weight;
• replacing saturated and trans fats in the diet with unsaturated (healthy) fats;
• replacing processed grains with whole grains;
• eating healthier sources of protein: nuts, legumes, poultry and fish;
• an abundance of fruits and vegetables in the diet;
• moderate alcohol consumption;
• taking a daily multivitamin.

The Harvard Pyramid represents the optimal long-term strategy for healthy eating. Its purpose is to encourage you to eat familiar foods that, according to research results, promote health and reduce the likelihood occurrence of chronic diseases.

Below I offer a selection of the main points from this book. Perhaps some of them will surprise you.

Key ideas of the book

• The numbers that the scale shows you are the second most important factor (after smoking) that determines your health.
• Maintaining a healthy weight is much more important for long-term health than the amount of antioxidants in your diet or the exact ratio of fats to carbohydrates.
• Body mass index (BMI) (an indicator that takes into account the ratio of height and weight) will help you determine your normal weight.

• If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight regardless of whether your calories come from protein, fat, or carbohydrates. 500 kcal, obtained from ice cream, red meat or pasta, will have exactly the same effect on your weight.
• Physical activity is critical for weight control for two main reasons: it helps you burn calories that would otherwise turn into fat, and it helps you build muscle mass, or at least maintain what you have.
• The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn, even while you're resting.

• Eating healthy fats (unsaturated) and avoiding unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fats) ranks second after weight control on the list of the most beneficial health-improving dietary measures.
• Fats found in nuts, grains, fish and liquid vegetable oils (olive, canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, peanut and others) are healthy, especially if consumed instead of saturated and trans fats.
• Olive oil is one of the best sources of unsaturated fats and is as versatile as butter. You can roast vegetables in it, cook chicken and fish, use it for salad dressings, and even dip bread in it - as they do in Spain, Italy and Greece - instead of spreading butter.
• Exist reliable evidence that consuming unsaturated fats helps prevent coronary heart disease and other chronic diseases.
• Try to reduce the amount of saturated fat as much as possible, eating only occasionally red meat, whole milk products and butter. And if possible, avoid trans fats (margarine, shortening).
• About 70% of the trans fats we consume are hidden in finished products (crackers, muffins, cookies, restaurant food). Sometimes they can be recognized by the inscriptions on the packaging: “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil”, “vegetable confectionery fat”.

• The healthy eating pyramid includes two types of carbohydrates: whole grain carbohydrates (at the base) and refined, easily digestible carbohydrates at the very top (along with sodas and sweets).
• When you consume carbohydrates, your blood sugar (glucose) levels rise. White bread, cornflakes and other refined carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to rise sharply and rapidly, while whole grains, legumes and most fruits and vegetables raise blood sugar levels slowly and not as much.
• The glycemic index and glycemic load are measures of how a food affects blood sugar levels. The smaller they are, the slower the blood sugar level rises and the healthier the product is.
• Consuming whole grains, unprocessed grains has clear long-term health benefits and protects us from diabetes, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal dysfunction.
• A good way to increase your intake of whole grains is to start the day with whole grain porridge and use brown rice and wholemeal pasta as a side dish.

• The best sources of protein are legumes and nuts, as well as fish, poultry and eggs.
• When choosing a protein source, you need to pay attention to what goes into your body. with him. A serving of salmon contains 19 grams of protein, 2 grams of saturated fat, and 7.4 grams of healthy unsaturated fat. A standard hamburger contains the same amount of protein, but has more saturated fat (4.5 g) and only 5 g of unsaturated fat.
• Soy and soy supplements should be treated with the same caution that you would treat a new drug that has not been clinically tested.
• Proteins should be consumed in moderation, because... too much protein can lead to calcium deficiency.
• Nuts are the perfect healthy snack for every day.

• A diet rich in vegetables and fruits helps lower blood pressure, reduces the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases and cancer, prevents digestive disorders, and also helps maintain good vision in old age.
• Research shows that eating potatoes does not provide the same benefits that other vegetables and fruits provide our body.
• Despite the fact that any fruit and vegetable contains many different beneficial elements, none of them can boast of having all the necessary substances. Therefore, their diversity is important.
• The easiest way to ensure variety is to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible in different colors and from different families (pumpkin, cruciferous, legumes, lilies, citrus, nightshade and umbelliferae).
• Frozen vegetables and fruits are almost as healthy as fresh ones.

• Plain water is an ideal liquid.
• Carbonated water is pure calories, devoid of nutrients, plus the risk of diabetes (a small can of cola has 7-9 tablespoons of sugar).
• Juice - drink in moderation. Half a glass in the morning won't hurt, but a few glasses a day can add hundreds of extra calories to your diet. And it's better not to abuse it grapefruit juice
• Coffee is a completely safe product. Its dubious reputation stems from the fact that the studies that showed coffee was harmful did not take into account habits such as smoking, which often go hand in hand with coffee drinking. More carefully controlled studies showed that it was smoking that caused health problems. In moderation, coffee does not pose a serious threat and may even be useful in preventing certain diseases.
• Tea is ok, but coffee is even healthier. Template break.
• Alcohol - in moderation serves to prevent cardiovascular disease for middle-aged and elderly people. A 28-year-old man has an extremely low likelihood of developing coronary heart disease, and drinking alcohol in the future is useless.
• “My colleagues and I studied the lifestyle and habits of 40,000 men for 12 years. "When we compared the health of men who drank less than one drink per week with those who drank at least three drinks per week, we found that the latter were 30% less likely to have a heart attack."
• “As for women, it is more difficult to determine the acceptable norm. The benefits of one drink a day may be slightly outweighed by a slight increase in the incidence of breast cancer. This problem can be avoided by taking adequate amounts of folic acid (minimum 400 mg/day).”
• One drink a day three or more times a week is much healthier than three or more drinks a day once a week.
• If you don't drink alcohol, you don't have to start doing so; the same results can be achieved through exercise and a healthy diet.
• The harm from alcohol abuse has not been canceled.
• Milk - we do not need dairy products, but calcium.
• The best preventative measure is one that prevents one disease without causing another. Consuming plenty of dairy products has always been considered the main way to prevent osteoporosis and brittle bones. Such a practice not only does not meet all the requirements of a preventive measure, it cannot be called such at all.
• Most studies do not support the claim that increasing calcium in the diet alone prevents bone breakage in old age, and two to three glasses of milk a day have not been shown to prevent bone fractures. Moreover, consumption of dairy products fraught a number of both proven and potential problems.

• A vitamin is a nutrient that is not produced in the body and must be obtained from other sources. They are divided into fat-soluble (accumulate in the body) and water-soluble (do not accumulate).
• Vitamins will not eliminate the consequences of poor nutrition, but they will fill gaps in the diet that even the most conscientious advocate of healthy food has.
• Taking a daily multivitamin is especially important for those whose bodies do not absorb vitamins from food well, those who do not want or cannot get out in the sun and fresh air every day, and those who drink alcohol.
• The less retinol (no more than 2000 IU) and the more beta-carotene contained in multivitamins, the better.
• Vitamin D is definitely worth taking extra.

Conclusion and useful links

The book is written in simple language and is very easy to read. I have already organized a compulsory reading queue among family and friends.

Many of the tips from the book can easily be converted into practical actions: our family has already begun to eat more whole grain cereals, recently we even prepared a dish from bulgur wheat for the first time - it turned out very tasty. We also began snacking on nuts more often, replaced white rice with brown rice, and reduced our intake of dairy products.

Since the release of “” in 2005, dietetics has undoubtedly stepped forward. If you want nutrition advice based on the latest science, I'm from the Faculty of Health Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. This is simply a treasure trove of useful information, especially good on individual topics.