Taste
Building on what we eat
By Sandra Gordon
Health and Fitness News Service
 |
The pyramid also has been used prescriptively: to show which types of food we should eat, with those that are healthiest or most highly recommended at the base, and foods that should be limited (because of their potential to promote weight gain and heart disease and other ailments) at the top.
The concept came out of research on the common diet of people in the Mediterranean, whose pyramid was heavy on carbohydrates (pasta, polenta and other grain foods, with vegetables and fruits on the next rung up), light on proteins and oils (seafood and olive oil. with a smattering of meat).
Unfortunately, if we drew a pyramid of the American diet of today, we'd see highly refined carbohydrates (breads, potatoes, white rice), protein (meats and chicken) and fats occupying the pyramid base with less refined carbohydrates (whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables) at the top.
And climbing that particular pyramid is a sure route to weight gain and health problems for most of us. Maybe it's time to try another approach.
To help you decide if a different diet would better suit your goals — and your taste buds — here's a guide to five healthy diet plans. Which one suits you best?
Asian pyramid
Motto: "Make meat the side dish."
This plan is great if you: Crave seafood, fruits, legumes, nuts and veggies.
It's not for you if you: Love red meat and eggs; have high blood pressure (Asian cuisine is high in sodium); are allergic to nuts, seafood or shellfish or have a very busy schedule (most of these dishes require plenty of preparation time).
You'll lose weight if you: Eat your veggies and low-fat protein sources (fish and tofu); steer clear of takeout (Americanized Asian food is fatty) and stay active. Daily exercise is a significant part of the Asian lifestyle, with few people owning cars and many people participating in work- or neighborhood-sponsored exercise programs daily in Japan, China and elsewhere.
Here's what you get to eat: Daily — rice, noodles, breads, millet, corn, other unrefined grains; fruits; legumes, nuts and seeds; vegetables; vegetable oils. Optional daily — fish and shellfish, tofu, low-fat dairy products. Weekly or more often in very small amounts: eggs, poultry, sweets. Monthly or more often in very small amounts: meat.
Estimated total daily percentages from carbohydrates/protein/fat: 65/15/20
Convenience/taste: If you like traditional Chinese, Japanese and other Asian food, you'll be in heaven. Be ready to shop and chop; you'll need fresh ingredients daily.
Health benefits: Judging by Asia's low rate of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, this diet is one of the world's healthiest.
Health risks: Dairy products are nearly absent, so osteoporosis is a concern.
Food for thought: Meat and potatoes fans, listen up. When planning dinner, think starch first (as in rice or noodles), then what meat (if any) to flavor it with.
Mediterranean pyramid
Motto: "Pour on the olive oil."
This plan is great if you: Have the time to buy fresh produce several times a week; can resist the temptation to eat processed foods; are an oenophile (a glass or two of wine with dinner is recommended)
It's not for you if you: Like getting your daily protein from red meat; are carbohydrate-sensitive or find it hard to control portion sizes.
You'll lose weight if you: Reduce the fat percentage by going easy on the oils and cheese, and relish the whole grains and the fruit- and veggie-rich aspect of this diet; stay active (daily exercise is a big part of this diet, thanks to the physically hard-working Greek lifestyle that inspired it).
What you get to eat: Daily — breads and grains (pasta, rice, couscous, polenta, bulgur); fruits and vegetables, beans, other legumes and nuts; cheese, yogurt and other dairy; olive oil and olives. A few times a week: fish, poultry, eggs, sweets. A few times a month: lean red meat. Optional: wine, in moderation with meals (1 or 2 glasses a day for women and men, respectively.)
Estimated total daily percentages from carbohydrates/protein/fat: 50/10/40.
Convenience/taste: The Mediterranean diet can be delicious. But preparing meals from grains, fruits and vegetables isn't always quick and easy; be prepared to spend more time in the kitchen.
Health benefits: This diet has all the many benefits of a plant-based diet. A glass of red wine with dinner has also been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
Health risks: Alcohol may increase your risk of breast cancer. And though olive oil is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, it's still 100 percent fat. (Consider buying an oil spritzer and filling it with olive oil to reduce the amount you eat; these devices, found in kitchen supply stores, work like those cans of Pam, but you do the pressurizing by pumping on the top.)
Food for thought: Grains, fruits and vegetables are the real assets here.
USDA pyramid
Motto: "Everything in moderation."
This plan is great if you: Normally consume a lot of fat and not very many fruits and vegetables (it will help get you on the right track without being too unfamiliar); are willing to stick to the recommended serving sizes.
It's not for you if you: Can't limit your carbohydrate intake; don't want to learn the recommended serving sizes, which are actually quite small.
You'll lose weight if you: Exercise regularly (three times a week for 20 minutes or more); stick to the lowest number of servings under each of the five main food groups, practice portion control and keep total daily calorie intake around 1,300 to 1,500.
What you get to eat: Daily servings — breads, cereals and grains, 6 to 11 servings (and these servings are generally in the half-cup or palm of the hand size-range); fruits, 2 to 4; vegetables, 3 to 5; meat, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes, fish, 2 or 3; milk, cheese, yogurt, 2 or 3; fats, sweets, oils and alcoholic beverages, sparingly.
Total daily percentages from carbohydrates/protein/fat: 50/20/30.
Convenience/taste: Meals can be simple to prepare. Feel free to boost flavor with herbs, spices and low-fat condiments like salsa or lemon juice.
Health benefits: This varied, plant-based diet covers all your basic nutritional needs.
Health risks: Gaining weight, if you indulge in hefty portions or eat the maximum number of servings.
Food for thought: Serving sizes are smaller than you may be used to. (One serving of cooked veggies is just à cup; a serving of milk is 1 cup; a serving of cooked lean meat is 2 to 3 ounces.)
Latin American pyramid
Motto: "Beans, rice and fruit, every day."
This plan is great if you: Don't mind forgoing meat and love rice and beans.
It's not for you if you: Are a picky eater (this cuisine includes many foods that may be unfamiliar to you, like plantains and okra); can't shop almost daily; don't have the opportunity or patience to prepare time-consuming meals; have a love affair with butter, sweets and eggs.
You'll lose weight if you: Copy the traditional Latin diet by eating your main meal, and the bulk of your calories, in the middle of the day; stay active; don't indulge too heavily in chocolate, another cultural staple of this plan.
What you get to eat: At every meal — fruits like limes, bananas, guavas and papayas; beans or grains like quinoa and rice; tubers like sweet potatoes and plantains; nuts; vegetables like kale, cactus, eggplant, turnips and okra. Daily or less often — fish or shellfish; plant oils (soy, corn or olive) and milk products; poultry or pork. Occasionally or in small quantities — beef, lamb, eggs, pudding, cookies.
Estimated total daily percentages from carbs/protein/fat: 50/20/30.
Convenience/taste: Some Latin American staples, such as quinoa and plantains, may be hard to find in your area.
Health benefits: All the many benefits of a plant-based diet.
Health risks: Minimal.
Food for thought: Don't confuse the dishes in this diet with Tex-Mex fare like fried chimichangas; it essentially is a south-of-the-border version of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, with grains and beans playing bigger roles as protein sources.
Vegetarian pyramid
Motto: "Do your homework."
This plan is great if you: Are organized enough to incorporate protein, iron and calcium into your daily diet via either food or supplements; invest in a cookbook (for creative and healthy ideas); live near health-food, organic foods or specialty-foods stores.
It's not for you if you: Love meat (duh!) and don't like beans (your chief source of protein); don't like giving a lot of thought or planning to your meals.
You'll lose weight if you: Choose wisely when it comes to protein (low-fat tofu or beans, not fat-laden nuts and cheeses); avoid heavy sauces, and limit oil and butter when cooking.
What you get to eat: At every meal — fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Daily — nuts, seeds, egg whites, soy milk and dairy, plant oils. Occasionally — whole eggs, sweets. Optional: wine, beer. Never — meat.
Estimated total daily percentages from carbs/protein/fat: 59/15/26 for vegans (who omit all animal products); 54/18/28 for lacto-ovo vegetarians (who also eat milk products and eggs).
Convenience/taste: If you don't eat dairy, you may need to acquire a taste for fortified soy milk.
Health benefits: Compared to meat eaters, vegetarians report a lower incidence of obesity, heart disease and cancer.
Health risks: Osteoporosis is a concern because getting enough calcium is a challenge. So is getting enough iron and vitamins B12 and D.
Food for thought: Today, more supermarkets carry products like soy milk, frozen vegetarian meals and various tofu products than they used to do so being a healthy vegetarian is easier now.
