Learning to make sense of the food pyramid
The Food Guide Pyramid was designed in 1992 to help people outline what they should eat based on the Dietary Guidelines for the United States Department of Agriculture.
It was designed for Americans who regularly eat foods from all five major food groups. The pyramid can help direct students towards a healthier diet.
The pyramid suggests eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients needed. At the same time, it is suggested to get the right amount of calories to maintain healthy weight, according to the Food and Nutrition Information Center.
Tamara Vitale, a clinical assistant professor, said The Food Guide Pyramid is a more visual representation of what a healthy diet should be.
“It is a pattern for daily choices based on servings,” Vitale said.
Vitale compared application of the food pyramid to using a car. You start up with a tune-up rather than going into overhaul, she said.
Time is always a concern for college students.
“A healthy diet doesn’t have to be time-consuming and expensive,” Vitale said. “Think of it as easy.”
Starting from the bottom of the food pyramid, it advises eating six to 11 servings from the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group; two to four servings of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables per day.
College students don’t get enough fruits and vegetables. Most people eat a lot of meat and protein, Vitale said.
If students think fruit is too expensive, they can add dried fruit to their diet, Vitale said.
The third level of the pyramid is also divided into two parts. On the right side is meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts, of which a person should eat two to three servings. The milk, yogurt and cheese group requires the same servings.
The top level of the pyramid is the group that should be used sparingly, including fats, oils and sweets.
Vitale said 90 percent of what students eat should follow The Food Guide Pyramid.
“The other 10 percent,” Vitale said, “Enjoy yourself.”
Vitale encourages students to eat snacks throughout the day. Taking a pack of juice, fruit and a granola bar or an apple can help students be less vulnerable to eating whatever they see, Vitale said.
Vitale recommended some quick and healthy snacks and meals for students to have throughout the day.
For breakfast, grab a glass of juice and throw a granola bar and a banana in your backpack. Other snacks that are healthy include pretzels, carrot sticks, raisins, yogurt or hard-boiled eggs. All of these snacks come from The Food Guide Pyramid.
When lunch rolls around, there’s nothing wrong with sandwiches with lean meat loaded with tomatoes and vegetables, Vitale said.
Finally, for dinner, bean burritos or boiled pasta will serve as a healthy meal, Vitale said.
Following The Food Guide Pyramid can be simple and help students eat healthier.
“Don’t be overwhelmed with what you should and should not eat,” Vitale said.