FOODS

The food pyramid. Typically known as the pretty little guide that tells us what foods we should be enjoying most, what foods we should be enjoying the least, always full of grains and advocating margarine. Traditionally, the food pyramid was used as an educational tool for understanding what’s healthy and what balances the diet in line with the current dietary guidelines. The Nutrition Australia food pyramid sure has evolved over the past 30 years but nothing as exciting as the recent 2015 transformation…

In the past, breads and cereals filled the primary ‘eat most’ space on the guide. It’s been a tricky area to govern as more and more people in this time have been gaining weight from diets rich in processed carbohydrates and high calories. While many wholegrain versions are nutrient rich (such as b vitamins and magnesium) they are also energy dense. And with many people living sedentary lives – the need for such energy dense foods is far fewer.

Something had to change.

Now vegetables have taken centre stage and the food groups are much more defined. The healthy eating pyramid now has five levels to represent what we should eat in a typical day of eating:

Unlike the old version, the new pyramid will no longer advocate junk foods and sugar to the ‘eat in small amounts’ area, banishing them from the pyramid altogether. Nutrition Australia have said “In 2015 our aim was to mostly convey what we should eat in a day, not what we should restrict.” Which we couldn’t agree on more, eating well should be about finding healthy alternatives and flavours you love, not about restricting and having your indulgences with a side of the guilts.

What’s great about the pyramid is that it now focusing more on macronutrients: carbohydrate, protein and fats – all essential foods we should have a balance of each day needed in large amounts for energy. And although there is still a large emphasis on grains we think it’s a pretty great step in the right direction:

Variety: eat the rainbow

More vegetables: have a garden party with every plate

Protein Perspective: with plant based options

Healthy fats: embrace olive oil, avocado, fish and nuts

Herbs and spices: added flavor and added nutrition