Spring 2005

New version of FDA's food pyramid to debut this year

The most recognizable symbol of good nutrition, the government’s food pyramid, has had a makeover.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will release its new version of the food guide in 2005. Earlier this year, the USDA released its 2005 “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” report, which the food pyramid is based on and is used to illustrate.

The update, which many consider long overdue, will be the first USDA pyramid revision since 1996.

“The first food pyramid was poorly understood by the public,” says Lance Luria, MD, FACP, associate medical director of St. John’s Health Plans and an internal medicine physician. “And, in our zest to decrease total fat consumption, Americans have inadvertently created the problem of over-consumption of carbohydrates that are not high in nutritional value, such as white bread, white rice and processed ‘low-fat’ snack foods.”

The new guidelines also emphasize nutrient- and fiber-rich carbohydrates, such as vegetables and whole grains.

“White bread, white rice, potatoes, snacks and sweets have high glycemic indexes - meaning that it takes your body no time to process them and turn them into sugar,” Luria says. “The updated pyramid will also explain what a ‘serving’ is, in terms of cups or ounces. Most people have no idea how much food a serving actually is.”

Additionally, Luria notes, “not all fats are created equal.” The USDA’s new guidelines encourage healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) such as those found in olive oil, nuts, other plant products and fish.

“The first pyramid didn’t adequately distinguish between healthy and unhealthy forms of fat, lumping them all together with the advice to ‘use sparingly,’” Luria says. “We now believe that the monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats may be good for your heart.”
Saturated fat, found in whole milk and fatty red meat, and trans fatty acids, found in many margarines and vegetable shortenings, are the fats that should be limited. These types of fats contribute to clogging of the arteries, which can lead to heart disease, stroke and other health problems.

The updated food pyramid will also provide better guidance on healthy carbohydrate intake and servings, Luria says, and will encourage eating whole fruits and vegetables rather than fruit and vegetable juices, which contain no fiber.

Glycemic index

The higher the glycemic index of a food, the greater demand the food puts on your insulin system. Another measurement, glycemic load, takes into account both a food’s glycemic index and how much carbohydrate the food delivers in a single serving. Most fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains (smart carbs) have low glycemic loads, which means their sugars enter the bloodstream gradually, placing lower demand on the insulin system. An increase in insulin makes your body store fat.

Principles of St. John's Healthy Eating for Life Program

• Eat breakfast, preferably one with protein and complex carbs such as oatmeal, oat grain bread or high-fiber cereal such as All-Bran, Kashi or Grape Nuts. Breakfast starts your metabolism and feeds your brain.
• Buy, prepare and eat lean protein foods such as turkey, sirloin and chicken breast and low-fat milk products.
• Eat complex, smart carbs such as whole grains, fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables.
• Eat five times a day, incorporating protein and smart carbs each time, to keep your blood sugar up and hunger down.
• Go nuts – on nuts, that is. Eating 1 to 2 oz. of nuts – even peanut butter – can improve your health. Women who eat a handful of nuts at last five times per week have a 27 percent lower risk for type 2 diabetes.
• Go easy on the portions, especially when eating out. Order a salad and share meals when possible or eat half of what’s on your plate and save the rest for lunch or dinner the next day.
• Avoid fried foods and choose extra vegetables or a salad instead of bread or potatoes.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Plan your snacks.
• Eliminate white sugar, soda, white rice and white bread.
• Learn to read nutrition labels.
• Exercise for 50 minutes, five times a week.

“No one diet fits all people. The most important goals are to not do your body any harm, and to outline a healthy eating plan for life by incorporating healthy protein and smart carbs,” says Susan Blackard, R.N., vice president of St. John’s Corporate Health & Wellness Services and author of “The Low-Carb vs. Low-Fat Dilemma,” a St. John’s educational program. “The key to reaching and maintaining your target weight is to couple healthy eating for life (not dieting) with exercise to deactivate your fat cells. Yo-yo dieting makes you store even more fat.”