What does it mean to eat healthily? It is important to eat a balanced diet–including lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and protein, while limiting fats and sugars. You may have seen a food pyramid or MyPlate graphic at your school cafeteria. These are visual representations of how many servings you should eat every day from each of the basic food groups. The Trump administration has recently released a new food pyramid with new guidelines. Here, btw takes a closer look at the changes.
What is a Food Pyramid?
In 1992, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the first U.S. food pyramid, which broke down the basic food groups. It helped guide Americans on how much of each type of food they should eat each day. Every five years, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services work together to review and update the food pyramid. In 2011, the pyramid was replaced by “MyPlate,” a picture of a round plate broken into sections for each food group. Now, the Trump administration, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has introduced what they are calling the “New Pyramid.” It returns to the pyramid idea of the 1990s and 2000s but presents the new information upside down.
What Does the New Pyramid Show?
The new pyramid is inverted (upside down), with the widest area at the top and the narrowest at the bottom. The top, widest of the protein is divided between protein, dairy and healthy fats, vegetables, and fruit. The bottom, or smallest, part of the pyramid contains whole grains. This is different from previous nutrition models, which showed whole grains as a larger percentage of the daily food requirement.
The new model emphasizes protein and whole-fat dairy, as well as fruits and vegetables. It deemphasizes whole grains. It calls for Americans to consume protein at every meal, and to avoid ultra-processed foods and added sugars. Secretary Kennedy has said that the goal of the new pyramid is to reduce high levels of obesity and diabetes, especially in children.
Major Changes
The biggest change in the new pyramid is the emphasis on protein. It increases the daily protein recommendation from 50 percent to 100percent—meaning that protein should be eaten at every meal. Protein can come from animal products (such as eggs, seafood, and poultry), or from plant-based sources (such as beans, nuts, and soy). So how do you know if you’re getting enough protein? The new guidelines say that you should eat about 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight.
Another important change is the emphasis on consuming more dairy products, and on what kind of dairy products to consume. Previously, it was thought that skim milk and yogurt were best. But the new guidelines recommend full-fat dairy instead. Nutritional scientists say that scientific studies don’t really indicate which type of milk is best for your health. It’s possible that consuming full-fat dairy products will help fill you up better and make you snack less. But full-fat dairy also contains more calories.
The new guidelines also say to limit consumption of added sugars and ultra processed foods, such as chips, cookies, and candy. These have been linked to obesity, heart disease, and cancer. Sugary drinks, such as soda, should also be limited. The guidelines state that added sugars should be eliminated altogether for infants and young children.
What Do Scientists Say?
Overall, most scientists agree that the new pyramid’s emphasis on whole foods, rather than processed food products, is positive.
However, nutritionists debate whether such a significant increase in protein is really necessary. They say that most Americans already get enough protein in their diets. Also, there is a possible conflict of interest to consider: four out of the nine scientists involved in drafting the new guidelines have received funding from the meat and dairy industries.
Some nutritionists also take issue with the new recommendation that people cook with fats, such as butter and beef tallow. Secretary Kennedy refers to these as healthy fats, but scientists argue that saturated fats increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity.
So why do food pyramids even matter? These guidelines are not requirements, and many people will eat whatever and however they want to. However, the new guidelines could have a big change on school meal programs. These federal guidelines may affect which foods are available in schools and which are not.