There are more than a few road blocks between you and healthy eating. From the convenience of fast foods to the multi-billion dollar marketing machines of the major processed food manufacturers, it can sometimes seem like the odds are against you ever eating healthily or losing weight.
Another problem is the often confusing information you get about exactly what foods are or are not healthy. One day you’ll read that “gluten is your worst enemy” and then later “gluten is OK”; or “saturated fats are bad” then “saturated fats are not so bad”. So even if you get over all the other hurdles to healthy eating, and you’re committed your weight loss program and proper nutrition, you still might know where to start.
Graphic food guides and pyramids can help by offering a visual representation of the right foods and the proper proportion they should have in your diet. But even pyramids produced by reliable sources can be subject to the diet trends of the time. You won’t have to look for long before you spot conflicting information from one food guide to the next.
The Healthy Eating Pyramid
Nutrition Australia recently updated their Healthy Eating Pyramid, which was first released in 2013. Instead of using information from any single source, which can conflict with other sources, the dietary guidelines in the Healthy Eating Pyramid are the result of a detailed review of over 50,000 research papers.
It’s as close as we have to a reflection of all the scientific research into healthy eating that we have at the moment. And here’s what it tells you about healthy eating, getting the right nutrition and making it easier to manage your weight:
Load Up on Vegetables (and Fruit)
Mom was right. Vegetables are good for you and should be a major part of your diet. Along with legumes and fruit, they occupy the largest segment at the base of the food pyramid.
Eat Healthy Whole Grains
Occupying the second largest segment of the pyramid, carbohydrates are not the enemy that many fad diets can lead you to believe. In the right proportion, and from healthy sources, carbs are a necessary part of a healthy diet.
Get Your Protein from Dairy & Lean Meats
The pyramid shows that it’s a good idea to get your protein from a mix of meat and non-meat sources because each one offers a different variety of nutrients.
Make Sure You Get Some Fats – Good fats help keep your heart and brain in good working order. But their position at the top of the pyramid means you must be careful not to consume too much fat. The scientific evidence still shows you should limit the amount of saturated fat we eat.
Limit Salt & Sugar
The evidence continues to show that you should avoid added salt and sugar in your diet. If you do, you will reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and weight gain.
Drink Water
It keeps you hydrated and your system running smoothly.
You won’t find the perfect food guide on the internet or anywhere else. That’s because your body type, lifestyle and nutrition and weight loss goals are different to everyone else’s. Online food pyramids are good guidelines, but you need a diet and nutrition plan developed specifically for you to get the results you want. The nutrition consultants at your local Herbal One Centre are ready to help get you started.