USDA Unveils New Food Chart: No More Pyramid Schemes

Categories: Nutrition

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This morning the USDA unveiled their new food chart, finally replacing the food pyramid which first debuted -- and was trashed pretty much since -- in 1992. The new chart also comes with its own new website, ChooseMyPlate.gov. The food pyramid, you will doubtless remember, is that irritating, confusing and misleading visual nutrition aid that divided foods into recommended layers. Your pyramid scheme joke here ______.

The new chart comes in the form of a plate, plates being somewhat more food relevant than pyramids. And it's the proportions that are changed as much as the geometry: More plant-based foods, less meat. Scientific American asked nutritionist Marion Nestle, who did not like the old one much ("The 2005 pyramid had no food on it. It was completely un-teachable, and you needed a computer to understand it.") what she thought of the new plate chart. "Well, it's banal, but it works. It's very easily teachable."

The George W. Bush administration unveiled an update on the pyramid in 2005: the charmingly named, rainbow striped, baffling MyPyramid, which included online personal food plans. Nobody liked that one either. So now we have a new one, a plate-shaped circular chart that will hopefully depict the government's recommended model for American meals with a bit more clarity. Because nobody wants to be reminded of Bernie Madoff when they're reading their food labels.


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The original pyramid

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The 2005 pyramid

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25 comments
bryanpalma1997
bryanpalma1997

WAIT IS THIS FOR LOSANGELES SCHOOL UNIFIED DISTRICT  OR FOR EVERYONE 

amorwarrior
amorwarrior

--->VERY IMPORTANT READ THIS ALL!!!!!

HUMAN FOOD; Meat, veggies, fruits, nuts. NONHUMAN FOOD; Dairy from other animals, wheat and grains, potatoes, processed sugar and processed leftovers.

Our healthy food chart is equivalent to the diet farmers put there livestock on to fatten them up. Of course, it's logical, our ancestors were fit and thrived for ages off the HUMAN FOOD list. It wasn't until we got introduced to the wheat and grain(which makes our brains smaller), dairy(after first years of life), and processed foods that we all got fat and unhealthy. This isn't about indulging, its about discipline. Ask yourselves, what do we truly put into our sacred temples(body) and what does it really do to us. There is NO REAL SCIENCE to back up grains and wheat as healthy for us. It was purely politics that imbedded that lie into us. But of course, they don't want our brains to continue growing and for us to continue evolving. It's working for the week willed. I refuse to allow my body, mind and health to fall into regression. I am the golden seed and so is mine family. This is more than about health this is about spirituality. What would your ancestors have wanted you to consume. Inbox me for more info and motivation in regards to the REAL HUMAN DIET

FACT #15: You can eat all you want with out restrictions as long as your diet consists of only meat, fat from the meat, veggies, fruits and nuts. The pounds will melt right off your body(no extra exercise needed). If you really must fry your meat make sure its in healthy oil, like olive oil.

FACT #37: Eating grains and wheat results in smaller and weaker face bones, therefore making it impossible to hold a big brain up. This results in a smaller brain for you and your offspring and not enough room in the jaw to hold the wisdom teeth without the excruciating pain. Muscles become smaller, and everything you eat is like eating sugar because the grains retain all the nutrients from other foods(&doesn't allow ur body to absorb them) and forces your body to store it rather then letting the human food burn itself on its own.
You can be the most overfed person and yet the most undernourished

My family all comes from Mexico, they couldn't afford wheats, grains and dairy. They lived off meat, cactus, fruits and vegies and nuts here and there. Ya best believe my dentist told me I got ZERO wisdom teeth to get pulled out. I never had them and I'll never get them because of my genetics. Now some of the new generations of my family got those issues because of the new diets our parents endured in the states. However, they still got strong genes for the dominant traits due to the fact that we are mostly all first generation from our family that came straight from Mexico. Put those genes to good use.
Plus, I have about 10% more muscle mass than I'm suppose to for my height. I ow it to the way my mama ate.

Badone71
Badone71

These so called experts on food are killing Americans with sugar Childern are over-weight, diabetes is runnig rampid. Why? The food pyramid !!!! We were formed as hunter gathers not grain eating milk drinking farmers. Grains and surgars are killing Americans. I was over-weight and diabetic, my cholesterol was high.. I stopped eating sugar, bread, and pasta. I lost 40 pounds in weight I can control my blood sugar now my cholesterol has lowered, and I feel great. Stop teaching our childern to eat sugar. Sugar, bread, grains, pasta are all pure poison to our systems. Our bodies will get enough carbs from the fruits, vegatables, and protein we eat dont be fooled Dr. Atkins was right!!!!!

Richard Im
Richard Im

the new chart in my opinion, best exemplifies a reason, season, and function of its own design.these guidelines are more in depth and easier to follow for educational and everyday life. this "fan" type chart gets a fork and a knife from Richard

Badone71
Badone71

If you brake down the food pyromid its the same formula as HOG feed to make hogs gain more weight and fat so they have more fat to render when they are sluttered. The food pyromide is the great lie. Its designed to keep everyone sick and in the need of a Doctor.

Suzy Q.
Suzy Q.

I cannot believe that this cost nearly 2 million dollars!  The graphic chart is misleading. Where are the food listings for each category?  For example-the old pyramid (not the step one) indicated that protein could not only be meat/fish but eggs, beans, and nuts.  The new chart does not even mention fats. I could go on and on with what is wrong. What a waste of money!      

Challe
Challe

Screw the USDA...

lishu Zheng
lishu Zheng

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Google in the input: = tntn.us ==you can find many brand names, even more surprising is that he will sell you the unexpected o(∩_∩)o

Jay Johnson
Jay Johnson

I like the new one! It's as simple as it gets. They finally got it!

amira77e
amira77e

Great idea. This one is so clear and easy.

tex2
tex2

Here’s someone worse than the food pyramid scheme. Read the information at this link and forward it to everyone you know, so they don’t get scammed: http://texsquixtarblog.blogspo...

dusanmal
dusanmal

Still same old, old problem: grains - quarter of the plate worth. For species that during 99.6% of its evolution couldn't use this resource with any efficiency and still can't use it without industrial production both in raising and preparing. We have not evolved to eat grains, grazing animals did and their intestinal structure is completely different.Claiming grains as any significant part of our diet  is equal to saying that lollipops are important part of our food. Theory that we should eat more grains emerged in 19th Century from hack "doctors" who promoted a product, not from real science.Yes, when we industrially produce and process grains end product is edible and has nutritional value but it is fake food and carries with it consequences (best seen on native populations who haven't eaten this Western diet for long - causing rampant diabetes in those people).

badone71
badone71

I live near the Cherokee Indian reservation in N.C. and due to the white mans infulence of sugar, grains, breads, pastas, alcohol, over two thirds of the reservations population is diabetic or dying of diabetes. Carbohydrates are killing all Americans. If you want to see the dangers of carbohydrates first hand go to any Indian reservation. We are all hunter gathers not wheat famers. Sugar is sugar is sugar !!!

Michelle Hass
Michelle Hass

I would have adjusted it to make protein about the same size as veggies. Fruits and grains should be smaller. I would have also added these words: add "whole" to "grains," "lean" to "protein," and I would have included another small saucer nearby for "vegetable oil, olive oil best." There should also be an adult version which would have a glass nearby, filled about a quarter way with red wine.

Betty Crocka
Betty Crocka

With some three-million Americans suffering from celiac disease -- meaning they have to avoid even traces of gluten (as in the small amount of flour that many tuna canners use to help in the packing process) -- and another thirty-million or so having some form of adverse gluten reaction, the emphasis on grains should be taken with a grain of NaCl. Dairy is also a problem for many people.

We wouldn't need these simple-minded, usually misleading graphics if people would go after a few details by devoting, say, an hour each year to reading a brief article on nutrition at an appropriate level. By "people," I also mean, of course, the average medical doctor.

Dave Lieberman
Dave Lieberman

So people with celiac can't eat brown rice, quinoa, wild rice, corn or buckwheat?

Not betty crocker
Not betty crocker

Sorry Betty Crocka, grain doesn't necessarily mean glutenous grains. Grains such as rice (brown, white, glutinous not to be confused with glutenous), quinoa, sorghum, milo, tef along with other sources of fiber that are considered seeds not grains. 

Betty Crocka
Betty Crocka

Sorry folks, I thought everyone knew that gluten is present only in certain grains -- wheat, barley, and rye, principally. (There's a debate about oats, but I've never had a problem with "horse food.") My point was, let's not tell people to eat more grains without warning them that lots of folks have a problem with some grains.

And while we're on the topic: many of us get sick from refined or otherwise over-processed grains of all types -- white flours, white rice, etc. -- because of their higher glycemic impact. (Of course, other foods -- sugar and potatoes, notably -- have the same problem.) A dish of risotto, a baked potato, or a basket of bread can knock sensitive people for a loop. If you feel inappropriately tired, vaguely confused, or irritable after meals, especially later in the day, look hard at what you're eating. And I recommend looking carefully at one-size-fits-all instructions, whether from government bureaucrats or doctors not trained in nutrition.

Badone71
Badone71

I agree with you 100%. We have to get away from all the carbs that so called nutritionist say we need to function. Why do you think the vast majority of people in the US are overweight and diabetic. To many carbs. Sugar is sugar is sugar!!!! We are hunter gathers its in our DNA you cant change that, on matter how much the tree bark eating tree huggers want us to. I changed my life by stopping my sugar intake, on sugar, no bread, no pasta. I eat Meats, vegatables, beans, and some dairy, and natural fruits. I've lost 40 pounds in weight, Im on longer a diabetic, and my cholesterol and other blood work has returned to normal. your body will covert what you eat into sugar as you need it. Dr. Atkins was right.

Wepfl
Wepfl

Gee... if there is no gluten (glue), then how do they keep the shaped products together??? BTW... you can not eat any grain (seed) raw as the body recognizes it as a poison.. don't believe??? Take a spoon of raw oats, wheat or even soy & try to chew it... or how about a spoon of flour or raw rice... do the same with meat, fish fruit, berries, vegetables, nuts... even fungus... & then ask yourself why!!!

Not betty crocker
Not betty crocker

That is: those grains are not glutenous but instead are gluten free and are safely consumed by individuals with celiac spruce disease or another gluten/wheat intolerant condition. 

Annettewc
Annettewc

I teach nutrition and I love this Idea...The plate concept is terrific and colorful....I have made my own version of this before for a bulletin board back sometime last year. ..........Thanks for giving us something NEW - I don't know about anyone else but I am pretty tired of the Pyramid!!!! THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!! Annette Culpepper

Badone71
Badone71

The food pyromid is the worlds biggest lie, It is made to keep people sick!!! We are hunter gathers its in our DNA. And all you tree hugging tree bark eaters are killing people with this sugar loaded food chart. Diabetes is running rampid in America because of it. My Dad was dying in the hospital with cancer his blood sugar levels were over 400 and all they were feeding him was sugar. I called for the so called nutritionist to stop feeding him sugar and she said" Our bodies need sugar" What???? his blood sugar was over 400 and he needs sugar what an educated idiot she was. Stop the sugar !!! Sugar is sugar is sugar and it is toxic to our bodies. Carbohydrates are sugar no matter how we get them. Meats, beans, vegatables, natural fruits is what our bodies really need. NOT SUGARS!!!!

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