What is the healthy eating pyramid (food pyramid)?

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Considering the basic principles of dietetics, the editors have more than once drawn your attention to the individual nature of any sports or health nutrition plan. Adjustments to the diet are made by a nutritionist or the practitioner himself based on how he feels and weight fluctuations. Thus, the nutrition plan necessarily takes into account the individual characteristics and needs of a particular person.

Unfortunately, this does not prevent people from constantly looking for universal ways to lose weight or gain weight. The result is the emergence of a huge number of diets of varying degrees of danger. Some of them have been actively advertised since the 60s of the last century and contain errors not only in calculating portion sizes, but also in the principles of nutrition themselves. We are talking about such a concept as the food pyramid.

General information

A proper diet is the basis of a healthy lifestyle for every person. But, unfortunately, in the modern world, people’s diet is far from ideal. obesity is growing every year . At the same time, not only adults, but also young children are overweight The importance of nutrition for human health is enormous due to its impact on health. Many serious diseases, in particular heart attacks , strokes , atherosclerosis , etc., are associated precisely with an incorrect approach to the formation of a diet. This article will discuss how to properly structure a person’s diet, and how the so-called food pyramid can help with this.

Environmental efficiency

Ecological efficiency is the efficiency with which energy is transferred from one trophic level to another.

The number of trophic levels in a grassland food chain is limited because energy transfer follows the ten percent law. This means that only 10% of the energy is transferred to each trophic level from the one below.

The decrease at each subsequent level is due to two reasons:

• ​With each trophic flow, part of the available energy is lost during respiration or spent on metabolism.
• Some energy is lost with each transformation.

What is the food pyramid?

Since compiling a person’s diet is a serious matter, it must be carried out taking into account the recommendations of nutritionists. The so-called food pyramid will help with this - a simple and extremely understandable method for everyone, according to which you can describe a person’s diet.

The so-called “Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid” is a system that is widely used not only by American dietetics, but also by nutritionists all over the world. As you can see in the photo, at each level of such a pyramid certain products are placed.

According to the recommendations of the authors of this principle, a person’s daily diet should include as many products as possible, which are located at the base of the pyramid. The higher the products are located in the pyramid, the fewer of them should be on the menu. Accordingly, at the very top there will be those foods that need to be consumed as rarely as possible or completely eliminated.

In addition, it is necessary to adhere to a number of recommendations of the Harvard pyramid:

• Constant monitoring and maintenance of normal weight is important;
• replacing saturated fats with unsaturated ones;
• replacing processed grains with whole grains;
• eat as many fresh vegetables and fruits as possible every day;
• eat protein foods - the list of the healthiest ones includes legumes, nuts, poultry and fish;
• reduce alcohol consumption to a minimum;
• take multivitamin complexes.

That is, the Harvard pyramid is actually a long-term strategy for healthy eating. Its essence is to consume healthy foods that strengthen the body and help reduce the risk of developing various diseases.

Building a pyramid

The food pyramid is built like this:

• Base – it contains three important food groups: fruits and vegetables, which supply the body with vitamins and fiber; whole grains; vegetable fats with polyunsaturated fatty acids. If possible, this food should be included in every meal. Every day you should eat 300 g of fruits and 400 g of vegetables.
• The second step is protein plant products, that is, seeds, nuts, legumes; protein animal products - seafood, fish, poultry, eggs. Foods from this category should be consumed up to 2 times a day.
• The third stage is dairy products, that is, yoghurts, cheeses, fermented milk foods, etc. You should eat 100-200 g of such products per day. If a person is lactose intolerant, milk is replaced with foods containing calcium and vitamin D.
• The fourth step is products whose consumption must be minimized. These are red meats with a lot of animal fats, butter, baked goods made from white flour, pasta, sweets, soda. Also, modern nutritionists have reviewed the beneficial properties and harmful effects of potatoes, and then included them in this part of the pyramid, removing them from the lowest. This is explained by the fact that this vegetable contains a large amount of starch.

If you look at the schematic representation of the pyramid, then on the side of the main pyramid there are pictures with alcohol and a jar of vitamin-mineral complex. High-quality alcohol can be consumed several times a week in small quantities. And complexes of vitamins and minerals should be periodically consumed as a supplement that “covers” the lack of vitamins and minerals important for the body that arises due to a not very balanced diet.

Using the nutrition pyramid, you can formulate your diet in such a way as to ensure the most optimal amount of calories and the supply of substances important for the body. Since the list of products from which a menu can be made is very wide, each person can easily select the products that he likes. After all, in each of the steps of the pyramid, food groups are represented, and not specific foods.

Meaning

The use of the law of stepwise dependence of levels and the influence of their numbers and mass on each other allows scientists to evaluate existing biocenoses in each individual case. Knowing the number or biomass of one level, taking into account the anthropogenic-natural situation of the area, it is possible to calculate the numerical values ​​of all the others. This allows you to significantly reduce the time and economic costs of scientific research.

These calculation methods can also be used in the national economy.

For example:

1. It was a dry spring, and the amount of grass cover in a certain region dropped sharply from normal.
2. Knowing the number of herbivores living in an area, one can calculate their need for grass and water.
3. This makes it possible to take timely environmental measures - reseeding the required amount of herbs and other food plants in a certain area.
4. This, in turn, will ensure the stability of populations of organisms and individuals throughout the trophic chain of the biocenosis and preserve their natural connections.

The application of the rule of the ecological pyramid allows us to solve environmental problems in some related issues.

For example:

1. Using this principle, it is possible to regulate the level of organic matter in the soil, the number of animals and plants, if they are below or above the norm.
2. Solutions to many environmental problems are directly related to correctly determined changes in the balance of food chains of biocenoses.
3. Compiling tables based on biological pyramid data clearly shows the environmental situation in a particular region. This allows you to react in a timely manner and take measures to restore the balance of trophic classes.

Main rules of nutrition

• You must follow the rules of the food pyramid and try to bring your menu as close as possible to its principles. Despite the fact that few people manage to organize an ideal diet, these principles will help you introduce the most necessary products into the menu and remove junk food from it.
• It is important to strive to consume only fresh foods. If you can’t cook on your own, then you should choose high-quality semi-finished products. It is better to completely exclude food that is sold ready-made from the diet.
• To provide a truly balanced diet, the list of products must be quite wide. It should include all food groups, but the correct proportions of their consumption should be observed.
• You should use healthy foods as snacks - nuts, fruits, dried fruits.
• Cabbage is a dietary vegetable that should be included in the diet as often as possible. Any type of cabbage - red, white, savoy, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, Peking cabbage - is not only rich in vitamins, but also helps reduce the risk of a number of diseases.
• If possible, you should choose low-fat foods. You also need to reduce the amount of sugar, salt and alcohol in your daily diet.
• One of the most important rules is that the food consumed is consistent with physical activity. Excess calories invariably leads to excess weight.
• The benefits of a healthy diet are undeniable. But you shouldn’t expect instant results from switching to a healthy diet. Gradually, a person still notices very important changes for him: normalization of sleep, improved performance, normalization of weight, etc.

Helpful information

Below we have collected some useful links that will be useful to anyone interested in healthy eating, diets for weight loss and muscle growth.

And finally, a short test to reinforce the lesson material.

Food pyramid for children

When compiling a diet for children, it is necessary to do it in such a way that the nutrition is complete and ensures the proper development and active growth of the child. In addition, it is important for parents to make sure that the taste, color, and general appearance of the dishes are appetizing, otherwise the kids may refuse to eat healthy food.

The food pyramid for adults is the basis for creating menus for children. The only difference is in the products that are required for consumption. The pyramid perfectly visualizes the approach to nutrition that should be practiced when creating a children's diet. Its basis is the most important products for the child, that is, cereals, cereals, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, vegetable oils. At the very top of this pyramid are sweets, soda, and confectionery.

Another important point is the drinking regime. From childhood, children need to be taught to quench their thirst with clean drinking water, and not with soda or store-bought juices.

Children should not be given too much freshly squeezed juice. They are, of course, healthier than store-bought ones, but the basis should still be fresh fruits with fiber and dietary fiber.

From childhood, the child must get used to drinking milk and eating dairy products, which contain a lot of calcium, which is the basis for skeletal growth.

Of course, animal proteins and iron contained in meat are no less important.

As for bread, it is also important for children, as it contains many microelements . But if wholemeal bread is very healthy, then baked goods and white bread products are much less beneficial. But at the same time, a child who loves buns runs the risk of gaining weight quickly.

In general, the approach to organizing a healthy diet for children involves following the same rules as when organizing a healthy menu for adults. The main thing is to teach your baby the basic rules of healthy eating and do everything to make him love healthy dishes.

Sample menu

• For breakfast, the child should consume milk or dairy products. It can be cheese, kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt. Vegetables and toast are also suitable.
• For lunch, which is the main meal, children should definitely eat protein foods - meat or fish, as well as vegetables.
• Dinner should not be as plentiful as breakfast. You can offer your child porridge with fruit or milk soup if he prefers a different food in the morning.

In addition, preschoolers and especially schoolchildren should definitely have several snacks throughout the day.

• Second breakfast - cheese, boiled meat with vegetables, fruits.
• Second snack - between lunch and dinner you can eat nuts, dried fruits, yogurt.
• During the day, the child should drink at least 1 liter of clean water.

Some restrictions

Although all three species are very specific to the aspect of the ecosystem they want to describe, they all still tend to miss important aspects. Some of these restrictions are as follows:

• These species are only useful in simple food chains that do not necessarily occur in nature. They also do not take into account the possible presence of the same species at different trophic levels.
• Moreover, none of the three ecological pyramids gives any idea of ​​the difference in seasons and climate.
• Other organisms, such as microorganisms and fungi, are not given a special role in the pyramids, despite their vital role in ecosystems.
• They do not consider the same species belonging to two or more trophic levels.

Moreover, saprophytes (plants, fungi or microorganisms that live on decaying matter) are not given a place in the pyramids, even if they play a vital role in the ecosystem.

Proper diet: how to make it?

The definition of the concept “diet mode” is as follows: it is a qualitative and quantitative characteristic of nutrition (time of intake, frequency, calorie content, chemical composition, human eating behavior).

If a person practices the correct diet, then his body receives the nutrients necessary for life in a timely manner. Food has a direct impact on well-being, appearance, performance and overall health. The fact that poor nutrition can provoke a weakened immune system , impaired mental and physical development, as well as a decrease in performance, is also emphasized by the WHO - World Health Organization.

Therefore, when forming the right diet for children and adults, some very important points should be taken into account. When planning your daily diet, it is important to consider several factors.

Nutrients

micronutrients and macronutrients are in the foods consumed .

Protein, carbohydrates, fats and fiber are macronutrients. Calculation of how many of these substances a person needs is based on height, age, weight, lifestyle characteristics and energy expenditure. If we talk about averages, a person should get about 10-20% protein from food, about 10-30% fat and 50-70% carbohydrates. Accordingly, excess protein, fats or carbohydrates are harmful to the body.

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients. Currently, scientists identify more than one hundred micronutrients contained in food. But the most important for the body are 13 vitamins and 15 minerals. With their deficiency, pathological conditions can develop.

Water

Part of a balanced diet is water. For the body, this is an “essential” product. It is important not only for life, but also for the process of losing weight, since water accelerates the breakdown of fats. Therefore, you should drink up to 2 liters of water per day. There is a special formula for calculating its amount in the daily diet. A woman needs to drink an amount of water at the rate of 30 ml per 1 kg of body weight, a man - 35 ml per 1 kg of body weight. People who play sports should take special care of their water balance.

Calorie content

This indicator determines the amount of energy produced in the body when consuming food. Calorie content and nutritional value are different concepts. The latter determines the amount of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in foods. When compiling a diet, it is necessary to choose low-calorie foods that still have high nutritional value. Protein products are important, since protein is the main “building” material in the body. The benefits of meat and fish for the body are undeniable - these are one of the main sources of proteins.

A balanced and healthy diet requires that a person’s energy expenditure and food intake must be adequately compared. That is, the daily caloric intake should be such as to provide, but not exceed, energy expenditure.

When compiling a diet, it is necessary to take into account the so-called “empty calories”, which are absolutely useless for the body. After all, such products provide energy for a very short period and do not contain important nutritional components. The result of their frequent and excessive consumption is excess weight. Therefore, it is very important to choose desserts correctly, ignoring sources of “empty calories” - soda, pastries, and confectionery. However, you shouldn’t give up desserts completely. The importance of desserts for a person lies, first of all, in receiving pleasure from such food. And a properly selected dessert (fruits, dishes made from low-fat cottage cheese, fermented milk desserts) may well be the conclusion of a tasty and healthy meal.

The principle of physical activity

One of the principles of the healthy eating pyramid is the principle of physical activity. In the diagram he is represented as a man climbing the stairs. And the essence of this principle is that you can achieve a beautiful body only by combining a healthy diet with physical activity. Nutritionists advise devoting at least an hour a day to the latter.

And in order to replenish the calories lost during physical activity, you need to know how many calories you need to consume. So, for physically active people you will need 2800 kcal, and, for example, for pensioners or people leading a sedentary lifestyle - only 1600 kcal. Based on this, you need to build your diet, using all the principles of the pyramid.

If we take into account athletes who train intensively, they should base their diet on the basis of the following daily calorie values:

• 2500-2800 kcal – for women;
• 2800-4300 kcal – for men.

Thus, the daily portioning here will be somewhat different. So, for example, for women leading an active lifestyle, grains will need not six servings a day, but ten.

The healthy eating pyramid has undergone many changes: some adjustments have been made, both qualitative and quantitative, and additions have been made. The principles were also revised. Relatively recently, the principle of physical activity has even come to the forefront, pushing aside the principle of diversity.

How to create the right diet

To help you figure out how to create your diet correctly, you can use the example of a daily diet, which contains the corresponding table

Adult diet: table

Using this example, you can create many diet options so that your weekly meal schedule is varied and healthy.

Introduction

When it comes to nutrition, it can be difficult to determine what is healthy and what is unhealthy. The food industry spends billions of dollars every year to influence our choices. And the media regularly provide contradictory nutritional news.

There is a lot of information and the question arises of choosing a reliable source that you can trust.

In this regard, it is worth talking about a book from 2006, which may be a similar source. Meet the book “Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating.” In Russian translation - “Eat, drink - and be healthy.” Its author is a famous nutrition researcher, nutritionist, professor Walter Willett from Harvard Medical School.

Walter Willett, author of Eat, Drink and Be Healthy

Walter Willett leads some of the world's largest nutritional research into the long-term effects of diet on disease.