The Food Pyramid - Fact or Fiction?

janlindquist
6 days ago
5 min read

The food pyramid has been a bedrock of dietary advice for decades, even though it's been declared obsolete, it's still being followed by many health care practictioners.

I believe that by following these guidelines, we will continue progressing into a metabolic disaster.

Look at the bottom tier of the pyramid which suggests 6-11 servings of carbohydrates like bread, cereal, pasta, rice, etc.

While we're living longer, the incidence of disease has also increased. Obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Alzeheimer's disease all have a common link - the food pyramid.

Our Food Pyramid - A visual of all the foods that contribute to our diet.

The goal of the pyramid is to help us make healthy food choices by dividing food groups into six sections.

The bottom section is the largest and represents foods that should be eaten in the largest quantities.

The top section is the smallest and represents foods that should be eaten in the smallest quantities.

By following the pyramid, here are the six sections with what should be consumed the most and ending with what should be consumed the least.

Grains
Vegetables
Fruits
Dairy
Protein
Fats, Oils, & Sweets

Yet, we are getting sicker and need more and more medications to deal with all of the chronic conditions that continue to plague us. Maybe we've gotten this wrong?

Science or Food Lobbying?

The food industry is rife with corruption. Since the 1960's, the sugar industry has funded research that branded fat as the primary catalyst for heart disease. Yet, we now know that sugar is a far greater problem than fat.

The American Heart Foundation was founded to create a healthier nation. But funding became the primary driver of this foundation which became beholden to big business.

In this case, McDonald's generosity of $300,000 per year in exchange for a trademarked 'tick' next to its fish burgers, salads, and chicken wraps, to denote a "Healthy Choice" option - Really?

Unfortunately for us, there are many problems with these recommendations.

The pyramid groups all grains and fats into single categories without differentiating between healthy and unhealthy options.
Excessive grain and carbohydrate recommendations of 6-11 servings which has been a contributing factor to our ever expanding waistline and obesity epidemic.
We have been misinformed about fats by putting all fats at the top with sweets, it incorrectly implies that all fats are bad, leading to the avoidance of healthy fats found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados.
A lack of clarity around protein, with a recommendation of 2-3 servings of meat, poultry and eggs. For most adults, this is a far too low amount of protein.
The pyramid is confusing regarding portion sizes and fails to educate what a balanced meal should look like on a plate.

Flipping the Pyramid Get's it Right!

Villifying fats because of poor science has led to the food industry to remove fat from products and increase sugar to make the food palatable.

Fat is flavor and when removed the texture, flavor and nutritional profile suffers.

Manufacturers then add sugar, salt, thickeners, and flavorings to create highly processed products that are less satisfying and sometimes higher in carbs and calories.

We need healthy fats for essential functions like absorbing vitamins and hormone production which makes these pseudo-foods a problem.

Weight gain, poor blood sugar control, nutrient gaps, and increased risk for chronic issues like heart disease due to the pyramid's failure to distinguish the importance of including healthy fats from oils, nuts and seeds, to the health robbing problems of consuming trans fats regularly has brought us to a national health crisis.

Lumping whole grains [complex carbohydrates] with highly refined carbs is another poor example of the necessary nuance needed to decipher this complicated pyramid.

Promoting low-fat diets that backfired or ignoring fat quality has led to diets high in sugar and refined grains which is a strong reason we are in this metabolic nightmare today.

Here's a short video from South Park that hits home.

https://share.google/ilFIXuSvraTWKAs7e

Radical or Reasoned.

Let's flip the food pyramid by inverting the traditional model to begin to emphasize whole, real foods, healthy fats, and proteins as our foundation. Secondly, we must begin to reduce refined carbs, sugar and processed foods that keep us in the cycle of feeling miserable. This shift supports many dietary structures such as; Mediterranean, whole foods, ketogenic, low carb, or plant-focused as all of these prioritize nutrient density, healthy fats [olive oil, aocados nuts & seeds] for fuel, appropriate amounts of protein, and a focus on non-starchy vegetables instead of using cereal & grains as the foundation.

Key Principles of the Upside Down Pyramid.

Fuel with Fat: Use fats as the primary energy source for sustained energy, not glucose from carbs.
Balance Insulin: Lowering carbohydrate intake will manage insulin and prevent continual fat storage which improves metabolic health.
Focus on Whole Foods: Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible.
Include Fiber: Eating vegetables & fruits daily supports a healthy body.
Adopt an Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle: We've been programmed to eat continuously, which signals insulin and keeps our blood sugar high and stops fat burning. By developing an eating window of 6-8 hours daily and then allowing our body to rest and repair, we will heal.

Something More to Consider.

There's a simple 2-step rhythm that's helping people naturally lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and regain energy without a lifetime of prescriptions.

It's called - The Feel Great System, and it's completely legal and backed by real metabolic science.

Step 1: Yerba Mate Tea which supports GLP-1 hormone, improves insulin sensitivity, and reduces inflammation which is a primary link to heart disease.

Step 2: Balance a prebiotic fiber matrix that blunts post-meal blood sugar spikes, supports detox, and helps to clear cholesterol from the liver.

For most people this 2-step system, along with intermittent fasting works better than statins because both steps address the root cause - Insulin Resistance.

Catching insulin resistance before it gets our of control is key.

Common signs and symptoms of insulin resistance.

Obesity
Belly Fat [waist measurement: men > 39", women > 34"]
Fatty Liver
High Blood Pressure
High Blood Sugar
Neuropathy Pain
Poor, Disrupted Sleep
PCOS
Erectile Dysfunction
Migraines
Arthritis
Heart Disease

Feel Great.

Feeling great requires us to begin focusing on balancing our blood glucose and adopting an intermittent fasting lifestyle. It's a simple strategy, but it can be a challenge.

This is why I recommend the Feel Great System which uses Unimate [yerba mate tea] and Balance [fiber matrix] which work well together by increasing GLP-1 production in our body and helps with maintaining a fasting window.

When GLP-1 increases, it acts as a hunger reducer and a blood sugar stabilizer without the common digestive issues like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.

Sometimes the body adjusts, but sometimes these are just what comes with using these medications.