There are all sorts of diet plans to choose from, whether it’s Weight Watchers, The Zone, The Cabbage Soup, or a vegetarian style diet that includes soy products. One common element of most of these diets is that they seem to work because the creators say that they do.
In the case of Weight Watchers, the creator claims that the diet works because it has food that is substitute for certain foods that people don’t eat that is absorbed into the body. In the case of The Zone, the creator says that the diet works because its food provides a variety of nutrients. In the case of The Cabbage Soup, the creator says that the diet works because cabbage produce a specific acids that the body uses as building blocks to produce hormones that are later used in the body to help prevent cancer. None of these diets provide substitutes for the thousands of foods that people eat every day, only a substitute for that one nutrient.
Of course, most of us know what a healthy diet consists of, exception of course are food that is not part of the diet. For example, I can’t think of too many people who regularly drink alcohol. Similarly, I’ve never heard of anyone saying that fruits and vegetables should be removed from the diet because they are acidic or have an effect on the body; and I’ve never heard of anyone saying that saturated fat isn’t good for you.
So the question is this. Why do various people who read the same book and view the same evidence make completely different recommendations based on different information? Without knowing the reasons, it’s impossible to answer this question. However, I have done my best to suggest as clearly as possible why the Eat Right pyramid and the Choose My Plate might be good ideas for using as a reference tool.
I suggest that you use the Eat Right Pyramid as a guide in planning your daily diet. Use the Choose My Plate as a guide in figuring out which foods are good for you. And use the Food Guide Pyramid to help you build a diet plan that works for you. Use these as resources to help you in your meal planning and decision making.
Breads, Cereals, and Rice. Your bread, cereal, and rice choices should consist of whole grain products, along with minimally processed and refined grains. Eat between 5 and 8 servings of either of these each day.
Fruits and Vegetables. Eat between 3 and 5 servings each day. They are low in calories, high in fiber, and a great source of vitamins and minerals. Try to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, since different fruits and vegetables have different vitamins and minerals. And don’t forget to use vegetables in your dishes every day. In fact, the more colorful the vegetables, the more nutrients they contain.
Protein. Your proteins should consist of eggs, nuts, lean meats, and fish. Skinless chicken and turkey are the best choices. You should also consume 2-3 servings of dairy products each day, either resulting in a misshapen middle finger or a big toe. Use only skim milk and yogurt in your diet. Other good sources of protein include beans and legumes, soy products, and lean red meat.
Dairy. Choose from any of the following: low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, two percent milk, ice cream, and sour cream. Non-fat or low-fat dairy products are acceptable as well. Avoid consuming milk and dairy products with hormones and antibiotics. If you’re not a fan of milk and dairy, you can opt for calcium-fortified orange juice, cereals, and soy products.
Fats and Oils. Choose only unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oils, olive oil, canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and walnut oil. Saturated fats, such as those found in butter, cream, and fatty meats, should be avoided.
Tale of the tape: Pay attention to the food pyramid pronouncement. It tells us what we should be eating. Not what we want to eat. Exercise, following the food pyramid, is the secret to good health. With the proper exercise we can maintain or even lose weight and if we need to, we can keep it off. We can also choose what we should eat from the list of suggested foods. The bottom line is this, we all need to stick to the recommendations of the food pyramid to maintain a healthy body.
