How the Food Pyramid Failed Americans

Back in the 1990s, the USDA endorsed the theory that fat was bad. It was fat in the diet causing excess deaths, largely from cardiovascular disease.

Enter the Food Pyramid

The solution? Welcome the Food Guide Pyramid. The food pyramid was a campaign to get Americans to change their diet. As you can see this pyramid gives a tiny top sliver to fat, and consecutively moves to larger portions of fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy. What’s most notable about this is the very large base of carbohydrates.

Due to the push to reduce dietary fat, the food industry responded in full swing. Trillions of dollars were spent in creating and advertising low fat foods. Nearly everything processed, or made in a factory, soon had this label. In order to preserve taste without the fat, companies piled on sweeteners, mainly high fructose corn syrup. Fast forward to now and there is a glute of processed, low fat foods everywhere - grocery aisles, corner stores, gas stations, and vending machines. These processed foods tend to be high in carbohydrates, ie sugar, and have a high glycemic index. Over decades, eating these low fat, but highly processed foods, has wreaked havoc on our bodies.

The Response to Low-Fat High-Sugar Diets

In response to high sugar loads, the body has to respond by producing higher levels of insulin. Eventually the vital metabolic organs including the liver, muscles, and adipose (fat) stop responding normally to insulin. This is not the full story, but a simplified understanding. What’s likely happening is the maladaptive insulin response signals hunger, thus queuing the need to eat more. You just can’t ignore your body's call to eat, it’s instinctual! The problem is when this call to action is not warranted, but your body doesn’t recognize it.

This simplified “fat is bad” theory and the Food Pyramid persisted until 2011. The Food Pyramid was updated in 2005 (after 22 years!) but not greatly modified until 2011 when the USDA moved to a new model called MyPlate (shown below). You can learn more about MyPlate by clicking here.

A Better Way to Healthy Eating

We learned a lot from the failed Food Pyramid campaign. So, where do we go from here?

We go back to the basics: eat mostly whole foods, which are typically grown on a farm (ie. like blueberries, carrots, beans, whole grain etc.) and prepared at home. Eat a lot less processed food from grocery aisles or restaurants. Eliminate soda and juice. Stick with coffee, tea, water, or sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or lime.

Don’t get me wrong, it's okay to indulge in some cookies and cake! I do too. After all, we are only human, not robots. Eating processed, prepared, or fast food sometimes is our reality. It’s easy, convenient, and tastes good. But if you can choose real food 85% of the time, you will not be disappointed by the impact this will have on your health.

In my follow-up series of posts, I plan to dive into whole foods, as well as Mediterranean and plant-based eating plans.

Healthy Eating Doesn’t Happen Overnight

If you eat a lot of packaged and prepared foods, this transition will take time. You are essentially retraining your palate to appreciate a different profile. This does not happen overnight. As you work towards you goals, some things to know:

• Relationship with Food. You may need to change your relationship with food. Some people have been taught that some foods are good or bad, and eating one or the other makes you a good or bad person. This is not true! But as you work to shift your mindset towards eating whole foods that fuel your body and bring you energy, it’s not easy, at first.

• Hunger Happens. Your hunger may increase, and you don’t have to ignore it. Permit yourself to eat more, just try to make it nutritious whole foods. Foods higher in fiber and protein can help you feel more full. Foods high in fiber also tend to be less calorie dense than processed food (ie apple vs granola bar).

• Satisfy Cravings. Cravings for unhealthy food may emerge, don’t ignore them. Pause and see if the feeling passes or can be satisfied with a healthier option. If not, take permission to fulfill the craving. Ignoring it typically leads to eating more and unhealthier options later.

• Weight Impact. Depending on where you start, your weight may or may not change. This is because the body drives hard to maintain homeostasis, and it thinks your weight is just great. I’ll have another post soon on the weight plateau, and cover the weight set point and homeostasis. If your weight doesn’t change, you will see other rewards. This can include more energy, better sleep, improved mood, and less digestion issues.

Transform Your Health through What you Eat

We covered a lot in this post. And there is so much more to unpack in future posts. Let me know if you are interested in learning more about a specific topic.

If you’re just starting out on your healthy eating journey and not sure where to start, download my FREE Flexible Healthy Meal Planner (form below). This guide is packed full of wholesome nutritious meals. Select from 3-4 options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to build a an entire month long meal plan.