I WAS super excited to see that Nutrition Australia had released a new healthy food pyramid early this week.
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I know that may sound a little strange - getting excited over nutritional information - but it’s going to make my job a whole lot easier.
I’m relieved to have an up to date reference that is simple for people to follow – actually, it doesn’t get much easier than a pyramid broken into three sizeable sections.
And finally, it’s looking how it should!
With obesity levels on the up as time rolls on, it’s clear that the majority of people are heading in the wrong direction when it comes to food.
People have been consuming too many calories, through breads and cereals, and not enough in the way of vegetables and fruit.
And based on my experience working with people, it’s not always through conscious poor food choices but through lack of knowledge instead.
After all, the 15-year-old healthy food pyramid grouped bread, cereal and grains in the ‘eat most’ category.
On top of that, there is so much other information out there, that it’s confusing to know what is right and what is just someone else’s idea of nutrition (sometimes it’s someone unqualified to comment, so be careful not to get caught up in the hype on social media sites).
With sugar free, paleo, vegan, raw food, 5/2, low-carb, no-fat, high protein, fasting and all the rest circulating around, it’s any wonder people are lost – some days my head is spinning.
I can only imagine how others must feel!
A revision was necessary.
Lifestyles have changed over the past 15 years and we need healthy eating to be spelled out simply again – with no ‘sugar’ coating because our processed foods have enough of that already!
In a nutshell the new pyramid tells us to:
- Enjoy a variety of foods from the five food groups
- Choose mostly plant-based foods
- Limit added saturated fats, sugar and salt
- Choose water as your main drink
I love that vegetables have taken pole position, closely followed by fruit. I also love that there are side notes to enjoy herbs and spices and choose water as your drink.
I’ve been banging on about this to people for years!
Now it’s all stacked up in a colourful pyramid for everyone to see.
I’m also pleased with the big red cross next to added sugar and salt, advising people to limit these.
“The average Australian already consumes too much salt and added sugar and this is linked to increased risk of diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers”, explain Nutrition Australia.
Processed foods are loaded with extra sugar and salt, and sometimes we add more.
Take cereal for example, who is guilty of adding a sprinkle of sugar over a bowl of corn flakes? Don’t worry you’re not alone.
The bad news however, is that cornflakes already have sugar in them – there’s definitely no need to add more.
But for some reason people do, whether it be out of habit or quite simply a sweet tooth. Maybe you’ve grown up doing it.
But now that you know, it’s time to cut the junk. Let’s use this knowledge to feed ourselves towards better health.
Well done Nutrition Australia; you’ve made my day.