Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the USDA introduced a new inverted food pyramid, wide at the top, which emphasizes protein, dairy and heart-healthy fats as a base, with fruits and vegetables still prominent. Whole grains and ultra-processed food were de-emphasized.
That differs from the 1992 U.S. Food Guide Pyramid that many Americans are familiar with. That pyramid’s base, wide at the bottom, included multiple servings of grains. The next tier included vegetables and fruits, and the one above that was split between dairy products and meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts. The tip of the pyramid included fats, oils and sweets, along with the instruction to “use sparingly.”
In 2011, the USDA replaced the pyramid with the MyPlate concept, a visual reminder of what and how much to eat from each of the four food groups (milk, meat, fruits and vegetables, and grains) over the course of the day, whether using a plate, a bowl or another way…