New food pyramid 2019: this is the healthiest

The food pyramid sounds familiar to all of us, the one that told us the importance that vegetables, meat or pasta should have in our diet. Although we may not always realize it, many of us keep it in mind when we decide what to eat.

Recently, the Spanish Society for Community Nutrition proposed the new Healthy Food Pyramid ❌ which, as we explain below, is not the pyramid that we recommend.

Is this food pyramid really healthy?

It seems so, but it can lead to interpretation confusion. These are our nuances:

The cereals are still the staple food, but, as directed by the Harvard method of Plato, are the fruits and vegetables they should be the protagonists in a healthy diet.
This food pyramid equates the amount of consumption of animal protein (chicken, turkey, fish) with that of vegetable protein (legumes). However, according to the WHO (World Health Organization), plant proteins should make up 75% of the diet, and animals, 25%.
At the top are the less desirable foods, such as sweets, cold cuts, pastries, and chips. It is the first thing the consumer sees when they look at the pyramid and it seems that the consumption of these products is normalizing. When really, it is not healthy to consume ultra-processed foods.

That's why we've reformulated the food pyramid to present you with a much healthier option. This reinterpretation allows you to see, at first glance and very clearly, the foods that should be more present on your table . And what enters through sight, stays.

More than a pyramid, it is an inverted pyramid or a triangle. This triangle of healthy eating (created by the Flemish Institute for Healthy Living, Vlaams Instituut Gezond Leven) summarizes and puts order to many of the "norms" that have been been talking in recent years. So take advantage of the fact that we give it to you in a very nice design to download and hang it on your fridge . It will become your new bible.

Healthy food pyramid: our option

Here you have our healthy food pyramid proposal mide

DOWNLOAD THE HEALTHY FOOD PYRAMID

What foods are on the floors of the food pyramid?

Right off the bat you will see that the products that you have to consume in greater quantity occupy the largest space . Little by little, this space is reduced as these foods have to lose presence in your dishes. Go, then, from the most to the least (as you will see that it is indicated on the side) but keep in mind that you must always take the least processed version of all foods.

Water. Choose it as your usual drink. You have to drink a lot to be well hydrated and for everything to work as it should. Hence its position flying over the rest of the levels.
Vegetable origin. Vegetables, vegetables and fruits occupy the highest link. But they are not alone. Its neighbors, a little further down, are legumes, nuts and tubers such as potatoes, but also olive oil and foods made with whole grains such as bread or pasta. Why are they grouped? In addition to their importance in our diet, all these products are vegetable or come from them and have a positive effect on our health.
Animal origin. One level below we enter the animal kingdom and its derivatives. It is here where you find the fish and dairy products presiding over the link. Followed closely by eggs and white or lean meats. The lower consumption of these products is because either their contribution to the body is good or neutral. They are not a detriment to the body. This, always, in its pure and unprocessed version.
Little quantity. We reached the top of the pyramid. To the basement where we must enclose the products that, be they of animal or vegetable origin, we have to limit since their effects are not good for our body. We see it clearly in the drawing: red meat and butter. We have said limit, because they have something good. We will talk about what to put on the black list now.

Healthy Food Pyramid: What's Left Out

All the products in the triangle are considered more or less accepted, always according to their benefits and their level of processing. Banished out of the food pyramid is the food that is best never eaten or the less the better. To make it clear to your mind, this new representation surrounds these foods with a red circle so you know that you must flee in the opposite direction.

They are ultra-processed foods to which large amounts of sugar, fat or salt have been added and which, following the guidelines that we have been reviewing, have a clear negative effect on your health.

Alcoholic beverages such as beer and distilled spirits.
Sugary drinks such as sodas, energy drinks or chocolate shakes and milks.
Foods high in sugar such as cakes, chocolate, candies, or cookies.
Fast food : hamburgers, fries, pizza and ready meals.
Sausages and processed meat.

Follow these tips from the food pyramid

The drawing makes it clear to you what you should and shouldn't eat. Even so, its creators from the Flamenco Institute of Healthy Living, accompany the design with a clear summary of the principles to follow and some more tips to make it easy for you to adapt your diet to the proposal of the food pyramid.

Vegetables and fruit. Base your meals on vegetables (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes). When they are not processed, they are the foods that provide the most benefits to your body.
Cut down on the meat. Do not eliminate animal products but reduce their consumption. Remember that you also have plant sources of protein such as legumes or tofu.
Drink water. Always choose water as a drink but if you want a bit of variety, especially in your breakfasts, opt for teas, infusions or a little coffee. But always without sugar.
Stay away from the red circle. When you are tempted by junk and processed food, think that they do not contribute anything good to your body. It is tasty but it remains for us.
Variety in the kitchen. Don't get caught up in eating the same thing every day. Monotony kills the will to eat well. Vary your recipes, for example, eating a seasonal vegetable every day. Head over to our recipe section for inspiration.
Choose the healthy option. When choosing, substitute the less healthy option for one that is better for your body. Whole grain bread instead of white bread would be an option.
Establish a routine. Try to eat whenever possible at the same times and accompanied, it helps to maintain a regularity and to think more about what we eat. If you have children, help set an example too.
Eat without distractions. Eat sitting at the table, calm and enjoy what you eat. Close the TV and put your phone aside to connect well with what you are doing. It will help you learn the language of your stomach, to know if you are really full or not. Do you know our tricks to eat slowly?
Adapt your environment. Fill your house and work with little helps. For example, leave visible fruit in the kitchen. At work, always carry a bottle of water with you and keep a bag of nuts to prevent visits to the vending machine from getting out of hand.
Small goals. Don't try to radically change your habits overnight. Set small initial goals like reducing your portions of red meat each week or eating one piece of fruit a day. Where to start? Prepare a weekly menu and go to the list.