Harvard Tells Us What To Eat

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Harvard Tells Us What To Eat

Eating right always was complicated, but now it’s more so. Fat-free is out (sort of) and olive oil is in (pretty much), and all sorts of new and old ideas keep swirling around. Actually, though, the whole mess is kind of entertaining when you get to poking around in it. So get comfortable, and let’s begin. With Harvard of course.

The Harvard School of Public Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the proponents of the Mediterranean diet each have a different idea of how we Americans should be eating. Each of the three has come up with a pyramid to demonstrate what we should do. They agree on one thing only: the average American is currently doing it wrong.

Thousands of hours’ work and much scientific data went into “MY PYRAMID” and the “PYRAMID TRACKER,” created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2005 for you and me. It tells us how we should eat and exercise to remain healthy. Or at least it tries to.

Well, the Harvard School of Public Health is not impressed. They say that the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 continues to reflect the tense interplay of science and the powerful food industry.” To be blunt, the USDA sold out, and Harvard did not.

Why don’t you decide for yourself? Scroll down this page to see the HARVARD FOOD PYRAMID:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/pyramids.html

and here’s the USDA PYRAMID:

http://www.mypyramid.gov/

And, while we’re looking at the USDA PYRAMID, let me hastily throw in the PYRAMID TRACKER, which is meant to be used with the USDA PYRAMID and which doesn’t fit into the other sections. The TRACKER makes it possible to track your exercise along with your food:

http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/

But, if you’re not using that particular pyramid, NUTRIDIARY has a free food and exercise diary that you may like better. They give you a recommended calorie level, you can log in body measurements, and, in addition to meal records, you can log water consumption, fruits and vegetables, percent body fat and physical activity.

http://nutridiary.com

To investigate the MEDITERRANEAN DIET PYRAMID, click on the next section, “Live Longer With The Mediterranean Diet!” That section also describes the benefits of olive oil and fish, which are good for you whether or not you’re trying to eat a Mediterranean diet.

NUTRITION MADE FUN FOR KIDS

“My Pyramid Blastoff” is a computer game from the USDA My Pyramid site for kids age 6-11. They call it “an interactive computer game where kids can reach Planet Power by fueling their rocket with food and physical activity. ‘Fuel’ tanks for each food group help students keep track of how their choices fit into MyPyramid.” The site also has a coloring page, “Tips For Families,” and classroom materials.

http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/index.html

http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/kids_game.html

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