Usa food guide pyramid The USA Food Guide Pyramid – Agreement and Controversy Trends in US Adult Fruit and Vegetable Consumption FOOD LABELING NUTRIENT CONTENT CLAIMS FOODS EXEMPT FROM FOOD LABELING NUTRIENT RECOMMENDATIONS: DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKES (DRI)

1. USA Food Guide Pyramid
The Food Guide Pyramid was a recognizable nutrition tool that was introduced by the
USDA in 1992. It was shaped like a pyramid to suggest that a person should eat more foods from
the bottom of the pyramid and fewer foods and beverages from the top of the pyramid.
The Food Guide Pyramid displayed proportionality and variety in each of five groups of
foods and beverages, which ascended in horizontal layers starting from the base and moving
upward toward the tip: breads, cereals,pasta and rice; fruits and vegetables; dairy products;eggs,
fish, legumes, meat and poultry; plus alcohol, fats and sugars.
The 1992 USDA Food Guide Pyramid
In 2005, the USDA introduced MyPyramid, an updated version of the Food Guide Pyramid. Food
groups were depicted in ascending vertical bands that emphasized the right proportions of food
groups. An image of a person walking up a flight of stairs flanked the pyramid to emphasize
activity. Instead of servings, quantities were measured in cups and ounces.

2. The 2005 USDA Food Guide Pyramid
Other food guide pyramids followed, including the Mediterranean and Asian. Each of the ethnic
food guide pyramids added, deleted, or substituted culturally correctfoods with those in the USDA
Food Guide Pyramid. For example, yogurt and goat milk products appeared in the Mediterranean
Food Guide Pyramid, since intolerance to dairy products from cows is prevalent in this region of
the world. Likewise, the Asian Food Guide Pyramid included soy products to replace the nutrients
that are normally found in dairy products.
Additional food guide pyramids have been developed for children, seniors, vegetarians and a
number of other groups to meet their specific nutritional needs. Yet, in 2011, after six years, the
USDA replaced the Food Guide Pyramid with the nutrition guide MyPlate. Food guide pyramids
are still used in other parts of the world and by some specialty groups.
The USAFood Guide Pyramid – Agreement and Controversy
The current USA food guide pyramid, which was introduced in 1992, is presently being revised to
matchthe concurrent revision of the dietary guidelines for Americans. Among the criticisms ofthis
pyramid are opinions that it oversimplifies the nutrition message. According to Willett and
Stampfer, writing in Scientific American in 2003, the pyramid is “grossly flawed.” They wrote: “By
promoting the consumptionof all complex carbohydrates and eschewingfats and oils, the pyramid
provides misleading guidance.” They argued conversely, that not all fats and eschewing fats and
oils, the pyramid provides misleading guidance. They argued conversely, that not all fats are
“bad,” and that complex carbohydrates are not universally “good.” Their suggested revision
encouraged the consumption of “healthy fats” and avoidance of refined carbohydrates, butter,
and red meat. Their revised pyramid retained whole-grain foods at the base, together with plant-

3. derived oils, many of them from grains, e.g., from corn (maize), canola, sunflower, and peanut.
The use of fats containing trans unsaturated fatty acids, which are formed in partially
hydrogenated liquid vegetable oil when converted to a solid fat, and then used in firm margarines,
baked products, and fried foods, is not recommended. Nuts and legumes are retained halfway up
their pyramid. Foods high in complex carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, pasta, and
potatoes are placed at the apex, with the recommendation: “Use sparingly.” These authors do not
fully explain that fiber content and resistant starch are not greatly dissimilar for whole-grain and
“white” (refined) foods. However, they do emphasize that “the best way to avoid obesity is to limit
your total calories.” Furthermore, they admit in conclusion that “uncertainties still cloud our
understanding of the relation between diet and health.”
The Oldways recommendations reinforce the concept of distinguishing between sources of fats
and oils by recommending the greater consumption of oils from grains and nuts. However, the
Oldways recommendations do not relegate the consumption of complex carbohydrates to the
apex of the pyramid.
Trends in US Adult Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
The development of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid spans over six decades. The first National
Nutrition Conference, prompted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was held in 1941. As a
result of this conference, the USDA developed Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and
specified caloric intakes and essential nutrients. In 1943, the USDA announced the ‘Basic
Seven’ which was a special modification of the nutritional guidelines to alleviate the shortage of
food supplies during the Second World War. The seven categories included milk, vegetables,
fruit, eggs, all meat, cheese, fish, and poultry, cereal and bread, and butter.
To simplify, the ‘Basic Four’ was introduced in 1956 and continued until 1979; categories included
milk, vegetable and fruit, meat, and grain. With the rise of chronic diseases, the USDA addressed
the roles of unhealthy foods and added a fifth group in the late 1970s: fats, sweets, and alcoholic
beverages to be consumed in moderation. Although the USDA’s food guide, A Pattern for Daily
Food Choices, was published annually beginning in the 1980s, it was not well known. Beginning
in 1988, the USDA began to represent the Guidelines graphically to convey the messages of
variety, proportionality, and moderation. The Food Guide Pyramid was released in 1992 and in
1994 the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act required all grocery items to have a nutritional
label.

4. FOOD LABELING
Food labels contain a great deal of information on most packaged foods. The FDA has proposed
updates to the current Nutrition Facts label.
Function
The serving size on the label is based on an average portion size. Similar food products have
similar serving sizes to make comparing products easier. The serving size on the label does not
always correlate with a healthy serving size. Most of the time, it does not match the serving size
on the diabetic exchange list. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
proposed making changes to the food labels that may correct these problems.
AMOUNTS PER SERVING
The total calories and the calories from fat are listed. These numbers help consumers make
decisions about fat intake. The list of nutrients includes total fat, trans fat, saturated fat,
cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sugars, and protein. These nutrients are
important to our health. Their amounts are given in grams (g) or milligrams (mg) per serving to
the right of the nutrient.
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Only 2 vitamins (A and C) and 2 minerals (calcium and iron) are required on the food label. But,
when vitamins or minerals are added to the food, or when a vitamin or mineral claim is made,
those nutrients must be listed on the nutrition label. Food companies can voluntarily list other
vitamins and minerals in the food.
PERCENT DAILY VALUE
The amounts of vitamins and minerals are listed as a Percent Daily Value on the nutrition label.
The Percent Daily Value for vitamins and minerals gives a general idea of how much of a vitamin
or mineral 1 serving of the food contributes to the total daily requirement. For example, if the
Percent Daily Value for vitamin C of all the foods you eat in a day adds up to 100%, you are
getting the recommended amount of vitamin C.
Food Sources
The United States government requires food labels on most packaged foods. The label offers
complete, useful, and accurate nutrition information. The government encourages food
manufacturers to improve the quality of their products to help us make healthier food choices.
The consistent format helps you directly compare the National Institutes of Health / U.S. National
Library of Medicine nutritional content of various foods. Food labels are called "Nutrition Facts."
Recommendations
The Percent Daily Value section shows how a food fits into your overall daily diet. The value of
the nutrient is given in percentages. The Percent Daily Value gives the food's nutritional content
based on a 2,000-calorie diet. You can use this to quickly comparefoods and see how the amount
of a nutrient in a serving of food fits into a 2,000-calorie diet.

5. NUTRIENT CONTENT CLAIMS
A nutrient content claim is a word or phrase on a food package that makes a comment about the
nutritional value of the food. The claim will mean the same for every product. The following are
some approved nutrient claims.
Calorie terms:
Low-calorie: 40 calories or less per serving. Reduced-calorie: At least 25% fewer calories per
serving when compared to a similar food. Light, Lite: One-third fewer total calories or 50% less
fat per serving. If more than half the calories are from fat, the fat content must be reduced by 50%
or more.
Sugar terms:
Sugar-free: Less than 1/2 gram of sugar per serving. Reduced sugar: At least 25% less sugar per
serving when compared to a similar food.
Fat terms:
Fat-free: Less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving. 100% fat free: Meets the requirements for fat free.
Low-fat: 3 grams of fat or less per serving. Reduced-fat: At least 25% less fat when compared
with a similar food.
Cholesterol terms:
Cholesterol free: Less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol per serving and 2 grams or less of saturated
fat per serving. Low cholesterol: 20 milligrams or less of cholesterol per serving and 2 grams or
less of saturated fat per serving.
Sodium terms:
Sodium free: Less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving. Salt free: Meets the requirements for
sodium free.
HEALTH CLAIMS
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a United States government agency that approves
and regulates health claim phrases. A health claim is a food label message that describes the
relationship between a food or a food component (such as fat, calcium, or fiber) and a disease or
health-related condition.
The government has authorized health claims for these 7 diet and health relationships that are
backed by extensive scientific evidence:
1. Calcium and osteoporosis
2. Fat and cancer
3. Fiber in grain products, fruits, vegetables and cancer
4. Fiber in fruits, vegetables, and grain products and coronary heart disease
5. Fruits and vegetables and cancer
6. Saturated fat and cholesterol and coronary heart disease
7. Sodium and high blood pressure (hypertension)

6. INGREDIENTS
Food manufacturers are required to list ingredients in descending order by weight (from the most
to the least). People with food sensitivities can obtain useful information from the ingredient list
on the label.
The ingredient list will include, when appropriate:
 Caseinate as a milk derivative in foods that claim to be nondairy (suchas coffee whiteners)
FDA-approved color additives
 Sources of protein hydrolysates
 Most manufacturers offer a toll-free number to answer questions about specific food
products and their ingredients.
FOODS EXEMPT FROM FOOD LABELING
Many foods are not required to have information on them. They are exempt from food labeling.
These include:
Airline foods Bulk food that is not resold Food service vendors (such as mall cookie vendors,
sidewalk vendors, and vending machines) Hospital cafeterias Medical foods Flavor extracts Food
colors Food produced by small businesses Other foods that contain no significant amounts of any
nutrients Plain coffee and tea Ready-to-eat food prepared mostly on the site Restaurant foods
Spices
Stores may voluntarily list nutrients for many raw foods. They may also display the nutrition
information for the 20 mostcommonlyeaten raw fruits, vegetables, and seafood. Nutrition labeling
for single-ingredient raw products, such as ground beef and chicken breasts, is also voluntary.
Alternative Names
Nutrition labeling
NUTRIENT RECOMMENDATIONS: DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKES (DRI)
DRI is the general term for a set of reference values used to plan and assess nutrient intakes of
healthy people. These values, which vary by age and gender, include:
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the
nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%-98%) healthy people.
Adequate Intake (AI): established when evidence is insufficient to develop an RDA and is set at
a level assumed to ensure nutritional adequacy.
Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health
effects.