What are the Recent Changes in the Food Pyramid

After a period of twelve years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the revised details of the food pyramid in the year 2005. The new food pyramid provides the details regarding the calorie intake and the portion sizes. A food pyramid acts as a food guide that helps an individual to plan out his meals and exercises.

Recent Modifications to the Food Pyramid

One of the facts of the revised food pyramid, it would help people to customize their nutritional diet and physical exercises to meet their body condition.

• The new pyramid recommends at least four ounces of whole grains daily. The consumption of the whole grain can vary according to the age and gender. A few examples of whole grain foods include cereals, brown rice, crackers, whole grain breads and crackers.
• Another recent change is, it encourages the consumption of milk and milk products. According to the new pyramid, consume at least 2-3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk. Remember, one cup of yogurt is equivalent to one cup of milk.
• The food guide of the new pyramid emphasis on cutting down on red meat and consumption of lean meat such as chicken and fish. It also recommends 2 to 3 cups of vegetables per day. You can adjust the amount of intake depending on the calorie level of the vegetables, age and gender. Choose from the vegetable subgroups such as dark green, legumes, starchy vegetables and so on.
• The revised food chain urges people to have at least two cups of fruit a day.
• The modified pyramid emphasizes on limiting solid fats such as margarine, lard, shortening and butter. However, the pyramid recommends getting the fat sources from dry fruits and nuts, vegetable oils and fish.
• There is a strong emphasis on exercises and physical activities. According to the new pyramid, a person must plan a physical exercise for at least thirty to forty minutes for five days of the week. The new food plan also emphasis on a ninety-minute exercise for someone who wants to lose weight and a sixty minute exercise to prevent weight gain.

However, remember the new pyramid is only a food guide. The amount of calorie intake varies for growing children, teenagers, adults and the old. It is up to you to decide and plan out your daily meals. There are many food recipes that are not only filling but also keeps you healthy and fit.

Depending on the body conditions, you can also choose the various types of exercises you are comfortable with. There are fat burning exercises if you are planning a weight loss. You could also try a few yoga exercises, abdominal exercises, aerobic exercises, back exercises and cardiovascular exercises.