The USDA's New Food Pyramid

The USDA recently issued a new food pyramid, a formality that takes place every several years. However, this update reflects significant changes in how the government is looking at health and nutrition. If you're interested in food nutrition school or getting a food and nutrition job, you may want to know about these important developments in the field of public health education.

The USDA has issued some new and markedly different nutrition guidelines, which may shape that way Americans eat for years to come.

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Grains

The new pyramid recommends that Americans eat whole grains, such as brown rice, whole wheat bread, and bulgur wheat. Consumption of foods such as white bread and white rice is discouraged.

Vegetables

The new Pyramid also encourages Americans to eat more vegetables. Specifically, the Pyramid suggests eating more dark green vegetables and orange vegetables, such as bok choy and butternut squash.

The food guidelines also list dried beans and peas as other vegetables that should be consumed regularly. The Pyramid lists the following beans as those which should be consumed more often: black beans, kidney beans, soy beans, and chickpeas.

Fruit and Dairy

The Pyramid cautions Americans against eating too many fruit juices, recommending a variety of fresh fruits instead. Low fat or fat-free milk is also preferable to whole milk.

Meat

Finally, the guidelines encourage Americans to limit their consumption of protein and to favor protein that is lean or full of "good" fats, such as those found in fish and nuts.

While the new Pyramid doesn't give much guidance on how much of these foods we should eat and in what proportions, it's clear that certain foods are no longer considered optimal for good nutrition. That marks a clear departure from the previous Pyramid's stance on nutrition, and one which may or may not affect the type of food Americans consume in the future.

After you finish nutrition school, you might be interested in pursuing a job implementing the USAD food guidelines in school lunch programs throughout the country. What job could be more satisfying than teaching school children how to eat more healthfully? Similar jobs in nutrition can be found in public health agencies, hospitals, and a variety of other public and private institutions.

Sources

• The United States Department of Agriculture

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Virginia.

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