Diet Bites - The Pyramid Diet ^TM

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Food Choices Matter in a Big Weigh - The 3590 Calorie Menu

The Food Pyramid contains groups which recommend a certain number of daily servings in order to support the body's state of health.

If the minimum recommendations are not met, this may place the body at risk for illness and certain diseases as immunity is lowered. These numbers are based on numerous controlled and qualified health and science studies and their results over the years.

But here is the flaw; not all foods contain identical energy values or nutritional composites. Because of such, even when the minimum servings are chosen from each group, because food sources differ in Kcal values - the individual can easily exceed the amount of energy used by their body - thus gaining weight, even when following the Food Pyramid recommendations.

This is perhaps just one reason why they shifted to the 'My Plate'. The issue with this module is that the number of Food Group servings are not identified. If the individual consumed three meals per day and fills in each section of the 'My Plate', they will have satisfied the following Food Groups: dairy, fruit, vegetable and protein. However, the body requires a minimum of six servings of grain per day, so it will be lacking by 1/2 the minimal amount unless foods are selected from this group for three snack times throughout the day. However, those who require more than the base amount (some individuals require 11 or more servings per day) will place their health at risk. This is just one reason why we're not a fat of 'My Plate'.

In addition, because America has an obesity epidemic, this simplified module dumbs-down citizens. The example looks like something out of an elementary school reader. See Jane's plate. Eat a fruit. Eat a vegetable. Eat a protein and eat a grain and dairy. Really? Have we fallen this far back in the ages? Yes we have....

The intention of our menu is to demonstrate the power of food choices.

This menu is based on the Diet Bites Food Comparison Chart below using the maximum daily servings allowed from the Food Pyramid. The chart contains about 3590 calories.

Of course, this menu is far too high in Kcals for weight loss purposes, therefore the demonstration to see how easily pounds can be gained.

Click here for Chart 1 which weighs in much lower at 1810 calories which is more in line with the common daily eating plan.

The only difference between the 1810 and 3590 charts is that one incorporates foods that contain less Kcals. We used the same maximum daily servings allowed on both charts. Here is our menu for Chart 2 - the 3590 eating plan.

Breakfast Menu

1 cup of skim milk
1 serving of oatmeal using Splenda to sweeten; add no calorie butter spray and a bit of the skim milk sprinkled with toasted wheat germ

English Muffin - toasted with no calorie butter spray

Mid-Morning Snack

Yogurt & Banana

Lunch Meal Plate

3 ounces of center pork loin - roasted (grilled, broiled)
1 small ear of corn with no calorie butter spray, salt, pepper
1 small sweet potato with no calorie butter spray, salt, pepper, dash cinnamon, dash of Splenda
2 cups of macaroni with no calorie butter spray, salt, pepper, dash dried herbs
2 slices of Boston brown bread

Mid-Afternoon Snack

1 cup of brown rice with 1/4 cup raisins, no calorie butter spray, Splenda, dash of cinnamon

Dinner Plate

3 ounces of roasted (grilled, broiled) sirloin steak
Avocado Salad - toss the following together:
1/2 small avocado, chopped
1/2 cup peas
1 ounce of cheddar cheese, cubed
1/4 cup sliced onions
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
Bit of light Mayo (calories from fat)
Baked Potato with salt, pepper, pat of butter (calories from fat)
2 Slices of Boston brown bread