Just imagine, every day you come home hungry after a hard day at work or a long period at school. When you open the fridge, you find a frozen industrialized lasagna, ready to go to the microwave and fresh vegetables to be washed, cut and prepared. Which option would you choose?
If you are a fan of the first, know that your habits can greatly harm your health over time.
see more
Biology teacher fired after class on XX and XY chromosomes;…
Cannabidiol found in common plant in Brazil brings new perspective…
According to data from the Ministry of Health, between 2006 and 2016, obesity grew by 60% in Brazil. Chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes have also increased considerably.
Much of the responsibility for this increase is credited to people's sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits, where ultra-processed foods have a much greater place, if compared to natural foods, responsible for a healthy diet. balanced.
But after all, does this have anything to do with the food pyramid? Certainly more than you might think. Check out the answer to this and other questions about the pyramid in the following topics.
The food pyramid is nothing more than a didactic method used to classify foods. Its main function is to support a healthy and balanced diet. Therefore, it establishes a relationship between its practice and the prevention of obesity.
It was created in 1992 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to be a guide informative, mainly to make the country's population aware of the importance of healthy eating excesses.
There are several versions, and the best known, including, has undergone a series of modifications. Through it, foods are classified into groups, precisely in the shape of a pyramid.
The division is made into eight groups (meat and eggs, fruits, carbohydrates, milk and derivatives, oils and fats, vegetables and greens, beans and oilseeds and sugars). These groups then indicate the recommended daily amount for those foods.
This categorization is done according to the nutrients and functions of food. In terms of function, foods are classified as energy, regulators, builders and extra energy. Each of them plays a role in the human body.
The arrangement in the form of a pyramid was not made by chance. This format, visually, is ideal for representing foods that should be eaten in greater quantities (base of the pyramid) and those that should be reduced (top of the pyramid).
see the groups that make up the food pyramid, in order of most recommended to least recommended.
Group 1 – Carbohydrates
Group 2 – Greens and vegetables
Group 3 – Fruits
Group 4 – Milk and derivatives
Group 5 - Meat and eggs
Group 6 – Beans and nuts
Group 7 - Oil and fat
Group 8 - Sugar and candies
According to experts, although water is not represented in the pyramid, it is considered essential for the proper functioning of the body. Some nutritionists even advocate that it be represented below group 1, as the most important food of all.
According to previous information, the pyramid was created in the United States, therefore, reflecting the eating habits of the country's inhabitants. In Brazil, the first model was created in 1999.
The first, little differed from the North American pattern. The main change was the insertion of foods most consumed by Brazilians, in addition to those originating here, such as native fruits and Brazil nuts, for example.
However, in 2013 a new version was presented. This time, with a significant restructuring. One of the main changes was the reduction in the recommended amount of calories for a day. The value that was previously 2500 kcal, became 2000 kcal.
In addition, the amount indicated for certain foods was reduced and they were redistributed. Another change was the reduction of time between meals. All this with the aim of curbing the accelerated growth of the number of obese people in the country.
It is worth remembering that it is not necessarily a method used for weight loss. However, if combined with a healthy lifestyle, including regular physical exercise, of adequate water and moments of rest and leisure, can indeed act as an aid to achieve this type of objective.
