Posted : April 2014
Author : Serusha Govender
Many countries use their own version of the "Food
Pyramid" as a guide to healthy nutritional eating. The U.S. Food Pyramid may have gone the way of the dodo (in
favor of the MyPlate option) but plenty of countries around the world are still
actively using theirs to promote healthy eating guidelines for the public. A
few countries do use an actual pyramid shape, similar to the American template
but with a few bells and whistles added to reflect local food tastes. Other
countries have thrown it out for something completely new and more reflective
of the local culture.
China,
for example, has a food pagoda (no, it’s not simply the regular food pyramid in
a pagoda shape) that focuses on a varied diet but promotes legumes, soy, and
sweet potato. Though the general sentiment may be the same as the old U.S. Food
Pyramid, the pagoda is more culturally specific. Germany,
on the other hand, also uses a food pyramid but they wanted to show off their
technical skills with it too. They’re using a 3D pyramid as an intricate
digital creation with each side of the pyramid representing a food group, which
is then broken down further into portion sizes for specific foods. Regardless of what food pyramid your country uses, it’s
clear that the outline for what’s healthy to eat and what isn’t is similar
everywhere - grains, fruits, and vegetables are good, alcohol, soda, and processed
food is bad. But many food pyramids tailor that breakdown to fit the eating
habits of that specific region and culture, the food available to that
population, and how much or little guidance the government feels people need in
order to eat healthily. Read on to see what kinds of food pyramids people are using
as a dietary guideline around the world.
3D Food Pyramid - Germany
The German food guidelines are a technological marvel. By
upgrading the traditional food pyramid to a 3D design, they can incorporate
much more detail on the food groups as well as more information on their 10
nutritional guidelines. Each side of the pyramid is broken into a separate food
group, which is then broken further into units to show the suggested intake for
each food collection. It also works with ratios between proteins, fats, and
carbohydrates so each meal can be balanced appropriately, regardless of how
much you’re eating as a whole.
Food Stairs - France
The French have a staircase with nine stairs/rules. The
foods you should eat the least of are at the bottom of the stairs, and those
you can eat the most of are at the top of the stairs. There’s also a tap with
running water at the top of the stairs to emphasize hydration - like the
fountain of life! There’s also an accompanying magnifying glass which shows you
which foods you should be eating very little of (sugars, processed foods,
etc.). Don’t forget the happy family running to the top of the stairs: exercise
is the key to healthy diets. The guidelines also recommend eating starchy foods
depending on your appetite, so eat a lot when you’re hungry and stop when you
aren’t - that’s the hallmark of French eating.
Food Pagoda - China
At a quick glance it may look the Chinese pictographic is
just riffing off the traditional food pyramid used elsewhere in the world - but
look closely and you’ll see some important differences. There’s a very big
difference in the Chinese diet between meat and vegetable protein sources. They’ve
also skipped the “servings” in favor of showing how much to eat from each
group. There’s also more sweet potato, soybean, and lentils which is more
culturally specific to the Chinese diet than more general food pyramids.
Food Pyramid (Mediterranean Diet) - Greece
While this Greek pyramid may look like the traditional one
we know, it’s actually based off the Mediterranean diet incorporating olive
oil, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and seafood. The popularity of the
Mediterranean diet is gaining in traction so more people outside of Greece are
following this meal plan instead of the one suggested by their own country. It
is broken down into 12 food groups with advice on consumption.
Food House - Hungary
On the surface it may look a little like the orphanage
Oliver Twist lived in, but this food model actually represents a family home
that incorporates good eating habits. The “house” has five simple food groups,
the same as the traditional food pyramid. Much of the information advising on
regular meal sizes and supplementary diet tips, though, are in the accompanying
information and not on the actual food “pyramid.”
Spinning Top - Japan
Japan
decided to have a little fun with its nutritional guidelines: they’ve flipped
the food pyramid upside down and spun it around, giving new meaning to playing
with your food! From bottom to the top, in super small amounts, are fruits and
dairy products, fish and meat dishes, vegetable dishes, then the top (the bulk
of your diet) should be grains and breads. And the spinning part? Well, there’s
a little guy standing on the top running around to keep it spinning,
emphasizing the role of exercise in any healthy diet.
3D Food Pyramid Map - Slovenia
This Slovenian food pyramid took a page out of the German
model of a 3D pyramid, meaning it literally took a 3D model and flattened it on
a page. Theirs holds a lot of condensed information and it’s a little difficult
to suss out, but the general idea is that there are seven separate groups (if
you can find them) and another one specifically for exercise. There’s also a
lot of information on how to and how much of each of these to eat.
Eatwell Plate - U.K.
Great Britain
and Ireland
have also decided to ditch the traditional food pyramid in favor of the Eatwell
Plate, which used to be known as The Balance of Good Health. It looks
remarkably similar to the U.S.’s
MyPlate pictogram, though this one is divided into five categories with plenty
of fruits, vegetables, and grains and less sugars and fats. It comes with some
additional advice you can wash down with your milk (or calcium-fortified soy
milk): Limit your salt intake substantially, and also drink at least six to
eight glasses of water a day.
~Blog Admin~
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