Healthy Food Pyramid
"You really are what you eat..."

Make no mistake about it, you are exactly what you eat. It may seem harsh, but if you are overweight and are lacking the health you desire, it is do in no small part to what you eat on a day to day bases.

If you are like most, you may be confused as to just what it means to eat healthy. There are so many conflicting opinions. Even the government has its own set of dietary guidelines. Chances are you are familiar the USDA's food guide pyramid. It was taught to you some time back in your early school years and hasn't changed much since.

The pyramid, as we know it today, is broken into six groups with
corresponding guidelines to each:

• Grains
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Dairy
• Meat and Beans
• Oils

But is this pyramid a healthy food pyramid?

And you must understand that if you are looking to lose weight, healthy is everything. A healthy diet, meaning food quality, is by far the most important aspect to losing weight and keeping it off regardless of sex or age. The major drawback of the recommended pyramid is that it does not address food quality; defined as natural, whole, unrefined foods that are produced without the use of any chemicals.

For instance, many people are under the impression that white bread and whole grain bread both belong in the grains group. And according to the government guidelines they do. However, white bread, whether enriched or not, is nothing more than junk! It does not contain the fiber and other nutrients found in whole grain breads. If you are eating white bread, it will make you fat and cause other health problems as well...

We all know that fruits and vegetables are extremely important, but have you ever considered that how those foods are produced is equally as important as the food itself?

Is dairy really the perfect drink or nothing more than hype?

What about red meat? This may get your attention given that we get more of our calories from dairy and red meat than any other source.

Perhaps you're wondering about the best tasting food group... Don't worry, snacks are a very important part of a healthy diet and they also promote fast weight loss.

Along with snacks, there are other categories that could be added to a healthy food pyramid in order to make it complete. Things like herbs and spices would have their place among the other foods.

Many people view those who promote a healthy diet as narrow minding or even boring. Still others that lead a busy life claim they don't have enough time to eat healthy. These people fail to realize that a healthy diet is not so much food restriction as it is proper food choices. Choose wisely and you will be rewarded in the form of the body you desire.