Remember the "Healthy Food Pyramid" from school, where they taught you all the food groups? In Australia we started teaching the pyramid diagram in the 1980's, and although it was revised several times, the last revamp was 15 years ago!!!
I have a food pyramid on my fridge, to explain to my kids the ratio of foods we should be eating in each category. Although it's been good to show them that sugar is a sometimes food, I've had to explain to them that the pyramid is slightly inaccurate according to my own food knowledge. I believe fruits and vegetables should be the main source of our daily food intake, not grains. I also question why sugar is even on there, and there is no distinction between good and bad fats! Anyway, it's lead to some great discussions - so that's always a good thing.
To my surprise, the Australian Nutrition Foundation, have just released a new food pyramid. They have swapped grains, with
fruit & veg, to be the bulk of our daily needs. They've also completely eliminated sugar from the pyramid, and replaced it with healthy fats. Even better, they've included herbs! spices! and water! Hallelujah!!! Today is a happy day : )
I know I'm weird, getting this excited over a food pyramid, but it's such a fantastic tool for teaching healthy food guidelines. It's really important that we get the most current and correct information to our kids while they're forming their opinions. If the food pyramid taught in schools has been misguided since the 1980's, and not revamped for 15 years, unfortunately results speak for themselves.... currently 65% of Australian adults are classified as overweight or obese, and out of those, about 25% are considered to be severely obese. Even worse...
1-in- 4 Australian children, are considered overweight or obese!
Those are sad statistics, but it's fantastic to see change towards a more healthy Australian way of life, for generations to come. Please print the pyramid and put it on your fridge, and let me know if it sparks some healthy conversations in your house.
I have a food pyramid on my fridge, to explain to my kids the ratio of foods we should be eating in each category. Although it's been good to show them that sugar is a sometimes food, I've had to explain to them that the pyramid is slightly inaccurate according to my own food knowledge. I believe fruits and vegetables should be the main source of our daily food intake, not grains. I also question why sugar is even on there, and there is no distinction between good and bad fats! Anyway, it's lead to some great discussions - so that's always a good thing.
To my surprise, the Australian Nutrition Foundation, have just released a new food pyramid. They have swapped grains, with
fruit & veg, to be the bulk of our daily needs. They've also completely eliminated sugar from the pyramid, and replaced it with healthy fats. Even better, they've included herbs! spices! and water! Hallelujah!!! Today is a happy day : )
I know I'm weird, getting this excited over a food pyramid, but it's such a fantastic tool for teaching healthy food guidelines. It's really important that we get the most current and correct information to our kids while they're forming their opinions. If the food pyramid taught in schools has been misguided since the 1980's, and not revamped for 15 years, unfortunately results speak for themselves.... currently 65% of Australian adults are classified as overweight or obese, and out of those, about 25% are considered to be severely obese. Even worse...
1-in- 4 Australian children, are considered overweight or obese!
Those are sad statistics, but it's fantastic to see change towards a more healthy Australian way of life, for generations to come. Please print the pyramid and put it on your fridge, and let me know if it sparks some healthy conversations in your house.
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