Beyond the Pyramid

Back when I was in Grade School (the 50s) there were 7 Basic Foods that included fats and oils as a separate group.  The other six (if I remember correctly) were: meats & legumes, Dairy & eggs, citrus, leafy fruits & vegeatbles (could never figure out a leafy fruit we ate), grains, and all other fruits & vegetables.  I had a chart that featured a circle showing equal pie sectors and daily intakes for these food groups.  As I was planning to be a "dietitian when I grew up" I tried to follow this meal plan.  I failed at the "fats & oils" because I didn't like the texture of butter or oleo on my bread, and cut off all the fat on my meat.  In the 80s when we began testing for lipids more vigorously my early eating habits paid off, but my love of food and diet wonin the end.  While HDL is 70+, I did gain a lot of weight tasting foods my staffs prepared over the years, and did develope Type 2.  Never got my RD, but have been Hospital Food Service Director in acute care hospital with my BS plus grad work. 

also, the politics behind the pyramid development were interesting- the meat/dairy industry lobbied against the pyramid, because instead of being on equal footing (4 equal food groups), the pyramid was relegating them to a smaller tier- this is what held up the release of the pyramid for years

Gretchen, I always love your humor. Let me just add that what I recall best is pie charts but which always made me hungry for more pie and my Mom made wonderful pies!

Oh Gretchen, you absolutely made my day with this post.  First off, humor is essential to survive the myriad of information we, as diabetics get. They keep changing the names of what we should eat without improving the basic diet.  Laughing helps me stay sane as I maneuver my way through an abysmal sea of convoluted nutritional information from 'the experts'.  

You rock!

Michelle