The food pyramid is still pushed as an effective eating plan, and often appears in medical and nutritional textbooks. There are variations on the food pyramid, but generally the design is consistent throughout the world (figure 1). At the bottom making up the base of the pyramid is the bread, cereal, pasta and rice group, while above this sits the vegetable and fruit groups, both smaller than the cereal group below. Above these sit the dairy group alongside the meat, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group. The capstone of the pyramid is made up of fats, oils and sugar. The problem with the food pyramid is that it is based on no good science whatsoever, and is simply a reflection of the political influence held by the agricultural lobby. Traditional diets that have been shown to prevent Western diseases bare little resemblance to the Western food pyramid, as they place far less emphasis on cereal grains and far more emphasis on the meat, dairy, vegetable or fruit groups that sit above. In addition, no traditional diet contains any refined sugars or artificial fats.
Figure 1. The food pyramid. Notice the emphasis on cereal grains, and the relative unimportance shown to dairy, nuts, fish and legumes, all of which have been shown to prevent Western degenerative diseases.
The traditional diets the World over provide healthy living for those who consume them. Yet the traditional diets around the World are quite different and few follow the food pyramid schematic. However, what the traditional diets of the World have in common is that they contain little sugar. Sugar is the component that can be added to any healthy diet and be guaranteed to cause ill healthy and long-term weight gain. Having sugar in the food pyramid at all discredits the pyramid as nothing more than a gimmick because sugar is not a food but a metabolic poison. In addition, the food pyramid does not differentiate between healthy oils and fats and those that cause disease. Essential fatty acids must be eaten in a particular ratio or disease and ill health prevail. Trans fats too have no lower safe level and should therefore be removed from the food pyramid along with sugar. Teaching students the cornerstone of good health starts with the food pyramid is therefore disingenuous.
