Whose food pyramid is tops?

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The much-maligned U.S. government food guide pyramid has lots of competition these days. The pyramid is supposed to serve as a simple presentation of sound nutritional advice. But even the updated pyramid, which was released in 2005 and carries the slogan ‘steps to a healthy you,’ has not won much praise, and now there are competing pyramids consumers can choose from.

The latest is the Dr. Weil anti-inflammatory food pyramid. The alternative health guru says his pyramid is based on scientific evidence showing that a specific kind of diet can counteract chronic inflammation that is the cause of many diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. The Weil pyramid has more categories than the traditional pyramid and includes such things as tea (green or white), healthy herbs and spices, cooked Asian mushrooms, whole soy foods and supplements.

Another rival pyramid is the Harvard School of Public Health’s healthy-eating pyramid. This pyramid includes exercise as one of its categories for its role in keeping calories in balance. The Harvard pyramid also has a plants category and, like Weil, a supplements category.

The competing pyramids might cause the federal government to wake up and see that its own pyramid is hopelessly outdated and beholden to interest groups. For example, grains and milk are major components of the government pyramid. But, then again, too many pyramids might only serve to confuse people even more. The pyramid was a simple idea that’s just not so simple anymore.

-- Shari Roan