The Government set forth since 1980 a set of dietary guidelines. The DGA (dietary guidelines for Americans) has some hits and misses. Our expert panel undresses this on the IMA Weekly Webinar
Dr. Kristina Carman will cover RDAs vs ODIs (optimal daily intakes)
Then as far as reviewing nutritional guidelines (food pyramid/MyPlate), What Kristina would most like to talk about is:
A shift away from broad food groups to tiered food quality (what is whole, minimally processed, ultra-processed etc). People need clarity as it’s all very confusing.
Greater emphasis on balancing protein, fiber (we are largely fiber deficient) and healthy fats in adults but especially for children in developmentally critical years.
A firm stand against added sugar in early childhood, including fruit juice. Then I’d add creating stricter guidelines on food labelling. What has HFCS and so on…
And importantly, nutrition education integrated into schools, so children learn ‘why’ food choices matter, not just what to eat.
The original pyramid led to decades of carb-heavy, low-fat messaging that contributed to the rise in nutrient-poor eating habits. MyPlate, while more visually simplified, still lacks a lot of essential details:
It doesn’t differentiate between refined grains and whole, traditional carbohydrates.
It visually underrepresents protein, which should be central—especially for growing kids, the elderly, and those on GLP-1s or with metabolic and chronic disease risk.
And it fails to guide on food quality—juice is still considered a fruit, and ultra-processed options easily fit within the categories.
Not enough emphasis on fiber and how essential it is to healthy metabolism and nutrient metabolism.
We need and will discuss a new model that:
Centers protein + FIBER-rich whole foods
Differentiates minimally processed vs ultra-processed
And reflects cultural diversity and perhaps therapeutic nutrition vs public guidelines.
Join us TONIGHT at 7PM EST for an interesting conversation about our Food Guidelines set forth by our government, the Food Pyramid and nuances on diet and nutrition. I will be hosting two experts in the field and fellow Senior Fellows with the IMA.
Dr. Kristina Carman will cover RDAs vs ODIs (optimal daily intakes)
Then as far as reviewing nutritional guidelines (food pyramid/MyPlate), What Kristina would most like to talk about is:
A shift away from broad food groups to tiered food quality (what is whole, minimally processed, ultra-processed etc). People need clarity as it’s all very confusing.
Greater emphasis on balancing protein, fiber (we are largely fiber deficient) and healthy fats in adults but especially for children in developmentally critical years.
A firm stand against added sugar in early childhood, including fruit juice. Then I’d add creating stricter guidelines on food labelling. What has HFCS and so on…
And importantly, nutrition education integrated into schools, so children learn ‘why’ food choices matter, not just what to eat.
The original pyramid led to decades of carb-heavy, low-fat messaging that contributed to the rise in nutrient-poor eating habits. MyPlate, while more visually simplified, still lacks a lot of essential details:
It doesn’t differentiate between refined grains and whole, traditional carbohydrates.
It visually underrepresents protein, which should be central—especially for growing kids, the elderly, and those on GLP-1s or with metabolic and chronic disease risk.
And it fails to guide on food quality—juice is still considered a fruit, and ultra-processed options easily fit within the categories.
Not enough emphasis on fiber and how essential it is to healthy metabolism and nutrient metabolism.
We need and will discuss a new model that:
Centers protein + FIBER-rich whole foods
Differentiates minimally processed vs ultra-processed
And reflects cultural diversity and perhaps therapeutic nutrition vs public guidelines.
More from Dr. Michael Turner on the next post.
here is the recording: https://imahealth.org/rethinking-the-food-pyramid-and-dietary-guidelines/
https://imahealth.org/weekly-webinars/ to register in advance for this webinar.
For decades, I've been telling others to turn the pyramid upside down and you'll be a lot closer to what is considered healthy.
Join us TONIGHT at 7PM EST for an interesting conversation about our Food Guidelines set forth by our government, the Food Pyramid and nuances on diet and nutrition. I will be hosting two experts in the field and fellow Senior Fellows with the IMA.