Healthy Eating Pyramid

I was listening to NPR one morning, and one of the guest speakers was Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. He discussed the US Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid, and suggested the Healthy Eating Pyramid as an alternative.

Here are the main elements of the Healthy Eating Pyramid which sit on a foundation of daily exercise and weight control:

• Whole Grain Foods (at most meals)
• Plant Oils
• Vegetables (in abundance) and Fruits (2 to 3 times)
• Fish, Poultry, and Eggs (0 to 2 times)
• Nuts and Legumes (1 to 3 times)
• Dairy or Calcium Supplement (1 to 2 times)
• Red Meat and Butter (Use Sparingly)
• White Rice, White Bread, Potatoes, Pasta, and Sweets (Use Sparingly)
• Multiple Vitamin
• Alcohol (in moderation)

The NPR transcript costs money, but you can read a similar interview with Dr. Willett on ABCnews.com.