YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health (Winter 2015) | Page 6

GLORIA CABRERA, APD
Gloria is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Personal Trainer who loves food, nutrition,
cooking, fitness and helping others benefit their health. She works in private practice where she
sees clients for weight loss, pre and post weight loss surgery, and chronic health conditions
(e.g. diabetes, high cholesterol, irritable bowel syndrome). Learn more about Gloria at
www.nutritionsavvy.com.au or visit n4foodandhealth.com

A DIETITIAN’S TAKE
ON THE NEW HEALTHY
EATING PYRAMID
Nutrition expert Gloria Cabrera explains the changes to Healthy Eating Pyramid.
he challenge when it comes to
large-scale nutrition advice is
tailoring it to the majority while
keeping it simple and relevant (rather
than trendy). The new Healthy Eating
Pyramid is 15 years in the making and
so far reviews appear positive.

T

Why change the pyramid now?

Nutrition Australia states that this was
done in an effort to combat growing
nutrition confusion and risky fad diets.
The new pyramid provides clearer
advice on the five core food groups and
is consistent with the latest Australian
Dietary Guidelines.
The pyramid is now divided into four
layers with six sections:

Layer 1 (bottom): Divided into
vegetables, legumes and fruit

The bottom layer is now entirely made
up of vegetables, legumes and fruit.
This is in line with the current push for
Australians to increase their
consumption of plant-based foods. The
2011-2012 Australian Health Survey
found that only 5.5 per cent of
Australians had an adequate daily
intake of fruit and vegetables.

Layer 2: Grains

Grains in the old pyramid were on the
bottom with the fruit and vegetables.
While these foods provide fibre and
essential nutrients, there is a tendency to
overeat them, which accounts for greater
kilojoules than needed. Nutrition Australia
has also added some additional nutritious
grains like quinoa, thus increasing variety
and including gluten-free options too.

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Layer 3: Divided
into milk, yoghurt,
cheese and
alternatives, as well
as lean meat,
poultry, fish, eggs,
nuts, seeds and
legumes
This new pyramid
seems to now cater
more for those who are
vegetarian, vegan or
have dietary
restrictions. It does this
by including non-dairy
based alternatives (e.g.
soy milk and vegan
protein foods such as
legumes and tofu).

Layer 4 (top):
Healthy fats
The final layer
recommends a small
amount of healthy fats
(still essential), but
removes more
processed options like margarine –
perhaps an effort to encourage
Australians to eat less processed foods.
Other updates include general things
like using herbs and spices to boost
flavour, drinking water and limiting your
salt and added sugar intake. Processed
and ‘junk’ foods have been eliminated
from the pyramid – this is good
because most people don’t need
encouragement to eat these foods. We
are also recommended to eat a variety
of different foods and be active on a
daily basis.

YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE WINTER 2015

So is the new pyramid perfect?
Well no, but it’s hard to be when there
are 23 million Australians to cater for,
who are from all walks of life, are of
different ages, and who each have their
own individual health status. But, the
underlining point is that it is consistent
with the Australian Dietary Guidelines, it
is evidence-based, and it includes a
variety of foods, which helps it to cater
for the greater majority.