Latin American Pyramid

The Latin American Diet – Healthy, Tasty and Inexpensive

The Latin American diet represents a healthy diet with  inexpensive and easy food to prepare. The Latin American food pyramid  illustrates  consumers how to eat the healthy and traditional Latin American Diet.

The Latin American diet is based from the region around Latin America where cultivation of potatoes, maize, and dry beans traditionally occurred. It has its roots from the Aztec, the Inca, the Maya, and from the food traditions that emerged following the arrival of Columbus around 1500 to the present time. Variations of these diets have traditionally existed in other parts of Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and the southern edge United States.

The Latin American Diet Pyramid

Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust has come up with a food pyramid called The Latin American Diet Pyramid that will help you follow a diet that is healthy and very tasty.

Latin American Diet Pyramid – Guidelines

To get you started, we have listed a general guideline on the Latin American Diet Pyramid below.

• Several servings a day of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, tubers, pasta, beans and nuts
• Daily servings of poultry, fish & shellfish, plant oils, dairy
• Once a week you can have some meat, eggs and sweets
• Drink 6 glasses of water everyday to assure good health.
• If you’re an adult, it’s ok to drink alcohol, as long as your alcohol intake is moderate and with meals. Consumption should be avoided during pregnancy and whenever you put yourself and others at risk.
• Do some form of exercise everyday! Try salsa dancing, play some soccer, clean up your house or go for a walk.

The Latin American Diet Pyramid – 7 Mini Pyramids

The Latin American Diet Pyramid consists of 7 mini-pyramids. You should eat a variety of foods from theses 7 mini-pyramids. Below is an example of foods that you can choose from:

Several servings of:

1. Fruits
Limes, Bananas, Avocados, Cacao, Breadfruit, Plums, Apples, Berries, Papayas, Mangos, Cherimoya, Guanabana, Pineapple, Melon, Tamarind, Quince, Grapes, Guava, Oranges, Sapote, Sugarcane

2. Vegetables
Kale, Cactus, Eggplant, Turnip, Chard, Squash, Zucchini, Onions, Broccoli, Okra, Spinach, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Sweet Peppers, Chillies

3. Whole Grains, Tubers, Pasta, Beans, Nuts
Maize, Potatoes, Rice, Bread, Taro, Tortillas, Arepas, Black Beans, Seeds, Quinoa, Malanga, Peanuts, Amaranth, Legumes, Cassava, Pecans, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Plantains, Yuca, Garbanzo Beans, Pinto Beans

 Daily servings of:

4. Poultry & Pork
Fowl, Turkey, Chicken

5. Fish, Shellfish
Shrimp, Salmon, Snapper, Mussels

6. Plant Oils, Dairy
Plant Oils (Soy, Corn, Olive), Milk, Cheese

Once a week:

7. Meat, Sweets, Eggs

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Latin American Diet Pyramid Downloads

• Color Illustration of the Latin American Diet Pyramid
• Common and Uncommon Foods and Flavors of Latin American Diet Pyramid