Latin American Pyramid

The Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust has come up with a food pyramid called The Latin American Diet Pyramid.

The Latin American Diet Pyramid represents a healthy diet. The Latin American Diet Pyramid will help you eat healthy food that is very tasty and inexpensive. Another benefit is that the food is easy to prepare.

The diet is based from the region around Latin America where cultivation of potatoes, maize, 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. A general guideline on the Latin American Diet Pyramid is listed 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 America 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 a day:

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

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

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

For more information on “The Latin American Diet Pyramid”, please download below: