University of Michigan Food Pyramid vs USDA

My initial response to comparing the University of Michigan to the USDA Food Pyramid, was "wow, UM's food pyramid begins with water" what a concept! On the USDA Food Pyramid there is no mention of water. There is also a difference between how much water a woman needs (9 cups per day) and a man needs (12 cups per day). Then, I noticed, where it talks about exercise on the UM food pyramid and how much, and on the USDA food pyramid (FP) there is a section which speaks about exercise but no fluids are mentioned there. The UM also includes how much extra water would be needed in different climates, if someone has diarrhea, or a cold; this information is missing on the USDA FP. The UM FP also gives the signs of dehydration, how to know if you have consumed too much water, whether your water may be contaminated by chlorine, lead, or Bisphenol-A; this information is missing on the USDA FP.
The second level, and most important daily food need mentioned on the UM FP is Fruits and Vegetables. On the USDA FP the first item, is Grains. The UM FP also puts emphasis on what each colored vegetable or fruit contains for nutrients which is missing on the USDA FP.
Grains is the next level on the UM FP and goes into great detail about the difference between whole grains and processed grains which is not available on the USDA FP.
The next level up on the UM FP is legumes, which on the USDA FP is lumped in with the meat section. The UM FP gives detailed information about legumes and states that even though legumes provide some protein, they lack the amino acids to create a complete protein so they need to be pared with whole grains; this is not mentioned on the USDA FP.
Healthy fats are not on the USDA FP but are on the UM FP with examples of good fats and serving sizes.
Seasonings are also on the UM FP which are not on the USDA FP.
Eggs are not mentioned on the USDA as part of nutritional requirements but are mentioned and given a place of their own on UM's daily nutritional requirements.
The dairy section of the UM FP mentions many benefits to consuming dairy products and which dairy products are the best; the USDA has no information except that people should get 3 cups of some kind of dairy per day.
Lean meats, fish and seafood are items which are consumed on a weekly basis and not a daily basis. Lean meats are recommended as 1-3 servings per week and seafood is recommended as 2-4 servings per week, this is different than the USDA which states that we should eat 5 1/2 ozs per day.
So there are clear differences in the food pyramids, but the University of Michigan Food Pyramid definitely gives more information and puts more importance on nutritional needs.
University of Michigan Food Pyramid Link: http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/index.htm
USDA Food Pyramid Link: http://weight-loss-programs.us/food-pyramid.html

The Scoop on Natural Fats

Conventional nutrition professionals would ask me why I think that a diet which includes raw, whole fat, dairy products would be a good choice for a patient who has hyperlipidemia. A conventional nutrition professional would say that the patient should be on a low fat diet in order to lower the lipid content in the blood.
Foods which contain saturated fat, such as whole milk and cheese, do not cause fat build-up in the blood, in the form of triglycerides, and do not cause heart disease. The most recent information concerning this comes from a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The data which was gathered "concluded that there is no relationship between the intake of saturated fat and the incidence of heart disease or stroke" (Siri-Tarino, et al, 2010).
Cheeses, cream, milk, and butter should be made from whole milk and if possible unpasteurized as raw milk has been shown to be superior to pasteurized milk in protecting against infection, diarrhea, tooth decay, and many types of cancer (Weston A. Price Foundation, 2010).

References
Siri-Tarino, P., Sun, Q., Hu, F.& Krauss, R. (January 13, 2010) Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studiesevaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease. TheAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Retrieved on May 13, 2010 from http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajcn.2009.27725v1.
Weston A. Price Foundation (2000) What’s Wrong with “Politically Correct” Nutrition? Health Topics – ABC’s of Nutrition. Retrieved on May 13, 2010 from http://www.westonaprice.org/What-s-Wrong-with-Politically-Correct-Nutrition.html.

Economic and Cultural Effects on Nutritional Choices

There are many factors which influence how we eat and the quality of nutrition we are able to enjoy. One factor is the availability of fresh, local, whole, organic, or unprocessed foods. In many parts of the United States fresh local food is only available during the summer months. This can be a real problem for many in colder climates. These individuals are not able to get fresh fruit and vegetables during the winter months so they have to find other ways to incorporate fruit and vegetables into their diets. Many people resort to buying frozen or canned fruit and vegetables from the grocery store. Another factor which influences how we eat is cultural and economic issues. Cultural and economic realities play a large role in the availability of organic foods for many people. The culture in rural areas, such as where I grew up in Maine, is one where people live very close to the earth and realize the importance of whole, organic foods. Some of these people have many acres of organic agricultural land which the family takes care of. This assures them of the best organic produce available during the summer months. In the fall, when the harvest is in full swing, the family comes together to preserve the bounty of the harvest in jars which will be used during the cold winter months to come.Even though the economic systems in some areas have been depressed for many years, the fact is that people have been forced to go back to their natural roots and grow their own food. Many rural communities have, at their disposal, fresh, organically grown chicken and eggs, milk and beef from local farmers, usually at below market prices.