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The Health Key Against the Pyramid - The Most Recent Nutritional Recommendations
Anna Schmidt
Author
2026-03-17
Date
4 min. read
article.read_time
4
Chapters
Food and lifestyle exert a massive impact on health. An ever-growing number of scientific investigations are being conducted that highlight the importance of diet in a wide range of disease groups. Hence, it is extremely beneficial to be cognizant of the most recent recommendations regarding nourishment, which were presented during the Fifth National Dietetic Congress.
Is it truly a health plate – how to interpret dietary recommendations?
The most recent dietary recommendations were developed by the National Institute of Public Health in the context of the National Health Program and presented in October 2020 at the V National Dietary Congress in the form of a graphite plate. It is worth noting that so far nutritional information has been presented as a pyramid. The health plate is divided into levels where the food groups are placed. The larger the share of the products, the higher their share should be in the diet. Additional tips were also provided around the plate, on what should be consumed in larger quantities and what in smaller, as well as information on healthy nutritional alternatives. Physical activity and maintaining an appropriate body weight were also not forgotten. There is also encouragement to consume various products on a daily basis.
Is it truly a healthy bowl and a pyramid of healthy eating - what's better?
It's not simple to definitively state which shape - the pyramid or the circle - provides a more accessible way to convey information regarding a healthy diet. One might consider that logically it should be a bowl. It is a tool that is utilized daily for serving meals. Thus, it is simple to compose a meal by utilizing the schema presented on the healthy bowl.
What modifications have been made?
Up until 2020, there was a food pyramid based on products that should make up the majority of the diet. The closer to the peak, the smaller the share of individual products. In the case of a healthy plate, the percentage of different food groups is taken into account: 50% vegetables and fruits, 25% cereals, 25% eggs, dairy products, meat, legumes, nuts and vegetable fats. The graphics of the pyramid and the healthy plate also include information on water, physical activity and the reduction of salt and sugar. In the new guidelines, there are also suggestions for giving up unhealthy eating habits, such as proposals for changes in the regularity and times of meals and physical activity, as well as instructions for dietary modifications for eight food groups (salt, cereal products, meat and processed meat products, vegetables and fruits, sweets and sweet drinks, fats, milk and dairy products, fish).
Summary
It is recommended to verify the latest dietary recommendations and implement them in practice. The presentation of nutritional standards in a new graphic format can accelerate the process of habit change. A diet should be based on vegetables, fruits and whole grain products. Fatty fish and low-fat dairy products should be included in the meal plan. Restriction of salt, sugar and processed meat consumption is recommended. Maintaining regular physical activity, diversity of food products and possible consultation with a dietitian are also important.
