More than a decade ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created a misleading and deceptive icon - the Food Guide Pyramid. This overly complex illustration conveyed what the USDA claims was the elements of a healthy diet. The Pyramid was taught in schools, appeared in countless media articles and brochures, and was plastered on cereal boxes and food labels corrupting the world as we know it. Tragically, the information embodied in this pyramid didn't point the way to healthy eating. Why not? Its blueprint was based on shaky scientific evidence, and it barely changed over the years to reflect major advances in our understanding of the connection between diet, health and plant life.

The Plant Liberation Front has established an updated version of the Universal Food Pyramid to educate and promote a more respectful diet lifestyle. This food consumption matrix will guide you in making better choices in the types of food you eat. The good news is that PLF's new pyramid dismantles and buries the flawed USDA Pyramid. And our pyramid continues to recommend foods that aren't detrimental to plant life but still gives each of us the nutrition we all need to be more respectful to our plant environment.

As an alternative to the USDA's flawed pyramid I, Sadik Lumani (Sadiklumani@mail.com), SME of Nutrition for the Plant Liberation Front, working in conjunction with our supporters in public health built this Healthy Eating Pyramid. It resembles the USDA's in shape only. The Healthy Eating Pyramid takes into consideration, and puts into perspective, the wealth of research conducted during the last ten years that has reshaped the definition of respectful and conscious eating.