The pyramid highlights fruit and veggies as top choices - Media Credit:

Belgium’s New Food Pyramid Equates Processed Meat With Junk Food

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1 Minutes Read

Way back in October 2015, the World Health Organization [WHO] designated processed meat as being carcinogenic.

The WHO ranked items like hot dogs, salami, and ham alongside smoking as a major factor in causing cancer.

Foods at the top of the pyramid (an inverted triangle) – and therefore the ones people are encouraged to eat most of are fruit, veggies, tofu, and of course water, reports Quartz.

Junk

Now health bosses in Belgium have taken that message to heart with their new food pyramid – which relegates bacon and other unhealthy items as junk food, along with fries, pizza, cookies, and soda.

These items aren’t in the food pyramid, but in a circle to the side. It is recommended that people eat those items ‘as little as possible’.

A spokesperson said: “We want to make it clear that we don’t need these products. We don’t forbid them, but they should be rather an exception than rule.”

Alpro

Plant-based giant Alpro was quick to praise the move, saying: “The Flemish Institute for a Healthy Life (Vlaams Instituut Gezond Leven, formerly known as VIGeZ) has launched a revised version of the well-known diet triangle. 

“The new dietary model focuses primarily on a plant-based diet, sustainable diet choices, and diet variation. Alpro welcomes this evolution as it perfectly fits in with Alpro’s vision and plant-based product offering.”

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The Author

Maria Chiorando

Maria is the former editor for Plant Based News. She has been a newspaper reporter and features writer. Her work has been published by The Guardian and The Huffington Post, among others

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