The New Food Guide - The Food Plate?

So the new Food Guide has come out, and I'm not sure I like it any more than any of the others. It still doesn't really convey how important it is to eat whole nutrient-dense foods, not processed. Or that water is probably the most important element out of all of them. And maybe to focus on organic or homegrown foods over ones laden with pesticides. I mean, how healthy are you going to be if you still follow "The Food Plate" or "The Food Pyramid" but are eating processed foods from the grocery store that have none of the original food nutrients in them but instead have been robbed of them and are now "fortified." Or even simply, foods that are GMO's. I certainly don't know as much as many people about these issues, but I know enough about it to know that people will take the easy way out because the Food Guide is still not clear about what is important to eat and what is healthy! Why don't they make a food guide that says:

Eat whole organic nutrient-dense foods like:

• A variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably grown in your own backyard, with no pesticides.
• A variety of whole grains that have not been processed/refined, like whole wheat bread, oats, quinoa, brown rice, etc.
• A variety of healthy oils/fats, like butter from your own cows or goats, coconut oil, flax seed oil, and olive oils, as well as nuts.
• A variety of protein-rich foods from either/both meat or non-meat sources, both from healthy pesticide/antibiotic/hormone-free sources.
• Large quantities of fresh pure clean water (not bottled)
• A variety of herbs and spices, from pesticide-free sources.

I know I am forgetting some. What one's would you add?

I think that if you are not clear, people will take the easy way out and not change or make a difference in their diet. I think we have to be abundantly clear what is healthy and what is good for you. It's been proven that our SAD (Standard American Diet) of refined/processed foods, is the leading cause of heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other diseases. And that amazingly these diseases are mostly reversible by just choosing to eat healthy and adopt a healthy lifestyle, yet, no one is really taught how to do this or what this means, or even if they are, they may not change.

In making the changes that I have over the years, and teaching myself by reading books and literature, I've realized how much we are poisoning ourselves daily by consuming:

• Pesticides
• GMO's
• Antiobiotics/hormones
• Chemicals
• Highly processed foods like white bread/refined sugar, etc

By even just eliminating these from our diets, we have a better chance of being healthy. Then next by eating foods that are grown in healthy soil, that are allowed to ripen naturally and produce all the necessary nutrients, vitamins & minerals.

I was amazed when I started raising chickens and compared the yolks of my "free-range" chickens that ate bugs, and greens and enjoyed the sunshine, from even "organic" eggs in the supermarket. My yolks were bright orange and full of way more nutrients!

Maybe the trick is going back to growing our own foods at home, raising our own chickens, etc. Maybe this is what will be the best choice for us in the future.

What are your thoughts?

If you were to design a "Food Guide," what would it look like, and what would it say?