The USDA food pyramid has been inadequate since its inception in 1992. It is accepted that each day we need to consume protein, fat, and carbohydrates, in addition to the 8 essential amino acids, a lot of water, and some vitamins and minerals. The sources of our nutrients and their volume, however, have been argued for centuries. The USDA food pyramid is so steeped in politics, $$$, and other non-food-related power struggles, it has caused a series of rebuttals over the years from a myriad of specialists and individuals alike, all eager to add their two cents. Below is a sampling of these alternative pyramids, some helpful, some witty, and some literally flipping the pyramid concept on its head.

Each image demonstrates the brilliantly iconic form of the pyramid, while also exposing the limitations of trying to encapsulate a diet in an isosceles triangle. These are just the tip of the iceberg.

“There is no high-ranking food safety official in the U.S. government. There is no one accountable.” - “Looking to Obama to Bring Logic to Food Safety,” Andrew Martin, The New York Times