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The Food Guide Pyramid becomes MyPlate
In 1916 the first ever consumer food guide was introduced by the U.S Department of Agriculture. It was called ‘Food for Young Children’ and ‘How to select Food’. Since 1916 there have been numerous different food guides with the most recent being the Food Guide Pyramid.
This month the food guide pyramid is being retired and we welcome a new symbol for healthy food choices - MyPlate. The MyPlate visual is an uncomplicated illustration of how to build a healthy meal. It includes five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy using a familiar mealtime image: a place setting. A plate makes sense as a food guide. Just looking at the plate you can quickly see how to build a balanced meal. The idea is to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, a fourth with whole grains and the remaining fourth with protein.
At Jenny Craig we use a similar version of MyPlate called the healthy plate. It’s a quick and simple way to create a meal when eating at a restaurant or a social event. Both are simple tools to help keep your meals balanced and calories in check.
Below are the key healthy messages from the MyPlate website, www.chooseMyPlate.gov , which we can all use to improve our food choices.
- Enjoy your food, but eat less
- Avoid oversized portions
- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
- Make at least half your grains whole
- Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
- Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose foods with lower numbers.
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
For additional information on MyPlate as well as the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines, which MyPlate is a part, visit www.chooseMyPlate.gov
