RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's food guide pyramid, a total diet approach introduced in 1992 and revised in 2005, has been set aside for a new icon.
MyPlate, unveiled this month, is a simpler, more straightforward way to show people how to eat healthy meals.
Jennifer Sides, Randolph Health and Wellness Center registered dietitian, said the new icon is "much more user-friendly" than either pyramid.
"It's a lot easier to understand than the pyramid," she said. "It's easier to interpret and easier to apply to everyday life."
MyPlate shows the food groups as portions on a plate, with fruits and vegetables taking up half the plate and grains and lean proteins the other half. A small portion of dairy complements the plate.
The first pyramid was divided into six horizontal sections on four levels that showed the recommended intake of each food group - six to 11 servings of the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group; three to five servings of vegetables; two to four servings of fruits; two to three servings of the milk, yogurt and cheese group; two to three servings of the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group; and sparing consumption of fats, oils and sweets.
The revised pyramid icon, called MyPyramid, illustrated the food groups in colorful vertical wedges of varying thicknesses to describe concepts of variety, moderation and proportion.
Ms. Sides said the MyPlate icon is new, but the concept is prevalent in the nutrition field.
"It's what we've been using for years," she said.
Ms. Sides said a portion plate she uses in her classes at the HAWC - which include Nutrition/Fitness 101 and Healthy Heart as well as sessions in the Lunch & Learn Series - mirrors the MyPlate concept. The plate also emphasizes that people should eat less, avoiding oversized portions.
She said the pyramids were difficult to teach because they "had too many components."
"With MyPlate, you can actually look at it and see what you should be eating," Ms. Side said. "This helps with meal planning."
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who along with First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled the new icon, said MyPlate "is an uncomplicated symbol to help remind people to think about their food choices in order to lead healthier lifestyles.
"This effort is about more than just giving information, it is a matter of making people understand there are options and practical ways to apply them to their daily lives," he said.
Ms. Sides said it is important that, in addition to eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and limiting their portion sizes, people should be careful about their choices of protein and oils and switch to fat-free or low-fat milk for their dairy consumption.
For protein they should choose chicken breast, turkey breast, lean beef, fish, meat alternatives such as tofu and egg whites, she said. Healthy fat can be found in avocados, nuts and olive, canola and peanut oils.
Ms. Sides said a wealth of information, including recipes, sample menus for a 2,000-calorie food pattern and interactive tools, can be found at the website www.choosemyplate.gov.