New healthy eating icon is ingenious in its simplicity
You have probably heard about MyPlate, the new circular icon unveiled on June 2, 2011 to replace the previous MyPyramid symbol. But you may not realize how this change to a simpler icon packs a big punch when it comes to promoting healthy eating.
MyPlate is the colorful new symbol to remind Americans how to eat a healthy diet in an easy-to-understand visual. For an ideal meal, half of your plate should contain fruits and vegetables, and the other half should consist of protein and grains. A small circle off to the side of the plate represents the dairy group.
This new icon follows the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, released in January 2011. The Guidelines are based on a review of the most recent scientific evidence, updated if necessary, and published every five years by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services.
A poor diet and physical inactivity are identified in the Dietary Guidelines as “the most important factors contributing to an epidemic of overweight and obesity affecting men, women, and children in all segments of society. Even in the absence of overweight, poor diet and physical inactivity are associated with major causes of morbidity and mortality in the U.S.” MyPlate will be promoted together with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative over the next several years.
MyPlate is ingenious as the new food guide icon because:
1.) It encourages an optimal balance of macronutrients at every meal, rather than requiring people to tally the number of servings per day for a particular food group. Beth Reardon, RD, Director of Integrative Nutrition at Duke Integrative Medicine says, “It is ideal to balance macronutrients at every meal because that optimizes energy, mood and blood sugar levels.”
2.) The plate icon makes it easier to visualize a healthy meal better than the previous pyramid icon – even small children understand the concept of dividing up a circle into four sections. It is important to choose a sensibly sized plate – image galleries at ChooseMyPlate.gov show what some specific examples of foods in each food group look like on a typical size plate.
3.) It will save time when preparing meals. First Lady Michelle Obama said during the press conference to announce MyPlate, “Parents don’t have the time to measure out exactly three ounces of chicken or to look up how much rice or broccoli is in a serving. That has confounded me as a parent for a very long time. I still don’t know how much protein comes in x-number of ounces…But we do have time to take a look at our kids’ plates. As long as they’re half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we’re golden.”
4.) There is a big shift to plant-based foods. By making half the plate vegetables and fruit, people will consume more nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants at every meal. Within the protein group, there is also more emphasis on eating plant-based foods more often, for example, dry beans and peas are profiled as excellent sources of protein that also contain zinc and iron, while being naturally low in fat and high in fiber.
5.) It’s simple and evidence-based. We are literally bombarded with diet information: a search on Amazon.com finds more than 64,000 items for sale. MyPlate offers a simple approach, developed from two overarching concepts, which are proven to lead to the best success for achieving and sustaining a healthy weight: maintaining a continued attention to consuming only enough calories to meet needs; and focusing on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fat-free dairy products.
Reardon says, “The previous MyPyramid was unhelpful at best. I think MyPlate is much clearer, because it goes to heart of the issue here, helping people to live with healthier food choices. We’ve been doing this for quite a while, we have had many different versions of the food guide and yet more than ever, we are dying from chronic illnesses that have their root in inflammation and inflammation is directly tied to our diet and lifestyle. MyPlate is absolutely a step in the right direction.”
CONNECT THE DOTS
The ChooseMyPlate.gov website offers interactive tools to help plan your diet, depending on your age, gender and activity level. Find out how to start dishing up healthier meals at The Ten Tips Nutrition Education Series. Learn more about what’s behind the symbol swap and the steps for healthy eating. Read about GE healthymagination’s free mobile apps My Diet Diary and Pic Healthy to help you track your food as you strive to help meet weight loss goals.
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