The new food plate icon is designed to replace the USDA's food pyramid as a symbol and guide for healthy eating.The food pyramid has been the US Department of Agriculture's guide to healthy eating since it was introduced in 1992. As obesity has become a bigger problem in America, the USDA felt it was time to make a change.
The USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama introduced a "food plate" as the new symbol for nutrition on Thursday. The guide, which resembles a pie chart, is sliced into four colorful wedges to illustrate the different food groups -- fruits, vegetables, grains and protein -- that the USDA recommends for our daily diet. A small circle to the right is intended to resemble a glass of milk for our dairy intake.
The icon, simply called "MyPlate," is intended to show what Americans should eat for a healthy meal in a less confusing manner than the long-recognized food pyramid.
A new website, ChooseMyPlate.gov, encourages Americans to avoid oversized portions and balance their calories. The most important foods to increase are fruits and vegetables, which should be half the plate, and grains, half of which should be whole grains. The new USDA site also suggests switching to fat-free milk and reducing sodium and sugar intake.
The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, said, "'MyPlate' is a truly simple, powerful visual cue to help people adopt healthy eating habits at mealtimes."
The new nutrition guide goes hand-in-hand with Obama's "Let's Move" campaign to reduce childhood obesity in the United States. "Today is an enormous step in right direction and shows that all of us care about our nation's health and we can make a difference," the First Lady said.
- The new "Choose My Plate" icon also comes with seven tips to eat healthier:
- Make at least half your grains whole grains
- Vary your veggies,
- Focus on fruit
- Eat calcium rich foods
- Go lean with protein
- Balance food and physical activity.
- Keep food safe to eat
Obama offered compassion to how difficult it can be to follow all the guidelines, adding "When Moms and Dads come home from work, we're a chef, referee and cleaning crew. It's tough to be a nutritionist too!"
According to Forbes, the expensive new campaign has already cost the USDA more than $2 million. However, CNN points out that obesity-related health problems such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes -- which are leading causes of death -- cost an estimated $270 billion annually in health care costs.
» Yahoo! Health: USDA food pyramid is out, food plate is in
» USA Today: Government replaces food guide pyramid with a plate