Click here to visit the new home of that's fit!

Hot on HuffPost Healthy Living:

AOL.com
MAIL

En Español

That's Fit

Send Feedback

Food Pyramid to Plate: Useful or Useless?

Posted on Jun 3rd 2011 12:00PM by Emma Gray

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss

USDA.gov

As a child of the '90s, the food pyramid is a symbol that has been effectively etched into my memory. Lots of grains on the bottom, working your way up to meat and dairy, fruits and vegetables and finally a sprinkling of sugar on the top. Following the recommendations of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, on Thursday June 2nd, First Lady Michelle Obama helped the U.S. Department of Agriculture unveil a new (and improved?) nutrition symbol -- MyPlate.

The new graphic is intended to be family-friendly and visually simple, urging parents to provide healthier, more balanced meals for their families. By using a plate, the graphic provides a clear visual of what the components of a healthy meal include -- whole grains, protein, a bit of dairy and a whole lot of fruits and vegetables (half of the plate is dedicated to them).

Many nutrition-focused professionals have responded positively to the symbol change. Center for Science In The Public Interest's Dr. Margo Wootan, is one of these professionals. "With the old pyramids, it was very hard to translate the recommendations into what you should eat. This [new image is] straightforward. It takes a lot of the guesswork out," she tells The Huffington Post.

But will MyPlate actually be effective? Will it be coupled with education that ultimately reminds families to make healthier choices? Or is it just a useless government PR campaign?

We asked our readers, and here's what some of them had to say:

Kim R.
This is awesomeness.

Jeannine T.
My only complaint would be that dairy has a category of its own. Dairy is considered a protein.

Rhonda S.
I have used the plate for years. Half the plate for vegetables and fruits, one-quarter for protein, and one-quarter for starches. It helps me control my carb intake.

Kathy L.
Useless PR campaign ...

Lauren M.
I think the plate change is a good one based on the visual content. The plate is more applicable than the idea of a pyramid.

Angela B.
It still recommends eating too many grains.

Amelia W.
I think it's much better now!

Molly M.
Uh, we might want to look at the latest research which proves that there is no link between saturated fat and heart disease. Fat is not making us fat -- carbs and sugar ARE.

Meg S.
LOVE IT! Wish it were around when I was a kid.

7 Comment

Tags: family nutrition, First Lady, food+plate, food+pyramid, foodplate, foodpyramid, health education, healthy eating, healthy eating families, Michelle Obama, michelle+obama+food+pyramid, michelleobamafoodpyramid, MyPlate, new+food+plate, new+food+pyramid, newfoodplate, newfoodpyramid, NutritION, nutrition education, nutrition information, nutrition plate, nutrition pyramid, us+food+pyramid, USDA, usfoodpyramid

Around the Web

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Kara T. 6-03-2011 @ 1:37PM

I feel like this is better, but still has a lot of unnecessary food. Really our meals should be made up of mostly protein and vegetables. Vegetables have carbs in them and grains often add empty calories. And why do humans eat so much dairy anyway? It's been proven that we don't need it. If we'd all eat free range meat (then the fat is full of nutrients) and vegetables like kale, broccoli, cabbage,etc we wouldn't need these extra sides to fill it nutritional gaps. Fruit is full of nutrients but also full of sugar, it's not something we need to eat with every meal.

Chris 6-04-2011 @ 4:12PM

There is no one eating program that is a perfect fit for everyone. Add to that the fact that the government has spent an enormous amount of money on the various aspects of making these pyramids/plates and as a country we continue to get fatter. They either need to spend the money researching why by going into the research without pre-conceived notions, (or they could just read what the Harvard researchers are finding out) or move on to a more useful way to spend our money.

fst529 6-04-2011 @ 12:36PM

wow!! stepping out!!

leahshell1009 6-04-2011 @ 2:40PM

As someone who taught the Food Pyramid in the past, it was difficult for some students to understand. We all know that the younger students are when we teach them about proper nutrition, the better the lesson sticks. The Food Plate will enable educators to teach very young children about how much and what kinds of things they should be eating. I agree that carbs still seem to be over-represented, but I'm not a nutritionist.

bookhelper 6-04-2011 @ 2:51PM

I love it. Ask me to build the pyramid and I could not without a deal of thought. Now I find as I eat after seeing the plate only a few times, I imagine that plate. It's so easy to remember. I think it will have a positive effect on my eating choices, and as an obese person, I know I can benefit from such a simple tool. Portion size is such a problem for me. Thanks USDA.

marilyn c 6-07-2011 @ 8:46PM

First, if people haven't used any of the simple charts
& tools of the past 30yrs. this is just 1 more gov. expense that could be $$$ better spent in todays economy (something gov. today is oblivious to!). Second, if we are going to use this "new plate" idea, lets give credit where credit is due... this "New American Plate" concept came from American Institute for Cancer and has been used since 2002/2003 to help simplify nutritional changes for cancer pts. to improve their survival rates by improving their eating habits... so in reality neither the gov. or Michelle Obama can claim any part of the concept... just more poorly directed, politically motivated PR!

Margo 6-06-2011 @ 10:17AM

I've been eating for 60 years now :-) I can't imagine how it might help me. I guess it's nice for toddlers/elementary school kids and adults who have been living under a rock and don't know not to eat too much McDonald's?