My Plate Makes It Easier To Choose What To Eat

Now that the famous food pyramid has become the food plate, what does that mean for your eating habits?

“One of the main messages is to balance calories, to enjoy your food, to eat less and to avoid oversized portions,” Sherri Hoyt, outpatient dietician/community education department at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, said. “The majority of Americans are overweight or obese.  The bottom line is calories in versus calories out.”

Hoyt said one of the first things the new icon hopes to get across is the idea of eating on a plate, not a bag.

“The colored square around the plate represents a placemat, meaning we really do need to be eating at a place designated for eating, not at a desk or on the dashboard of a car,” she said. “People can identify with a plate so hopefully this graphic is easier and simpler to follow.”

Half of the food plate is filled with produce and the vegetable section is a bit larger than the fruit section. Hoyt said to fill up your plate with non-starchy vegetables to promote good health. Starchy vegetables to avoid include peas, corn and potatoes. One half-cup of peas equals the calories of a slice of whole wheat bread whereas a half-cup of cooked broccoli, cauliflower or carrots only equals 25 calories.

The other half of the plate is divided between proteins and grains, with grains a bit larger. Hoyt said you need to make at least half of your grains whole grains because they’re richer in antioxidants, fiber and vitamins.

The circle off to the side represents low-fat or no-fat dairy in the form of yogurt, milk or cheese.

Hoyt believes this new graphic will make a difference because people can apply it anywhere.

“When a plate is served even when you eat out you can see immediately if it reflects the icon,” Hoyt said. “For example, if you order a pizza for dinner, even if it’s a veggie pizza, you can see compared to the food plate icon that it’s not going to give you half a plate of veggies. So you add a garden salad, one that contains vegetables from the garden not bacon or cheese or croutons, and eat it before the pizza.”

Hoyt believes that with proper eating habits you can reduce your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and blood cholesterol. She said that throughout the next couple of years, the USDA will be releasing key messages targeting specific aspects of the new recommendations. This year’s message: make sure half of your plate is made of fruits and vegetables.

Visit the government’s site for all this information including tools to help you plan meals and recipes: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/index.html