Plate Replaces Pyramid for Nutrition Guidelines; Portion Control Plates Help You Comply

Got a lot on your plate?  Well, whatever the amount, half should be produce.  The latest government guidelines for healthy eating (unveiled in late May, 2011) have replaced the familiar food pyramid symbol with a very appropriate round plate.  The plate is divided in half and then into four unequal sections. One side of the diameter is for produce, with veggies getting more space than fruit.  On the other side are compartments for grains and protein, with grains getting the larger space? What about dairy? That’s a separate smaller circle implying a glass of milk or a cup or yogurt.  Though the plate image is lacking in specificity, a USDA website fills in the gaps.   

For example, the USDA supplies this well-known advice to accompany the plate:

- Enjoy your food, but eat less.

- Avoid oversized portions.

- Make sure half your grains are whole grains.

- Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

- Go lean with protein.

- Compare the sodium content in foods such as soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose the foods with lower numbers.

- Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

In addition, if you go to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov, you’ll find a wide variety of helpful links on the home page.  Look for “Click here for more tips.”  Also, check out the series of  photos and their links: “Food Groups,” Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010,” “Interactive Tools,” and   “Let’s Move.”  The third is an online dietary and physical activity assessment tool that can calculate your energy balance by subtracting the energy you expend from your calorie intake.  The last one contains info about the First Lady’s campaign to raise healthier kids. 

Some have compared the symbolic dinner plate to a pie chart or a pizza, but neither comparison pleases those who want it to serve as a reminder of Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity crusade. 

You may remember the original pyramid, with horizontal segments listing food you should eat in smaller amounts given narrower spaces near the top. (Years ago, it was displayed in nearly every classroom.)   A revised pyramid with vertical divisions was introduced in 1992, but it was widely criticized as being confusing.  Today’s plate is very general but clear. It emphasizes the message that eating more fruit and vegetables and less protein is healthier. (I suspect many of you eat--as I do—a dinner of mostly protein and small portions of veggies and grain.)  Missing from the plate are details about fats, oils, and sugar and about the size and number of recommended daily servings.  Also, an oddity, the plate just says “protein,” not a specific type of food, as the other quadrants do.  The protein label overlaps other food categories.  However, those who want more detailed information will find plenty at the government website given above. 

Now, to be literal, what type of plate are we talking about?  A standard 9-inch plate that is NOT piled high with food is what’s recommended.  Here’s another idea for dieters: portion plates (sometimes called portion control plates). They indicate how much of each type of food to take.  Some are designed with pictures that appeal to kids.  Googling the topic will take you to some links.  Click here for a discussion/evaluation of several sites that sell portion plates online.

Source(s):

usda “Choose My Plate”

www.ChooseMyPlate.gov

newyorktimes.com “Goodbye Food Pyramid, Hello Dinner Plate”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/28/health/nutrition/28plate.html?nl=todaysheadlines

sparkpeople.com “Out with the Pyramid, In with the Plate: What You Need to Know about USDA’s ‘My Plate’”

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=425

“Portion Control Plates by Healthy Plates”

http://www.healthyplates.com/

Personal-nutrition-guide.com “Portion Plates: Portion Control Matters”

http://www.personal-nutrition-guide.com/portion-plates.html#choices