For the past 20 years, the Food Pyramid has been the symbol of healthy eating in America.  It has been taught in schools and at fitness centers; it has been on magazine covers and mugs. And as of June 2, 2011, the Food Pyramid has been replaced with a new symbol of healthy eating: MyPlate.

What is MyPlate?

MyPlate provides an easier way to think about healthy eating. For each meal, mentally split a plate into 4 sections. The first section represents protein-rich foods (meat, fish, beans, soy). The second section is for whole grains (bread, rice, cereal, pasta). The third section is fruits, and the last section is vegetables.  Additionally, 1 cup of low fat dairy products (skim or 1% milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese) should be served at each meal.

How was MyPlate developed?

Every 5 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services release new "Dietary Guidelines for Americans". The most recent Guidelines were released in 2010. A panel of experts reviewed the latest research on food, physical activity, and health. After considering the research, these experts made specific recommendations designed to help Americans make healthier choices about food and exercise. MyPlate is designed to help consumers apply the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans into every day life.

What do the new Guidelines recommend?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are simple, and fall into 3 general categories:

1. Balance calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less
• Avoid oversized portions

2. Foods to INCREASE

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk

3. Foods to REDUCE

• Compare the sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals - and choose the foods with lower numbers
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks

Balancing calories

The latest research shows that Americans eat more food than we need to power our bodies. The extra food we eat is converted to fat and stored in special fat cells. This fat storage is an evolutionary process that we can't avoid - over thousands of years, our bodies have learned to store excess fat for use as energy in times of famine. Unfortunately, with food a plentiful resource in our country, we never use the excess fat we store. Currently,  more than 50% of Americans are either overweight or obese. The extra weight we carry increases the risk for developing chronic diseases like, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and others.

There are two simple ways to combat the growing obesity epidemic: eat less and exercise more. One recommendation from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010: avoid oversized portions. Both in restaurants and at home, oversized portions are the norm. Some restaurants serve the amount of food at one meal that we should eat over 2-3 meals. We can always choose to share a meal with someone, take home a box to eat for lunch the next day, or simply request a smaller order of food. Even small changes to decrease portion sizes can add up in big ways. Any effort we make to decrease portion size is a good change.

Increase intake of vegetables, fruit, and low-fat dairy products

Americans do not get enough calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and dietary fiber. Following the MyPlate model will help Americans consume more of these nutrients. Dairy  products, recommended at one cup per meal, are high in calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. In general, skim or 1% dairy products are best.  Additionally, MyPlate shows us how to increase intake of dietary fiber and potassium by making half our plate fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of dietary fiber, and are also excellent sources of potassium. When choosing fruits and vegetables, a wide variety of colorful vegetables will provide the best nutrition. The table below lists food sources for the nutrients that are lacking in the average American diet.

Reduce intake of salt, sugar, and solid fats

Americans over-consume sodium, sugar and fat. The extra salt can contribute to high blood pressure, while the extra sugar and solid fats are a major contributor to the excess calories that we eat and the extra fat we store.

The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend lower sodium (salt) intake than ever before. The recommended daily sodium intake is now less than 2300 milligrams per day. To put this into perspective, one cup of canned tomato soup has 1420 milligrams of sodium, which is more than HALF of the amount recommended in a day. In general, canned foods are usually high in salt, so always check the labels. Salt intake can be decreased by eating more fresh foods and fewer processed foods and by not adding additional salt when cooking. Try adding spices to increase the flavor in foods.

The two major sources of sugar in the American diet are sugar-sweetened beverages (soda, sports drinks, punch) and desserts. There are two problems with eating and drinking so much sugar. First, we get more calories than we require, which promotes weight gain. Second, these calories are "empty" - that is, they provide limited vitamins or minerals. The Dietary Guidelines recommend replacing sugary beverages with water, and to reduce intake of calories from solid fats and added sugars. The Dietary Guidelines do not suggest eliminating sweets from the diet - they simply suggest cutting back. Even small steps to reduce intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and desserts can help. For example, instead of eating a candy bar every afternoon, eating a candy bar every other afternoon could promote weight loss of about 13 pounds per year! Remember, desserts should be saved for special occasions - not every day events.

MyPlate, in summary

MyPlate is the new symbol for healthy eating in America. However, it is not a stand-alone symbol. Excellent resources for developing a personalized eating plan that promotes lean meats, whole grains, adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables, and low-fat dairy products can be found at www.choosemyplate.gov. Firmly established eating habits can be hard to change, so take it slow. Don't feel like the entire plan has to be implemented at once. For the first month, experiment with new fruits and vegetables. In the second month, slowly reduce intake of soda while increasing intake of water. In the third month, limit desserts to special occasions (Sunday dinners, birthday parties). Over time, these small changes can add up to weight loss, improved health, and extra years of life. Good luck!

The complete set of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 can be found at: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2010.asp