Big news hit the stands this month my nutritioners!! The beloved food pyramid (MyPyramid, 2005) has been archived. The plate makes her debutante! (she's female, as introduced by Mrs. President). MyPlate is the new and easy, not to mention colorful way to explain to you in under 8 seconds how to eat healthy. I was so excited to see this plate. But my next thought was, what of MyPyramid? First, a history lesson. The first "food guide" was developed in 1916 explaining foods for young children and teaching the homemakers what foods to select. The USDA researched more and more, and found out that there's always room for improvement. 6 remakes later, in 2005 the MyPyramid was developed. "My" in front, to stress that not everyone is the same, nor are their nutritional needs. The website of MyPyramid.gov is/was very interactive and could do anything from finding calories in a food item to tracking your entire day's worth of foods. I was a fan. I loved how it integrated the importance of physical activity, as the person is climbing the stairs up the pyramid.
...The old
The new...
So back to the plate. I am still excited, aside from its lack of immediately letting you know you still need to exercise to be healthy. On the up side, this plate is familiar. Who's ever eaten off of a pyramid? The place setting is something most people see, multiple times a day. The entire message of the 8 second review of the new MyPlate should tell you- "I need to eat vegetables for breakfast?" No. Look for the less literal message, see the red and green? YOU SHOULD MAKE HALF OF YOUR PLATE (half of what you eat every day) FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. Heart disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma, cerebrovascular disease, kidney failure, liver failure, sudden quick and painful death. need I go on? The Dietary Guidelines of 2010 are on top of this plate to prevent these PREVENTABLE diseases from happening. According to the CDC, 1/3 of American children are overweight and at risk for type II diabetes (not "adolescent diabetes", the kind 58 year old adults get from 58 years of unhealthy eating) they are at risk for not being able to breathe with asthma, they are at risk for high cholesterol and high blood pressure at the age of 10! Life expectancy of this generation may not be as long as their parents'. Sad :'( 2/3 of American adults are overweight, and dying from the above diseases. On a HAPPIER note, (dry your tears now) I mentioned these diseases of terror are preventable. Meaning!... Lifestyle changes (diet and exercise) can rid you of these high risks that are attacking nation wide (and waistlines wide). Its summer. Enjoy the outdoors! Go to the Farmer's Markets and support your local agriculture. Color you plate! Each different color of a fruit or vegetable has a completely different nutrient and antioxidant. Color your MyPlate with different colors of fruits and vegetables every week, and you will be golden. (golden like the pot of gold at the end of this rainbow plate) So, be the plate. you are the plate. (you are your own MyPlate). I'm sure I will have more to add about MyPlate as I educate my clients and colleagues. I will provide feedback when its available. Remember, you eat with your eyes first. And black and white is boring.
Until next time nutritioners,
The truth of health risks is ugly, but the plate is pretty :)
Lauren, RD.
