USDA Food Pyramid is Out

Choose My Plate.gov

After twenty years of the old icon of healthy eating--the food pyramid—is now ancient history. The US Department of Agriculture calls a “monumental effort” to improve the nation’s diet amid the obesity epidemic, the government has dished up a new plate-shaped graphic. This comes as part of the Obama administration's effort to slow down the obesity epidemic in our nation and reduce health care costs. Will this be easier for the consumer to follow and change eating habits? Let's follow this major change in the way we try to eat a more balanced diet and in the long run improve our health.



Balancing Calories
● Enjoy your food, but eat less.
● Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase
● Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
● Make at least half your grains whole grains.
● Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Foods to Reduce
● Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
● Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Other advise the new system suggests is that we as consumers learn to read the product nutrition labels on the foods we buy. This alone is a great way of reducing our sodium and fat intake. It is also a good way of learning what is a portion and how portion control will change our eating habits. We have a complete training program just for learning how to read a product label. What requirements the FDA puts on manufacturers for the use of "Reduced Fat"; "Low Fat"; "Trans Fat Free"; and more. For more information or questions on food labels, contact us via email. Comments on this posting are welcomed.