The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), with the assistance of Michele Obama, just introduced an icon to replace the food pyramid. The MyPyramid tool was first introduced in 1992 and revised in 2005 — many thought it was too convoluted and confusing for consumers to understand. MyPlate is much simpler

The new plate icon is divided into four sections — fruits, vegetables, grains and protein — plus a side “glass” representing dairy.MyPlate is part of a healthy eating initiative that the USDA hopes will convey seven key messages from the government’s dietary guidelines:

USDA Plate

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.

– bonnie