The Food Pyramid is long gone

The Food Pyramid was introduced by the USDA almost 30 years ago to help translate the Dietary Guidelines, so Americans could understand what foods they should be eating and how much of each food.  It was a great first attempt.

 It was revamped in 2005:

• It added a  little person climbing those stairs to encourage people to exercise!
• The addition of the word “My” was to indicate isn’t not a “one size fits all” pyramid, but one that needs to be customized to the individual
• The blocks became wedges; this was supposed to help people understand that no food is more important than another (the grain block being the foundation of the original Food Pyramid made it seem like grains are the most important food, which is so not true).  I also like to think it meant that within each food group, some options can be healthier than others; for example in the dairy group, the base of the wedge would be made up of low fat milk, cheese, and yogurt, where the top (aka less) is where ice cream and heavy cream would be found.

However, My Pyramid didn’t seem to last very long; it was a little too busy and hard to understand for the general public, so it was time for another revamp!

So, the My Plate was unveiled in 2011. Simple, colorful, easy.  Compared to the My Pyramid, it is vast improvement, but it’s not without its faults.  Let’s start with the good stuff first:

Pros:

• We all eat off a plate, or at least know what a plate is!  It’s a really clear visual for people to see eating fruits and veggies at every meal, keeping protein to 3-4 ounces  (without needing to get out the kitchen scale, because who’s got time for that), and keeping your grains in check- the never ending bowl of pasta at Olive Garden will NOT fit in the corner of your plate. And don’t forget your glass of milk!  It’s all laid out quite nicely.
• It doesn’t call the food group “meat and beans” anymore, it’s just protein, which is nice for vegetarians and vegans.  
• You’re supposed to customize it, suggested  by the “My” that remains in the title.  Going on the website allows you to explore different options from each of the food groups.  Gluten free, no problem, fill the grains with rice and quinoa.  Follow a Mediterrean diet, easy, the protein group can focus on fish and beans.  It’s built to be utilized across all types of cultures and cuisines. 

Cons

• It’s a plate, but not every meal is a plate.  What about a bowl?  Additionally, not every food is divided into individual foods or sections like soup or tacos.  This makes it slightly trickier to implement the MyPlate for those foods/meals.
• Where are the fats??!?!  I love healthy fats, like avocado and olive oil; they’re good for your brain and heart, help keep you full, and are needed at every meal for vitamin absorptions (A, D, E, & K are fat soluble vitamins, aka, they need fat to be absorbed).  But they’re nowhere to be found…
• The dairy group, some people don’t like dairy, or are lactose intolerant, or vegan.  Dairy is the best way for us to meet our calcium needs, but it’s not the ONLY way. What about calling it a “calcium” food group.  
• Water… it’s the most important thing we can consume, and we need a lot of it.  Water isn’t mentioned either.

3 meals a day following this guide will give you 6 servings of fruits and veggies (the recommendation is for 5-9); 3 servings of dairy and protein, which is on track for the dietary guidelines; and plenty of grains.  It reminds you to diversify your plate at each sitting.  It’s easy to grab a hoagie for lunch, but you would only be getting 2 food groups: grains and protein.  Maybe stretch it to vegetables too, if you really pack on the lettuce and tomatoes.  But instead of a hoagie, how about a turkey and cheese sandwich on wheat (grains, protein, dairy) with side salad and an apple; then you’ve got each food group covered and you’re still eating a sandwich, albeit a smaller one, but that means you have room for some fruits and veggies!

Bottom line-MyPlate has some flaws, but overall I really like it, and for the general public, it’s a great jumping off point.  It’s also a great teaching tool that can be used at a young age, and SHOULD be used at a young age.  Kids need to learn about the food groups and how to build healthy meals themselves.  I would love to have one of my kids point out I’m missing the fruit on my plate…one day.     

If the MyPlate helps you realize you forgot the dairy food group (or as I like to call it- the calcium group) at lunch, and you have a yogurt for your afternoon snack, then it’s working.  

So try using it as a guide when you build your next meal…missing anything?

This blog was written by Chris Henigan MS, RD, LDN, co-founder of Simple Start Nutrition.  For more blog posts and nutrition information follow @simplestartnutrition on Instagram and Facebook.  Also feel free to contact us, by visiting our website (simplestartnutrition.com) to schedule an appointment to discuss your nutrition related needs.  We are here to help.