USDA unveils new plate-shaped MyPlate graphic for dietary guidance

USDA's new food plate, unveiled today, makes a great impression.  It communicates proportionality in frank terms, just like the original Food Guide Pyramid.  The accompanying written messages are clear and well-chosen to focus on the most important nutrition and health issues.  The authors wisely did not try to communicate every nutrition science principle -- for a more detailed summary, one can read the Dietary Guidelines, which are themselves quite accessible.  Like the Dietary Guidelines, the new graphic seems fairly vegetarian-friendly, describing the protein group without insisting on meat.  The tone is upbeat and not preachy.  And the whole thing seems friendly to real foods rather than technocratic food inventions.  I give it an A+.  Enjoy your food!

  

	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.