What’s on Your Plate?
What do you usually eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
In honor of the 10th anniversary of MyPlate, let’s break down what exactly MyPlate is and how it can help you visualize healthy eating & put it into practice!
We all grew up learning about food groups through the USDA Food Pyramid. The food pyramid organizes food groups based on similarity and the quantity in which we should consume those foods each day. Foods that we should consume the most fall towards the bottom of the pyramid, while foods we should consume less frequently/in smaller quantities are located at the top. Carbohydrates & starch options like bread, pasta, and grains take the base of the pyramid, followed by fresh fruits & vegetables, then animal protein and dairy groups, and finally sweets, fats, and other miscellaneous foods at the top.
As diet patterns have evolved and research revealed chronic disease prevalence (such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer), federal recommendations for diet patterns have changed. The Food Pyramid has slowly been phased out in favor of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans & MyPlate.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published by the USDA, are revised every 5 years. The mission of the Dietary Guidelines is to promote healthy lifestyle and eating patterns to improve health outcomes in Americans based on available clinical and epidemiological research. The recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines accompany MyPlate, which, like the Food Pyramid, visually represents food group recommendations. What’s great about MyPlate is it demonstrates serving sizes and portions in a more user-friendly manner than the Food Pyramid. The aim of this visual is to encourage Americans to consume a variety of foods at each meal and aim to achieve a plate as similar to the MyPlate visual as they can. Understandably not every meal will include every food group, and that’s okay. The goal is to try and include as much variety in the recommended portions as possible.
So what’s on MyPlate? Let’s dive into each food group and its recommendation:
Fruit: whole fruits are emphasized, and these can be in the form of fresh, frozen, or canned. It is important to note that canned fruits are not ideal if they contain added sugar. If you need an inexpensive, non-perishable fruit option, it is best to stick with frozen. The recommended serving of fruit per day falls at around 2 cups. Combined with vegetables, fruit should constitute half of your plate at a meal.
Vegetables: whole vegetables are emphasized, and just like fruit can be fresh, frozen, or canned. Be aware of any added sodium in canned vegetables. It is important for both fruits and vegetables to vary the types that you eat in order to expose your body to a range of nutrients. The best way to ensure variety is to cover your plate with produce of different colors, as different colors = different nutrients. The recommended serving of vegetables per day ranges from 2-4 cups (but from a dietitian perspective more is better!). The more fresh produce you consume, the more health benefits you receive especially regarding cardiovascular health. Veggies should constitute half your plate at each meal.
Grains: your grains portion includes breads, rice, oats, quinoa, barley, farro, etc. It is recommended to consume between 6-10 oz-equivalents of grains in total each day (higher amounts for men; higher amounts for those that are highly active). Prioritizing whole grains is key, as whole grains are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that are so beneficial to our health. Whole grain products also do not contain the processed ingredients you find in refined grain products like white bread. Been loving bread products like Royo Bread which is made with whole ingredients and is super high in protein & fiber! Use code Abigail10 for a sweet discount at checkout :)
Protein: protein options include animal proteins, legumes, nuts, nut butters, and seeds. Varying your protein intake is just as important as varying your other food groups. Consume different sources of protein throughout the day/week, and aim to consume at least 2 4oz servings of fatty fish per week (these include salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, etc.). Fatty fish are high in protein but are also one of the best sources of omega-3 fats, which benefit heart and brain health and have the ability to reverse cardiovascular issues. Lean proteins are optimal, but this does not mean that medium- or high-fat proteins can’t be included on a balanced diet. Protein recommendations vary widely depending on stage of life, gender, and activity level, but generally 5-7oz-equivalents of protein is recommended daily.
Dairy: 3 cups of milk (or equivalent dairy items) are recommended per day. Low-fat dairy products are ideal; again, other dairy products like cheese can work well when the diet is balanced properly. Yogurt and milk are great sources of protein and calcium for bone health. Dairy alternatives like almond or soy milk are popular in this day and age and are great for those who can’t eat dairy or choose not to. Just be aware of added sugars in these products and that you’ll need to find additional sources of calcium in the diet.
Aside from emphasizing a whole foods diet, what MyPlate aims to communicate is balance. A balanced diet includes all food groups (even snacks and desserts) and is varied.
The sections on MyPlate also do not confine you to those exact portions. At some meals you may be hungrier than others, so maybe bigger portions are needed. Filling up on extra veggies is always okay, or maybe you exercise often so you’ll need more grains & protein throughout the day. The key is to understand recommended portions of these foods daily and to prioritize whole foods, fruits, and vegetables over more processed food items.
If something like MyPlate overwhelms you and you’re not sure where to start, try the 3-food-rule at your next meal: fill ¼ of your plate with lean protein, ½ your plate with veggies, and ¼ your plate with a starch option. Salmon + broccoli + quinoa salad, grilled chicken + asparagus + roasted potatoes, or beans + roasted veggies + brown rice are all great meal options!
Thinking about macronutrients can also help you balance your plate—try to include a source of protein, healthy fat, and whole carbohydrate/fiber at each meal.
This post is getting me hungry! What’ll be on your plate at your next meal?
By Jessica Kaplan