MyPlate
Encyclopedia
MyPlate is the current nutrition guide published by the United States Department of Agriculture
, depicting a plate and glass divided into five food groups. It replaced the USDA's MyPyramid
guide on June 2, 2011, ending 19 years of USDA food pyramid
diagram
s. MyPlate will be displayed on food packaging and used in nutrition education
in the United States
.
(1992–2005), and MyPyramid
(2005–2011).
Many other governments and organizations have created nutrition guides. Some, like the United Kingdom
's Eatwell Plate, the Australia
n Guide to Healthy Eating, and the American Diabetes Association
's Create Your Plate system, also use a plate diagram.
, 30 percent vegetable
s, 20 percent fruit
s and 20 percent protein, accompanied by a smaller circle representing dairy
, such as a glass of low-fat/nonfat milk
or a yogurt cup.
MyPlate is supplemented with additional recommendations, such as "Make half your plate fruits and vegetables," "Switch to 1% or skim milk," "Make at least half your grains whole
," and "Vary your protein food choices." The guidelines also recommend portion control
while still enjoying food, as well as reductions in sodium
and sugar
intakes.
In unveiling MyPlate, First Lady
Michelle Obama
said, "Parents don't have the time to measure out exactly three ounces of chicken or to look up how much rice or broccoli is in a serving. ... But we do have time to take a look at our kids' plates. ... And as long as they're eating proper portions, as long as half of their meal is fruits and vegetables alongside their lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, then we're good. It's as simple as that."
icon, which had been criticized as too abstract and confusing. The 50 percent emphasis on fruits and vegetables, as well as the simplicity and understandability of the plate image, were particularly praised.
Some critics said the protein section is unnecessary, given that protein is available from other food groups and Americans on average already eat enough; however, meat would not fit in any of the other food groups. The dairy section was criticized by some as similarly dispensable, and incompatible with lactose intolerance
. An additional critique was that the icon is too simple, missing opportunities for additional dietary advice, such as distinctions between healthy and unhealthy proteins or guidance on good fats and bad fats.
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
, depicting a plate and glass divided into five food groups. It replaced the USDA's MyPyramid
MyPyramid
MyPyramid, released by the United States Department of Agriculture on April 19, 2005, is an update on the American food guide pyramid that was used until June 2, 2011, when the USDA's MyPlate replaced it. The icon stresses activity and moderation along with a proper mix of food groups in one's diet...
guide on June 2, 2011, ending 19 years of USDA food pyramid
Food guide pyramid
A food guide pyramid is a triangular or pyramid-shaped nutrition guide divided into sections to show the recommended intake for each food group. The first food pyramid was published in Sweden in 1974. The most widely known food pyramid was introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture...
diagram
Diagram
A diagram is a two-dimensional geometric symbolic representation of information according to some visualization technique. Sometimes, the technique uses a three-dimensional visualization which is then projected onto the two-dimensional surface...
s. MyPlate will be displayed on food packaging and used in nutrition education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Background
MyPlate is the latest in over 100 years of nutrition guides from the USDA. The USDA's first dietary guidelines were published in 1894 by Dr. Wilbur Olin Atwater as a farmers' bulletin. Since then, the USDA has provided a variety of nutrition guides for the public, including the Basic 7 (1943–1956), the Basic Four (1956–1992), the Food Guide PyramidFood guide pyramid
A food guide pyramid is a triangular or pyramid-shaped nutrition guide divided into sections to show the recommended intake for each food group. The first food pyramid was published in Sweden in 1974. The most widely known food pyramid was introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture...
(1992–2005), and MyPyramid
MyPyramid
MyPyramid, released by the United States Department of Agriculture on April 19, 2005, is an update on the American food guide pyramid that was used until June 2, 2011, when the USDA's MyPlate replaced it. The icon stresses activity and moderation along with a proper mix of food groups in one's diet...
(2005–2011).
Many other governments and organizations have created nutrition guides. Some, like the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's Eatwell Plate, the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Guide to Healthy Eating, and the American Diabetes Association
American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is a United States-based association working to fight the consequences of diabetes, and to help those affected by diabetes...
's Create Your Plate system, also use a plate diagram.
Guidelines
MyPlate is divided into sections of approximately 30 percent grainsCereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
, 30 percent vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s, 20 percent fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s and 20 percent protein, accompanied by a smaller circle representing dairy
Dairy product
Dairy products are generally defined as foods produced from cow's or domestic buffalo's milk. They are usually high-energy-yielding food products. A production plant for such processing is called a dairy or a dairy factory. Raw milk for processing comes mainly from cows, and, to a lesser extent,...
, such as a glass of low-fat/nonfat milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
or a yogurt cup.
MyPlate is supplemented with additional recommendations, such as "Make half your plate fruits and vegetables," "Switch to 1% or skim milk," "Make at least half your grains whole
Whole grain
Whole grains are cereal grains that contain cereal germ, endosperm, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Whole grains can generally be sprouted while refined grains generally will not sprout. Whole-meal products are made by grinding whole grains in order to make...
," and "Vary your protein food choices." The guidelines also recommend portion control
Portion control (dieting)
Portion control is understanding how much a serving size is and how many calories a serving contains. Portion control is important for weight management as the weight is defined by the total calorie intake...
while still enjoying food, as well as reductions in sodium
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
and sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
intakes.
In unveiling MyPlate, First Lady
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
said, "Parents don't have the time to measure out exactly three ounces of chicken or to look up how much rice or broccoli is in a serving. ... But we do have time to take a look at our kids' plates. ... And as long as they're eating proper portions, as long as half of their meal is fruits and vegetables alongside their lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, then we're good. It's as simple as that."
Reception
MyPlate was widely received as an improvement on the previous MyPyramidMyPyramid
MyPyramid, released by the United States Department of Agriculture on April 19, 2005, is an update on the American food guide pyramid that was used until June 2, 2011, when the USDA's MyPlate replaced it. The icon stresses activity and moderation along with a proper mix of food groups in one's diet...
icon, which had been criticized as too abstract and confusing. The 50 percent emphasis on fruits and vegetables, as well as the simplicity and understandability of the plate image, were particularly praised.
Some critics said the protein section is unnecessary, given that protein is available from other food groups and Americans on average already eat enough; however, meat would not fit in any of the other food groups. The dairy section was criticized by some as similarly dispensable, and incompatible with lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance, also called lactase deficiency or hypolactasia, is the inability to digest and metabolize lactose, a sugar found in milk...
. An additional critique was that the icon is too simple, missing opportunities for additional dietary advice, such as distinctions between healthy and unhealthy proteins or guidance on good fats and bad fats.