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Review Date 2/11 G-1522

Making Sense of MyPyramidUsing USDA’s Food Guide

as a Guide to Healthful Eating

Why Use MyPyramid?

• MyPyramid is a food guide that helps put the Dietary Guidelines for Americans into practice

• The Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid work together to help Americans make healthy food choices

•Dietary recommendations for health promotion and chronic disease prevention

•Based on Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report and public comments

•For policymakers and health professionals

•Available at: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/

•Update due 2010/2011

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Dietary Guidelines for Americans (cont’d)

• Provide general health information based on scientific research

• Do not provide specific food intake guidelines

• Refer readers to specific food guides, such as MyPyramid, for information on food groups and serving sizes

The MyPyramid.gov symbol belongs to the US Dept of Agriculture (USDA).

History of USDA’s Food Guidance System

1940s

1950s-1960s

1970s

1992

2005

Food for Children

1916

The Original Food Guide Pyramid (1992)

• Young You Young g

MyPyramid.gov (2005)

Message to Consumers: Variety

In the Dietary Guidelines:• Consume a variety of nutrient-dense

foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups

In MyPyramid graphic: • Color bands represent that all

food groups are needed each day for health

Food Groups Are Color-Coded

Benefits of MyPyramid

• Recommendations are based on a 2000-calorie diet, which is considered appropriate for most women

• Can individualize online to obtain portions based on your age, gender, and activity level

Grain Group

• Eat at least 3 ounces (oz) of whole-grain cereals, breads, or pasta every day

• 1 oz is about one slice of bread, 1 cup (C) of breakfast cereal, or ½ C of cooked rice, cereal, or pasta

• For a 2000-calorie diet, eat 6 oz every day

Vegetable Group

• Eat more dark-green vegetables—broccoli, spinach, and other dark-leafy greens

• Consume more orange vegetables—carrots and sweet potatoes

• Include more dry beans and peas—pinto beans, kidney beans, and lentils

• For a 2000-calorie diet, eat 2½ C every day

• Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry• Bake it, broil it, or grill it• Vary your protein routine—choose more

fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds• For a 2000-calorie diet, eat 5½ oz

every day

Meat & Bean Group

• Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, and other milk products

• If you do not or cannot consume milk, choose lactose-free products or other calcium sources, such as fortified foods and beverages

• For a 2000-calorie diet, consume 3 C every day

Milk Group

• Eat a variety of fruit• Choose fresh, frozen, canned, or dried

fruit• Go easy on fruit juices• For a 2000-calorie diet, eat 2 C every

day

Fruit Group

• Get most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils

• Limit solid fats (butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard) and fried foods that contain these

• Check Nutrition Facts labels to keep saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium low

• Choose foods/beverages low in added sugars—they contribute calories with few, if any, nutrients

Know the Limits on Fats, Sugar, and Sodium

• Stay within your daily calorie needs• Keep physically active for 30 minutes most

days of the week• Know that you may need about 60 minutes a

day of physical activity to prevent weight gain• Understand that you may need 60–90 minutes

of physical activity to sustain weight loss• Help children and teens get 60 minutes of

physical activity every day or most days

Balance Between Food and Physical Exercise

Use MyPyramid

• To learn about the food groups• To find out how much of different foods

you should eat• To help track your food intake online