How would Sacramento parents, students, and teachers replace the food pyramid? Would you keep the pyramid shape, outdate it, or substitute a plate? What's happened is the the USDA has taken down the 20-year-old pyramid-shaped food guide symbol and replaced it with a plate as its new icon, which is as concrete as the old icon was abstract. Current news reports even broadcasted in Sacramento on local radio station KSTE this afternoon that Michele Obama likes the new food guide which is shaped like a plate with the food divided in portion size.
In fact, there are only four foods on the round plate and an optional cup of dairy beside the plate. The old food pyramid had so many foods displayed at the various 'step' levels of the pyramid, that you had to figure out in an abstract way which foods to choose from all those listed.
Some of those who talk about nutrition with children and parents at Sacramento public schools are more likely to be overjoyed that the new food guide with emphasis on portion size is now a plate with the food divided into portions like pieces of a pie chart, instead of a pyramid with abstract information. The US Department of Agriculture thinks that seeing a plate with food and eating utensils will remind you of what's healthy to eat better than a confusing, abstract pyramid shape. Confusion is gone.
Many people blame the old food pyramid for the current epidemic of adult and childhood obesity, according to the article, "The New Food Pyramid and Child Nutrition Basics," by Vincent Iannelli, M.D. But according to today's June 2, 2011 article, "Iconic Food Pyramid Replaced With Plate," by Sarah Lieu, the new food guide is a plate emphasizing portion size not any longer a pyramid where foods at the top meant you should eat fewer of those foods.
The old food pyramid was so abstract people had to think twice before they "got it" or understood how the pyramid worked with the least healthiest and smallest amounts of foods at the top and the largest amounts of food at the bottom that you were supposed to eat lots of--with no mention of portion size. For that past 20 years that was like asking people to think in abstract terms and remember what the top of the pyramid represented, that you should eat fewer of those types of foods.
Most people may have found that concept confusing if they've never understood the abstract concept behind the pyramid's deeper meaning. If you lived in a country where you've never seen a pyramid chart used in that way before, that abstract concept that fewer stands at the top and greater at the bottom in relation to foods, it is confusing.
Now, the new food guide for healthy nutrition is a simple to understand plate with eating utensils. Everyone understands portion sizes when placed on a round plate. You get a smaller piece of protein and a larger portion size of vegetables. You want a plate with food as your food guide because it's universal, even to those who eat on banana leaves instead of plates.
Most people are used to seeing round plates. Maybe your home has square or triangle-shaped plates, but the common concept in restaurants, schools, and institutions, is the round plate. Even camping plates are mostly round, like cups and the majority of plain water drinking glasses. The replacement for the food pyramid shows exactly how half of your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, the other half with whole grains and lean protein. That's simple. There are no number concepts to memorize. It's all visual, divided like a pie chart.
The new government food guide makes everything simpler to understand in that 50 percent or half of your food should be fruits and vegetables and the other half or 50 percent should be whole grains and lean protein. You determine your lean protein source--beans, cheese, tofu, meat, fish, poultry, or whatever lean protein source you use. Vegetables and fruits are obvious. Everyone understands half a plate full of vegetables and fruits and half a plate full of protein foods.
The trick now is to teach people which foods have the protein, for example how much protein is needed for your age and body response and how much protein does your food of choice have that's not fruit or vegetables. Also, you have to deal with people who get their protein from plant foods versus those who get their protein from lean animal sources or seafood versus fatty meats.
The number of foods displayed on the new pyramid has been reduced to four foods. The old food pyramid had six foods displayed. The hidden meaning of the new food plate is to control portion size. But do people want variety emphasized or portion size?
You can check out the new, round, pie-shaped plate and eating utensils shape of the food guide which took the place of the old food pyramid. People seem to enjoy seeing a plate of food rather than a triangle when it comes to eating. More people recognize a round plate than a triangle.
Another goal of the USDA besides getting you to reduce the portion size of your foods is to motivate you to stretch your dollars further. One way to save money on plant foods is to grow your own produce.
Another is to figure out which vegetables and fruits are healthiest and whether you can afford them. Instead of calling the new food guide the food pyramid the new food guide is now called choose my plate. That does sound more recognizable globally. Check out the USDA's tips on buying fruits and vegetables at ChoseMyPlate.gov. Also see, Dietary Guidelines Consumer Brochure.
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