MyPlate the Food Pyramid v2.0

First I want to say that it’s not easy coming up with a one-sized-fits-all nutritional guideline for the entire US population. I’ve crunched the numbers on the new MyPlate vs the old Food Pyramid and it’s a hugh step in the right direction. It’s easy to understand and it’s scaleable based on your caloric needs.

What’s the difference?
The previous USDA guideline consisted of a pyramid divided into six groups: 
Fats Oils & Sweets = Use Sparingly
Milk, Yogurt, & Cheese = 2-3 Servings
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, & Nuts = 2-3 Servings
Vegetables = 3-5 Servings
Fruits = 2-4 Servings
And lastly Grains 6-11 Servings

Somehow you were supposed to decode this and plan your daily meals.

The New MyPlate simplifies things. It’s a plate divided into 5 sections (Protein, Fruit, Vegetables, Grains, and a glass of milk representing dairy). Unlike the Pyramid you could actually put together a meal, no math required.

My Thoughts
Although the Department of Agriculture scaled back their recommendation of grains by 40%, the new recommendation is still high. If you take the food groups and look at them as Protein, Carbs, and Fat, the Carbs are still off the chart. 

With the new MyPlate you still have 60% of your calories come from Carbs, 27% from Protein, and 13% from fat. The protein percentage is pretty good, but I’d like to see people restrict grains, and eat more healthy fat. 

I recommend 40% of your calories come from fruits and vegetables, 30% of your calories from unprocessed protein sources, and 30% of your calories coming from Plant Based Poly and Mono Unsaturated Fat.

About the author
Jason Zagami is a nationally recognized Strength & Conditioning Coach. He is also the founder of Solid Body Fitness in Dedham. For more information visit him at www.SolidBodyFit.com