Pyramid to Plate: New Nutrition Guidelines
On ChooseMyPlate.gov, Americans are advised to enjoy food but eat less, watch portions and to make half of the grain intake whole grains. Eat more fruits and veggies and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and limit sodium and sugar intake, particularly in the form of sugary drinks. Good advice, because sugary soft drinks have been blamed for the obesity epidemic. Two things that the new guidelines omit, however, are exercise and the size of that plate you're loading up. Americans are used to getting a large plate piled high with unhealthy foods and lots of them when being served at a restaurant. Filling a sensibly sized plate with the healthy options laid out in the diagram can ensure you're getting the nutrition you need - and nothing more.