USDA MyPyramid (2005)
The USDA food pyramid was originally published in 1992 to help guide people in selecting a variety of food in their diets. Updated approximately every 5 years, the current MyPyramid guideline was published 2005. It’s still a pyramid, but has some new features worth explaining. In short, here are the main daily components of the pyramid, pictured at right.
- Physical Activity (stairs)
shoot for 30 minutes a day (double that for kids and teens) - Grains (orange)
3 ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice or pasta - Vegetables (green)
stresses the importance of dark green and orange veggies, dry beans and peas - Fruits (red)
variety is important, as is laying off fruit juices - Oils (yellow)
get your fat from fish, nuts and vegetable oils; limit butter, shortening and related solid fats - Milk (blue)
low-fat or fat-free is best, or choose lactose-free alternatives - Meat and Beans (purple)
choose lean or low-fat meat, avoid frying in oil; emphasize fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds
You’ll notice that each colored stripe is tapered from bottom to top, forming the pyramid. The wider base indicates you should have more of the “good for you” from the category, while the narrow tip stresses moderation with the “less good for you” from the category.
MyPyramid Plan
The USDA has done a wonderful job with some interactive tools on their site, notably, the MyPyramid Plan tool. It uses your age, gender and level of physical activity to recommend specific amounts of grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans you should have in your daily diet.
One of the nicer features is the subdivision of vegetables into dark green, orange, dry beans and peas, starchy vegetables and other vegetables. It encourages you to not “load up” on any one type of vegetables, and provides a guide for getting that variety within a week.
Weekly Vegetable Recommendations
The USDA also provides helpful guides in the vegetables category, based on your age and gender. See the table below for a quick overview, or visit the USDA site for complete details.
| Demographic | Dark Green Veggies | Orange Vegetables | Dry Beans and Peas | Starchy Vegetables | Other Vegetables |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children (2-3) | 1 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup | 1 1/2 cups | 4 cups |
| Children (4-8) | 1 1/2 cups | 1 cup | 1 cup | 2 1/2 cups | 4 1/2 cups |
| Girls (9-13) Women (51+) |
2 cups | 1 1/2 cups | 2 1/2 cups | 2 1/2 cups | 5 1/2 cups |
| Girls (14-18) Boys (9-13) Women (19-50) Men (51+) |
3 cups | 2 cups | 3 cups | 3 cups | 6 1/2 cups |
| Boys (14-18) Men (19-50) |
3 cups | 2 cups | 3 cups | 6 cups | 7 cups |
Controversy and Alternatives
Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid
The MyPyramid model has its critics, however, noting that some of the portion sizes are much more than what other countries recommend. You can read more on Wikipedia about the controversy, and there are some interesting alternatives to be had. For example, the Harvard School of Public Health has an alternative pyramid that is firmly based in scientific study, and claims to be unaffected by business and food-related organizations.
The University of Michigan also published an alternative pyramid with a focus on healing foods, plant-based foods, variety and mindful living. Both of these alternatives are worth learning more about, and will help you make an educated choice that’s right for your situation.
Recommended Resources
- MyPyramid.gov
- Wikipedia entry for the food guide pyramid
- Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid
- University of Michigan Healing Foods Pyramid
The contents of this Web site are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Web site.
More about Amy and Scott Dawson, creators of Lunchtaker.com: One of our core focuses is on nutrition and fitness. Our children both attended a parent cooperative pre-school where the morning snack was as healthy as possible, and our family liked the opportunities for new foods that arose in pre-school. As our children go through grade school, we are focusing on continuing the trend of ensuring we feed ourselves a variety of foods, all good for our bodies... read more...
Posted Monday, October 5th, 2009 at 8:39 am and filed under Dietary Guidelines, Education, Nutrition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
