Ah.. the Food Pyramid, oh how you confused everyone… I am not sure if anyone actually ever followed the USDA Food Pyramid, it definitely wasn’t the most clear guide. I can honestly say I never understood it, and I guess I didn’t really care to. When I heard about the latest guide - MyPlate, it got me wondering where the idea of the pyramid had even come from and I found a fun little link on the history of the Food Pyramid. It is pretty sad to see the evolution of what Americans had to look at for a guide to nutrition, no wonder the majority of our population is obese and carb-overloaded. MyPlate is definitely a step in the right direction, it gives a better idea of what you should eat at each meal, rather than the Food Pyramid which looks at the entire day.
Of course I do have a couple criticisms of MyPlate… I think the intentions are excellent, but unfortunately to reap the full benefits of the program you have to go to visit the site ChooseMyPlate.gov. The site has some really awesome information on each category, like “Tips to Help You Eat Vegetables” and “Tips for Making Wise Choices,” there are even “Tips for Vegetarians!” Personally, I am going to go through and read all of these, but the average American, I think not. So there it is -
Problem #1 – People are so disconnected from their bodies in the primal sense that they aren’t interested in learning why you need to vary your vegetables let alone why you even need vegetables. Bottom line = how do you get people to care?
Problem #2 – The image of the plate makes it look like you have to fill your entire dinner plate full of food which is a problem since dinner plates have increased in diameter up to 4 inches over the last several decades. (Tip: if portion control is hard for you, simply use salad plates.) Of course they cover serving sizes and “How Much is Needed?” on the site, and that brings us back to Problem #1, and the cycle continues, at least for now…
Here’s proof things are changing – Michelle Obama planting a vegetable garden at the White House.