In response to the replacement of the Food Guide Pyramid with the MyPlate icon for guiding healthy eating habits, a University of Missouri nutrition expert says it’s an improvement, but it’s not going to solve many American’s diet problems.
Ellen Schuster says while the plate model is easier compare to normal eating routines, it still won’t account for all the food options Americans have.
Schuster says people will still need more in-depth diet education, such as comparing a cup of mashed potatoes to a baseball, or a serving of meet the size of a deck of cards.
The MyPlate graphic uses colored sections of a round plate to show the portions of protein, fruits, vegetables and grains people should be eating, but it also has a cup symbol for dairy, such as milk or yogurt.
Though there’s portion guides for food, there’s no guide for fluid intake. Schuster says that’s because for the average person, if they meet their daily fruit and vegetable requirement, they’ll probably meet their fluid intake quota too.
She says people who want a more in-depth look at what foods they should eat, how much water they should drink or how many calories they should take in can go to the USDA’s Website.
AUDIO: Allison Blood reports on the MyPlate food guide Mp3 1:03