The USDA's MyPlate is simpler than the previous MyPyramid and health professionals say it will make it easier for people to eat better.
Lisa Rice, a nutrition education assistant at the Utah County Extension Agency, says the plate makes things simpler.
“The graphic is easier to work with than the pyramid” she said of the June 2 change from MyPyramid to MyPlate. “I think it’s a great icon, pleasing to the eye and something people will remember.”
The represented food groups are vegetables, fruits, grains, protein and dairy products.
“Having the plate really shows the portions of fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins,” said Heidi LeBlanc, director of the Food Sense program at Utah State University.
The idea of using a plate to illustrate food groups is not original with the USDA, which has provided dietary guidelines for consumers since 1916.
“It’s an effective idea that dieticians working with diabetics have used for some time,” said Melanie Jewkes, an assistant professor at Utah State University Extension.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine uses the symbol of a plate with food groups to represent its “Power Plate” guidelines. The “Portion Plate” is used by beBetter Health, an organization dedicated to worksite health. It sells an actual plate illustrated with four food groups.
In addition to the simplified icon representing five food groups, the new USDA dietary guidelines include four main areas of emphasis:
1. Balancing calories (which includes exercise)
2. Foods to increase
3. Foods to reduce
4. Healthy eating patterns in general
The fourth area of emphasis is where the plate comes in, Jewkes said.
“It makes it easier for Jane and Joe consumer to pick it up and see what they need to do to be healthy,” she said.
Past dietary guidelines encouraged consumers to reduce their intake of sodium. The current guidelines put a number on how much is recommended.
“They’ve made it easier to track ourselves if we’re really trying to,” Jewkes said.
These guidelines recommend the average consumer eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (about a teaspoon) a day. For those older than 51, African-American people, those with chronic heart disease, kidney disease and other chronic diseases, only 1500 milligrams of sodium (about ½ to ¾ teaspoon) a day is recommended. Jewkes said the second group makes up about half of the U.S. population.
More information about MyPlate is available at www.choosemyplate.gov.
As an example of how a day’s worth of meals might look based on MyPlate guidelines, Rice shared these menus, along with the recipes.
Breakfast: Fruit and vegetable smoothie and whole wheat muffin
Lunch: Vegetable quesadillas and broiled pineapple
Dinner: Create a stir-fry, brown rice and low-fat milk
Snacks: Assorted vegetables served with peanut sauce
Fruit and Vegetable Smoothie
We call this is a Shrek shake for the kids. They love it! You can’t even taste the spinach.
6-8 ounces yogurt, any flavor
½ cup skim milk
½ fresh or frozen banana
½ cup fresh or frozen fruit of your choice
1 cup packed fresh spinach
Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Note: Frozen fruit will be thicker like a shake. Makes great popsicles as well.
Whole Wheat Muffins
Double the batch and freeze. These are nice to have on hand for a quick and healthy snack or breakfast. Adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients adds a great flavor.
2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup honey
1 cup low fat milk
1 egg
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped favorite fruit (optional)
Preheat oven to 400. Prepare muffin pan by lining with paper baking cups or spraying with cooking spray. Combine flour, wheat germ, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Combine honey, milk and egg in a smaller bowl and add to dry ingredients. Mix until just moist. Do not over mix. Batter will be a little lumpy. Stir in optional fruit if using. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake 15 to 20 minutes. Yields 12 muffins
Vegetable Quesadillas
½ cup cooked pinto beans
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 carrots, grated
2 (6-8 inch) whole wheat flour tortillas
¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons salsa
lettuce, shredded
Combine beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and carrots in a medium bowl. Warm a heavy pan over medium heat. Place tortilla in pan and warm one side, and then flip tortilla over. Place half of the mixture on one side of tortilla and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Fold the tortilla over and cook about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Transfer quesadilla to a plate and keep warm. Repeat for second quesadilla. Top each with yogurt, salsa and lettuce.
Yields 2 quesadillas.
Grilled or Broiled Pineapple
1 fresh pineapple
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon honey
½ to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat grill or broiler. Peel, core and cut pineapple into ½-inch slices. Make a glaze by mixing brown sugar, juices of lemon and lime, honey and cinnamon in a small bowl until smooth. Spread glaze on each side of each pineapple ring. Grill or broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 5 to 10 minutes, turning once, until sugar mixture melts and pineapple is heated and tender. Serve immediately. Serves 8.
Create a Stir-fry
Create a stir-fry dish from simple foods. Choose an item from each category and follow the directions. Use your imagination. Each stir-fry serves 4 adults.
Step 1: Warm skillet on very low heat.
Step 2: Prepare one protein (1 pound uncooked raw chicken, beef or pork cut into bite size pieces or 1 package firm tofu cut into ½ inch cubes).
Step 3: Marinate protein in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon water, chicken broth or apple juice.
Step 4: Prepare produce as described below.
1 onion, cut in wedges
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh vegetables from these choices: shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, sliced mushrooms, sliced celery, bean sprouts, zucchini, yellow squash, etc.
Step 5: Make a sauce and glaze.
Sauce: ¼ cup chicken broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1-2 teaspoon sugar, 2-4 teaspoon vinegar
Glaze: 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoon water or chicken broth
Step 6: Turn heat on skillet to high.
Directions:
Add 1 tablespoon oil and half of the protein to pan. Stir-fry until well browned and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to clean bowl and stir-fry remaining protein the same way. Transfer to bowl. This helps keep the pan hot.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan. Add onion and fry until browned but still crisp, about 1 minute. Add garlic and stir. Add half of the vegetables and stir a few minutes, then add remaining vegetables. Stir-fry until vegetables are tender-crisp.
Return protein to pan and stir in sauce until everything is well coated. Stir in glaze and fry until sauces in pan are glossy.
Serve immediately with noodles or rice.
Adapted from “How to Cook Without a Book” by Pam Anderson
Oven Baked Brown Rice
This is great way to cook perfect brown rice.
2 1/3 cups water
1 ½ cups brown rice
2 teaspoon canola oil
pinch of salt
Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 375. Bring water to a boil. Place rice, oil, and salt in oven safe pot or baking dish with tight fitting lid. Add boiling water to pot and cover with lid. Place pot in oven for one hour or until tender. Remove pot from oven and fluff rice with fork. Cover with clean kitchen towel for 5 minutes. Uncover and let stand another 5 minutes.
Adapted from “Cook’s Illustrated”
Wonderful Peanut Sauce
Want your kids to eat their veggies? Try this wonderful sauce. For those who like a little heat like we do at our house add a few drops of hot chili oil or sriracha sauce.
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2-3 tablespoons honey
1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
Mix all ingredients together and enjoy with your favorite vegetables. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Rosemarie Howard lives in a 100-year old house in Springville, Utah. Her website is at www.dramaticdimensions.com.