COLORFUL NEW FOOD PYRAMID INTRODUCED

Recently the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled the new MyPyramid symbol and interactive food guide system. Replacing the familiar Food Guide Pyramid, the new symbol is part of an overall food guidance system that emphasizes a more individualized approach to improving diet and lifestyle. It offers personalized content based on your age, gender and activity level. The colored stripes that run from the bottom of the Pyramid up to its apex represent the spectrum of food choices available to us. Each stripe represents a food group, while the stripe’s width roughly approximates the relative quantity of food you should consume from that group (for example, the purple “meat and beans” stripe is much narrower than the green “vegetables” stripe). The structure of this pyramid reminds us that all foods are O.K. in moderation and that excluding entire food groups is not the way to go. Instead, the USDA recommends that you eat a variety of foods and understand where each fits into a healthy diet. One of the more confusing aspects of the old Food Guide Pyramid was that many people simply could not remember what was considered a single serving. To combat this confusion, the USDA instead used measurable quantities like cups and ounces in the new Pyramid, making it much more user-friendly.

To take advantage of this and other consumer-friendly tools, visit http://www.mypyramid.gov/, enter your information and start exploring page after page of nutrition recommendations based on your profile.