Food Composition and Dietary Guidelines

USDA’s MyPlate food guidance system is designed to remind Americans to eat healthfully.  It illustrates the five food groups using a familiar mealtime visual, a place setting.

Making Healthy Food Choices with a Healthy Plate, offers guidance that compliments the principles of the USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This tool provides an easy way for individuals to make decisions about how much and what types of food to eat.  There is no weighing foods, no carrying around measuring cups, and none of that expensive “special” foods needed.

To begin with, you need a basic plate.  And, guess what? Over the years plates have gotten bigger, so the amount of food we eat has increased, and our waistlines have followed.   To build a healthy plate, it’s important to choose the appropriate size.  Plates that are 9-inches are ideal. Take a ruler and measure across your plate, if the part where you put your food is 9” across, then you’ve got the right sized plate…if not, measure your salad plate.  It may be just what you are looking for.  DO NOT use an oversized plate and plan on only filling it part way – you will be much more tempted to overeat. A 9” plate has been shown to help with portion control and portion control is a key to eating healthy. 

Now let’s take a look at how your plate should be portioned.  This is very important.  Remember that ½ of the plate should be filled with non-starchy vegetables and fruits, ¼ of the plate is for lean meat or protein, and the other ¼ of the plate is for grain or starchy vegetables.  Let’s review each section individually… we’ll start with the largest section of ½ plate which should be non-starchy vegetables and fruits.

First of all you need to know what non-starchy vegetables include. Examples of these vegetables are the dark-green such as broccoli, kale and spinach; red and orange such as beets, carrots, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables that would include cauliflower, green beans, eggplant, asparagus, artichokes and cabbage. These vegetables are low in calories, high in vitamins and minerals, and are fiber-rich. There are other starch-vegetables that are higher in starch or carboydrate. Those vegetables belong in a different section of the plate that we'll get to in a minute.

Remember that you don't always have to buy fresh vegetable and fruits, you can use frozen or canned. When using the frozen or canned vegetables remember to shop for items without added salt, butter or cream sauces. The same is true for fruit. Avoid items with added syrup and sugar, choosing lite-packed or juice-packed items. Enjoy the natural tastes of vegetables and fruit. Try to eat smaller amounts of dried fruits or reserve them for a healthy snack. These make excellent small snacks just remember they are higher in calories than fresh fruits. You might also enjoy a cup of 100% fruit juices.

Eating a wide range of colorful vegetables and fruit is the way to go. It's best not to fill the 1/2 plate with only 1 vegetable. You may get tired of your favorite foods that way. Try a small salad and a portion of cooked vegetables. Select whatever is in season for great variety and flavor, and these will help you avoid food boredom.

One quarter of your plate should be filled with a lean protein. Some of the best forms of protein include seafood such as fish and shellfish, lean meats and poultry, dried peas, beans and nuts, and even eggs. Don't overdo the eggs though. Limit egg yolks to one per day and choose egg whites or pasteurized egg white products as substitutes for whole eggs. Consider eating lean meats 4 to 5 days of the week while alternating shellfish or other meatless options 2 or more days of the week. Salmon, trout and herring are great sources of protein with lower mercury levels and higher in those healthy omega-3 oils. Tofu, tempeh and edamame are all soy based products that can be counted as your protein as well as legumes such as kidney, black or garbanzo beans.

When preparing your lean meats shoose cuts that are low in fat or choose extra lean options for ground beef. Trim fats, drain grease and trim the skin for poultry options. Grill, broil, poach or roast meats and poultry to limit adding fats to your tasty meal. Drain any fat after cooking and avoid breading your 3 ounce deck of cards-sized portion.

Your healthy plate is almost complete! The remaining quarter of your plate should be filled with a whole grain or starchy vegetable. When choosing a good whole grain you need to look at the ingredient list. For many, but not all, whole-grain food products the words whole or whole grain may appear before the name. But because whole-grain foods cannot necessarily be identified by their color or name, you need to look at the ingredient list. The whole grain should be the first ingredient listed. Examples of how whole grains may be listed in ingredients include: whole wheat, brown rice, whole oats or whole oatmeal, whole rye, bulgur, sorghum, quinoa, buckwheat, popcorn, millet or wild rice. You can find these products listed in many products such as cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta. Eat 3 ounces or more per day. One ounce is about 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of cereal or 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta.

The other items that can be put in this section of the plate are starchy vegetables. Starchy vegetables include things like potatoes, corn, winter squash, yams and legumes such as kidney, pinto, black beans, lentils and peas.

Also, don't forget to incluse some dairy. Select healthy dairy items such as fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese and even fortified soy beverages. Choosing fat-free or low-fat yogurt over cheese is ideal but remember all foods can fit. The best rule of thumb for dairy is to choose low-fat or fat-free options. For those that are lactose intolerant, drink smaller amounts of milk ar a time, or try fortified soy beverages.

So, now you've seen how to build a healthy plate. Remember that a healthy meal starts with more vegetables and fruits and smaller portions of protein and grains. Think about how you can adjust the portions on your plate to get more of what you need without too many calories. And don't forget dairy, make it the beverage with your meal or add fat-free or low-fat dairy products to your plate.

Here are some additional great tip we want to share to help you make the best choices when you prepare or order foods.

When you buy already prepared food or when eating out, choose options that are grilled, broiled, baked, boiled, roasted, poached, stir-fried or steamed. Basically everything is ok except for fried.

Experiment flavoring you foods with herbs, spices and low-fat seasonings and avoid the salt.

Choose protein, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy options that are nutritious and lower in calories.

If it says creamy, fried, breaded, battered or buttered, don't order it! Always ask for dressing and sauces to be placed on the side and try to use the smallest amount possible.

Stay away from those ever-so-popular fatty foods like cake, cookies, pizza, processed meats and ice cream. There are healthier options.

Steer clear of foods that list the ingredients of hydrogenated oil or trans-fats. These are not healthy for our hearts.

Choose water, fat-free milk, 100% fruit juice or unsweetened tea or coffee over sugar-sweetened beverages.

Don't skip a meal! It leads to cravings, low energy and over-eating.

Eat slowly. It takes nearly 20 minutes for our brains to tell us that we're full. Enjoy the taste of the food on your healthy plate!