Remember learning about food groups in school? Depending on your generation, you might recall the Usda Food Guide Pyramid, MyPyramid, or the Food Wheel. Today, nutrition education utilizes MyPlate, the current symbol from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to illustrate healthy eating. As we get back into routines, let’s revisit the basics of food groups with a focus on how dietary guidelines have evolved from the Food Guide Pyramid to MyPlate.
From Pyramid to Plate: The Evolution of USDA Food Guides
The USDA has a long history of providing dietary guidance to Americans. Before MyPlate, the Food Guide Pyramid was a widely recognized tool, introduced in 1992. This pyramid visually represented recommended daily servings from different food groups, with grains at the base, followed by fruits and vegetables, then protein and dairy, and fats sparingly at the top. While influential, the Food Guide Pyramid was later updated to MyPyramid in 2005 to offer more personalized advice and address criticisms about its complexity. Ultimately, in 2011, MyPlate was launched to simplify dietary recommendations with an easily understandable plate visual.
MyPlate and the Five Food Groups
As depicted in the MyPlate icon, healthy eating patterns are built upon five food groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasizes these groups as fundamental components of a balanced diet, along with oils, which, while not a food group, are important for essential fatty acids and vitamin E. Each food group encompasses foods with similar nutritional profiles and contributes uniquely to overall health. Furthermore, some groups are divided into subgroups. For instance, within the Grains Group, whole grains are highlighted for their higher fiber, magnesium, and zinc content compared to refined grains.
The Purpose of Food Groups in Dietary Guidance
Nutritional science has advanced significantly, revealing numerous vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds in food. Food groups serve to simplify dietary advice by focusing on food categories rather than individual nutrients. It’s more practical to aim for “two cups of fruit daily” than to track “75 milligrams of vitamin C and 25 grams of fiber.” The USDA Food Patterns outlines recommended amounts from each food group and subgroup across twelve calorie levels (1,000 to 3,200 calories). These patterns, developed through food pattern modeling, ensure individuals can meet their nutrient requirements by consuming recommended food group amounts, eliminating the need to monitor numerous individual nutrients.
Recommended Food Group Amounts and Healthy Choices
The USDA Food Patterns specify targets in cup equivalents (for Fruits, Vegetables, and Dairy) and ounce equivalents (for Grains and Protein Foods). Each pattern also allows a small calorie allowance (8-19%) for other dietary components like limited added sugars and saturated fats. The guidelines encourage Americans to prioritize nutrient-dense forms of foods and limit added sugars and saturated fat intake to below 10 percent of total daily calories.
Resources for Learning and Teaching Food Groups with MyPlate
ChooseMyPlate.gov provides a wealth of resources for nutrition education based on food groups, including tip sheets, videos, food group quizzes, and infographics. MyPlate also offers tailored resources for different audiences, such as activity sheets and games for children, family activities, budget-friendly healthy eating tips, and Spanish-language resources through MiPlato.
Stay updated on MyPlate resources by following @MyPlate on Facebook or Twitter and subscribe to email updates at ChooseMyPlate.gov/govdelivery.
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