At first glance, the new Plate makes more sense. It gives people a visual of what a balanced plate looks like, at least for dinner (I can only assume). Since it would appear that many Americans aren't sure what ratio to fruits/vegetables/grains/proteins they should be eating, this is a plus. Unfortunately, my first question would be "just how big (or small) is that plate?!" If I am to assume part of the problem is not knowing what ratio to eat, I can equally assume that portion size is just as much of a problem, particularly when dining out the plates are large and overloaded. Comparing the plate to the food pyramid, I see that the pyramid includes servings to give some indication of how much to consume, which is a plus for it. The only drawback to the pyramid is not knowing what on God's earth a serving is! Now personally, I have invested a lot of time studying all things food and health. I have learned what to eat, what not to eat, how to compare cuts of meat for fat and different types of proteins. I have learned about calories, fat grams, sodium, dietary fiber v soluble fiber, sugars, and carbohydrates. I have made understanding food a mission, and I also understand that I fall into a small category of your typical American. So I can say I know what a serving size is, but what about the rest of the country? Serving size is something we cannot afford to guess at.
Next issue I have with the pyramid is that it is out of date; whole grains are no longer center stage to healthy eating - fruits and vegetables are, so an update was certainly needed. The plate however does not better explain the guidelines to a healthy lifestyle which is what we really need. I have read the not-so-wordy explanation behind The Plate in hopes to clarify what healthy eating entails including switching to low or reduced fat dairies, limiting sugar and sodium, and including whole grains. In fact, the explanation is so short I might as well include it in it's entirety.
Balancing Calories - Enjoy your food, but eat less. Avoid oversized portions.
Foods to Increase - Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Make at least half your grains whole grains. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
Foods to Reduce - Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose the foods with lower numbers. Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
Now I do not argue with any of these rules, and I suppose if we want to get the bullet points across this isn't a bad list, I just don't think it's enough. What is an oversized portion? What grains are considered whole grains? What is a good "number" to strive for when looking at sodium? We certainly can't go off food labels reading off inaccurate percentages for daily intake. But back to the comparison.... If we are going to stick with visual images, I think I prefer the pictures included in the food pyramid as far as explanation of what falls in each group. However, when it comes to foods within each group, not all are created equal. Compare yogurt to ice cream in the dairy group or steak to fish in the protein group. There are considerable more calories and fat in ice cream and steak, but both are featured as acceptable choices.
My next problem with both the plate and the pyramid are calories. The food pyramid from what I remember (and what's on all the labels) is that servings are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. The plate, although mentioning calories, does not specify anything. Now I imagine that the 2,000 calorie had its place in history, back when farming and strenuous labor was the rule. Before TV, cubicles, and laziness took over. Neither nutritional image accounts for calories which should be equally important to really change the waist of America. As mentioned previously, my calories needed to break even is less than 1400 and that is includes light-moderate activity throughout the day. For someone who has a slower metabolism who has a sedentary lifestyle would be much less.
In order for this country to see the changes it most desperately needs to make, a picture accompanied by a few suggestions is not going to cut it. Health is not a condition of our bodies, it is not diet, it is a lifestyle, a mindset. If we are to encourage health it needs to come as an extreme makeover in which we hold everyone accountable. The schools saw reform on what they could and could not serve our children, but without educating the children.
Food is about tradition. We all have dishes that we long for made by family members before us. We all learn in the same method as ancient man, passing down from generation to generation, though not accounting for how the generations have changed. Except now we all have the means to gain a better understanding, the Internet which possesses a wealth of knowledge (ie recipes), a global method of sharing even across cultures. With that kind of power, reaching Americans in how to make informed choices about food, seems to me only common sense so that what we pass down are not just recipes but ways to healthier living.
