MyPyramid: Putting the Symbol
to Use for You and Your Family

The new MyPyramid symbol helps to explain the message that the food and physical activity choices you make every day affect your health. MyPyramid replaces the old food guide pyramid. It is meant to be a flexible guide to help all people over the age of two to develop a healthy lifestyle. How does MyPyramid do this? Let’s take a look at some tips to a healthier you.

Small steps can improve your lifestyle. The person climbing the steps on MyPyramid represents physical activity. Regular physical activity is important for overall health and fitness. It helps control body weight by balancing the calories you take in as food, with the calories you burn every day. Also, small steps in dietary change can have a large impact. Did you know eating 100 calories a day more than you burn equals a weight gain of ten pounds a year? For example, eliminating one tablespoon of regular mayonnaise or peanut butter (100 calories) from your daily diet, could prevent a ten-pound weight gain.

Variety is the spice of life! There isn’t a perfect food that can give all the nutrition our bodies need. Foods from all five groups are needed everyday. Each food group is represented by a band in the pyramid. From left to right, they are Grains, Vegetables, Fruit, Dairy, and Meat and Beans. Between the bands for Fruit and Dairy, you will notice a much smaller band. This represents oils, not a food group but rather a reminder that certain oils, like poly- and mono-unsaturated, promote heart health.

Everything in moderation! Each band is wider at the bottom to show where foods with little or no solid fats and added sugars are found. Some examples are whole wheat breads, fresh fruit, and low-fat milk. Foods at the top, where the band gets narrow, are higher in fat and sugar. Examples might include candy bars, french fries, and regular soda.

What to eat from the Grain section?
For a 2,000 calorie diet, include six one-ounce equivalents each day. Fiber-rich foods should be eaten in at least three servings (make half of the servings whole grains). An ounce is equal to a slice of bread or one-half cup cooked pasta or rice. It is not hard to imagine getting three servings of whole grain a day: one sandwich made with whole-wheat bread would be two servings and one-half cup whole-wheat pasta or brown rice would equal the third serving. And the nutty flavor and texture of the whole grains adds to the diet.

Come and get it! Choose fruits, vegetables, and non-fat / low-fat dairy to give the body the balanced nutrition it needs. An example of an adult eating 2,000 calories a day (the value used as a general reference on a food label) would look like this: Fruits: two cups, choices would include fresh, canned, frozen or dried. Go easy on the juice! Vegetables: The amount for a day would equal 2½ cups. Include more servings from the dark green (spinach) and orange vegetables (sweet potatoes). Include three cups milk/yogurt everyday. Go for low-fat/non-fat dairy.

What to eat from the meat and beans section? Again, for the 2,000 calorie diet, a total daily serving of meat/beans is equal to 5½ ounce equivalents. A typical serving size of cooked meat is equal to a deck of cards or three ounces. Keep in mind that baking, broiling or grilling help with decreasing fat content. Also, try varying your protein selections; choose more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.

Putting it all together! The MyPyramid message is based upon the USDA dietary guidelines for Americans in 2005. Updated messages and other helpful advice are available on the website MyPyramid.gov. The website offers information on food labels, grocery shopping, eating in restaurants, food safety, and a variety of other health-related topics. You can learn portion amounts and physical activity guides for your own specific calorie needs. You can also learn healthy eating guidelines through The American Dietetic Association’s website eatright.org or call your local hospital and ask to speak to a registered dietitian. Eating a diet which contains more fat and added sugars than needed, along with lack of physical activity, can put you at risk for diseases like diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and some cancers. Make a move to take the steps to a healthier you!

Contributed by Nessie Ferguson, MS, RD, CDE, LMNT
UNMC Department of Clinical Nutrition, The Nebraska Medical Center