By Emily Glass, Dietetic Intern With all the emphasis on eating healthy, do you ever get confused on what exactly to put on your plate? MyPlate is a great tool that can help you avoid becoming overwhelmed in the dining hall and make a good choice. But besides having pretty colors, what does MyPlate tell us about nutrition. The food pyramid you may have learned about when you were just starting school was redesigned as MyPlate in 2011. The plate represents a meal and the five different colors show the five main food groups! Focus on eating a meal containing fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy to ensure you are getting all the nutrients your body needs.
Now lets dive into the 5 different groups a little more. Fruit: Focus on whole fruits over fruit juices. Whole fruit is a great source of fiber. If you do choose fruit juice, be sure to look for "100% Juice" on the label. Sometimes fruit juices contain little to no actual juice! Fruits in this category can be:
Vegetables: Vary your veggies! Choose vegetables in a variety of colors; each color helps a different part of your body. There is no difference in nutrient content between fresh and frozen vegetables. Vegetables are organized into 5 main subgroups:
Grains: Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is considered a grain product. Grains can be divided into 2 subgroups:
Protein: All foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds are considered protein foods. Choose a variety of protein foods to improve nutrient intake and health benefits. Choose lean proteins and try to add 8 ounces of seafood per week. It is recommended women get 5 1/2 ounce equivalents and men 6 ounce equivalents per day. 1 ounce of meat, 1/4 cooked beans, 1 egg or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter would all be considered one ounce equivalent. Dairy: All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group. Foods made from milk that have little to no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream, and butter, are not considered dairy. Calcium-fortified soy milk is also part of the Dairy Group. Choose dairy products that are low-fat or fat-free. It is recommended women and men get 3 cups of dairy per day. One cup of milk and 1 1/2 ounces of cheese are considered 1 cup of dairy. MyPlate is a visual guide to help you make healthy choices. Just remeber make half your plate fruits and vegetables, chose low-fat dairy, eat a variety of proteins and making half your grains whole grains!
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ABOUTTerps With Taste is run by the Student Nutritionist Team with University of Maryland Dining Services. We write content for students, by students. Enjoy! Categories
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