Why we need to discuss this….

HISTORY OF THE FOOD GUIDEIn 1917, the first USDA food guide appeared. It was titled How to Select Foods and was written by Caroline Hunt, a nutritionist for the USDA. It ignored Dr. Atwater’s advice to limit fat and sugar intake, and instead emphasized newly discovered vitamins and minerals. Foods recommended came in 5 groups:

– milk and meat – cereals – vegetables and fruit – fats and fatty foods – sugars and sugary foods.

There were changes to this basic guide to help families during the wartime rationing, but it wasn’t until 1940, when the first "Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)" was released from the National Academy of Sciences, that the USDA changed its recommendations again.

In 1943, it created the National Wartime Nutrition Guide, and then revised it in 1946 as the National Nutrition Guide.

The USDA's "Basic 7" food groups from 1943 to 1956.

From 1956 until 1992 the United States Department of Agriculture recommended its Basic Four food groups.

– Vegetables and Fruits: Recommended as excellent sources of vitamins C and A, and a good source of fiber. A dark-green or deep-yellow vegetable or fruit was recommended every other day.

– Milk: Recommended as a good source of calcium, phosphorus, protein and riboflavin, and sometimes vitamins A and D. Cheese, ice cream, and ice milk could sometimes replace milk.

– Meat: Recommended for protein, iron and certain B vitamins. Includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dry beans, dry peas, and peanut butter.

– Cereals and Breads: Whole grain and enriched breads were especially recommended as good sources of iron, B vitamins and carbohydrates, as well as sources of protein and fiber. Includes cereals, breads, cornmeal, macaroni, noodles, rice and spaghetti.

– "Other foods" were said to round out meals and satisfy appetites. These included additional servings from the Basic Four, or foods such as butter, margarine, salad dressing and cooking oil, sauces, jellies and syrups.

While the Food Guide Pyramid was a well-recognized symbol as a nutritional guide, as long ago as 2001 it was admitted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and The National Institutes of Health (NIH) that the Food Guide Pyramid was a total failure.

80% of Americans recognized the symbol, but people had become sicker and heavier since it was updated in 1992. Its recommendations were based on uncertain scientific evidence, and were barely improved over the years to reflect major improvements in our understanding of diet and health.

Wendy’s

Grimace from McDonald’s

Burger King

Taco Bell

Eat Fresh

Sub’s So Fast You’ll Freak

Changes throughout the years

1992 2005

Recommendation for 18 year old male

Exercise amount

0-30 min per day

30-60 min per day

60+ min per day

GrainVegetableFruitDairyProtein

8oz3c2c3c

6.5oz

10oz3 ½ c2 ½ c

3c7oz

10oz4c

2 ½ c3c

7oz

Recommendation for 18 year old female

Exercise amount

0-30 min per day

30-60 min per day

60+ min per day

GrainVegetableFruitDairyProtein

6oz2 ½ c1 ½ c

3c5oz

6oz2 ½ c

2c3c

5.5oz

8oz3c2c3c

6.5oz

VARY YOUR VEGGIES

AIM FOR THIS MUCH EVERY WEEKMale 18 30-60min/day Female 18 30-60min/day

DARK GREEN VEGETABLES 3 CUPS 3 CUPS

ORANGE VEGETABLES 2 ½ CUPS 2 CUPS

DRY BEANS & PEAS 3 ½ CUPS 3 CUPS

STARCHY VEGETABLES 7 CUPS 3 CUPS

OTHER VEGETABLES 8 ½ CUPS 6 ½ CUPS

Key Consumer Message: Make at least half your

grains whole grains.

GRAINS Examples of ONE ounce servings-bread one slice (4 snack size rye)-rice ½ cup (cooked)-bagel 1 ‘mini’ bagel 1 large bagel=4 oz-English muffin ½ muffin 1 muffin=2 oz

-crackers 5 whole wheat-muffin 2 ½” diameter large=3oz-pancakes 4 ½”-1-popcorn 3 cups 1 micro bag=4oz-pasta ½ cup cooked or 1oz dry-tortilla 1-6” tortilla 1-12”=4oz

Key Consumer Message: Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.Vary your veggies.

Vegetable Amt that counts as 1cDARK GREEN-broccoli 1 cup cooked/raw-greens 1 cup cooked-raw leafy 2 cup rawORANGE-carrots 1 cup, 2 med, 12 mini-pumpkin 1 cup mashed, cooked-sweet potato 1 large baked 2 ¼” diameter

DRY BEANS & PEAS-black, kidney, soy, split peas 1 cup whole or mashed, cooked-tofu 1 cup ½” cubes (about 8 oz)STARCHY-Corn 1 cup, 1-8” ear-green peas 1 cup-white potato 1 cup diced/mashed-20 med 3” long French fries (fats)OTHER-cucumbers-iceburg lettuce 2 cups=1 cup serving-cabbage-cauliflower-celery-green/red peppers-tomatoes

Key Consumer Message: Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

Focus on Fruits.

FRUITS Counts as 1 cup-apples ½ large (3 ¼”), 1 small (2 ½”)-banana 8-9” long-grapes 32-strawberries 8 large-dried fruits ½ cup-raisins, prunes, dried

apricots, etc.

Key Consumer Message: Switch to fat-free or low-

fat (1%) milk.Get Calcium $ Foods.

DAIRY 1 cup serving-milk 1 cup-yogurt 8 oz-cheese 1 ½ oz hard, 1/3 c shredded, 2 oz

processed½ cup ricotta, 2 cups cottage

-desserts 1 cup pudding, 1 cup frozen yogurt, 1 ½ cup ice cream

Key Consumer Message: Choose lean or low-fat

meat and poultryGo Lean with Protein

PROTEIN 1 oz serving common portions=oz-beef small hamburger=3oz

Small steak=4ozDeck of cards

-ham-pork-chicken small breast half=3oz-fish 1 can tuna=3oz

Small trout=3oz

-egg 1 egg-nuts/seeds ½ oz (12 almonds, 24 pistachio,

7 walnut halves) ½ oz seeds1 oz nuts=2oz serving

-dry beans/peas ¼ c dry, ¼ cup tofu, 2 TBS hummus

1 cup bean/pea soup=2oz

Key Consumer Message: Limit your intake of fats

and oils

Very small amounts recommended with most of your fat sources coming from fish, nuts and vegetable oils. Limit solid fats like butter, stick margarine, shortening and lard.

Nuts, fish, cooking oil, salad dressingsA person’s allowance for oils depends on age, sex, and level of physical activity. Daily allowances shown are appropriate for individuals who get less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, beyond normal daily activities.

Boys 14-18 6 teaspoonsMen 19-30 7 teaspoonsGirls 14-18 5 teaspoonsWomen 19-30 6 teaspoons

Key Consumer Message: Find a balance between food

and physical activityDo it, get out there and

move!

Plans are set up on myplate.gov according to your activity level.

0-30 min/day 30-60 min/day 60+/day

There is an activity tracker you can use to make the new food ‘pyramid’ work best for you.