Back to Basics: All About MyPlate Food Groups

Why do your food groups not correspond to the Nutrition Facts Labels on food packages which are Fats, Carbohydrates, and Proteins? There are 3 fat groups: saturated fat (from red meat, hard cheese, butter, sour cream, heavy cream, and lebne) , mono-unsaturated fat (from various nuts, peanuts, avocado, olive oil, canola oil), and polyunsaturated fat (from soybeans, walnuts) . There are 4 carbohydrate groups: grains and legumes (seeds), vegetables, fruits, and milk and yogurt. There are many foods that are mostly protein: red meat, poultry, eggs, pork, fish, shellfish, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and tofu. It is important for people to know that saturated fat is a secondary energy source and glucose rich foods (starch) are the primary energy sources. Excessive consumption of these foods lead to obesity.

it is interesting to me how eating more fruits and vegetables can make the different.

Fruit cannot be more important than vegetables… Please check it.

Dairy is not a food group! So many people are lactose intolerant and there are plenty of plant based calcium rich foods, like greens. Instead that food group should be just taken out completely. You could change it with fat if you want, but that should be a small percentage of our "plate".

Thank you for sharing.

Now that many proper scientific studies have been done showing that saturated fats are actually healthier for us than poly or unsaturated fats, why is the government still perpetuating this myth to our detriment?

This is very informative.

Good information to customize a personal meal plan

Although these are the recommended 5 groups it not realistic to eat this 3 meals a day. with busy work schedules, school, kids and a busy life its easier to buy out side or to just grab a frozen meal and microwave it.

I didn't realize that the "meat" group is now referred to as the "protein group." You do realize that beans - a plant/vegetable - has a ton of protein, yes? This whole plate is a misnomer as to what we should be eating. We don't need meat for protein and to call that a whole group on its own is misleading.

Your my plate should have 2 cups of fruit, 21\2 of vegies, 6 ounces of grain, 51\2 ounces of protein, and 3 cup's of dairy.

I think food groups can be very important because if you don't follow the food groups sometimes your body can get weaker but if you do follow the food groups your body can get very healthy and strong.

I think this article will help me and my family have a better and well-balanced meal when having breakfast, lunch, and dinner. :)

I have learned that fruits and vegetables are a very important part of a very balanced diet and can help you get through the day. dairy is good for you but in limited amou nts

I think that it should tall more about the food fats and the carbohydrates on the food labels

To encourage us to improve our diet, provide pdfs or copy-and-paste versions of MyPlate and the image before that in a font size that will be readable when printed out in landscape. Size 5 just doesn't cut it.

Dairy is not a food group. We do not need milk to get calcium. Calcium can be found if green food. Too much calcium intake makes our bones brittle

every single food in that plate is necesary to our body because we need proteins vegetables fruits and dairy

these are healthy ways for a kid to eat.

Clearly no one is actually reading the myplate guidelines....this is meant as a guideline (what does a guideline mean? It means something to start from) if you cannot consume dairy or meat, then you will need to do more research on sources of calcium, protein, vitamin D, fats. It does say nuts and beans in the protein section as well as soy options in the dairy section. Those with allergies will need to do more research outside of this source. That is just a reality; you aren’t being picked on. This is a guideline source people. There are actually trans fats too so that would make 4 fats not three. Dairy is a food group bc of the specific vitamins contained in those products. There is nothing wrong with being lactose intolerant or gluten sensitive/celiac disease, etc. But you will have to research more to find recipes and substitutes which there are numerous sources outside this source. This is again a GUIDELINE to get people away from grabbing fast food, frozen meals and eating prepared snacks which make you obese and destroy your health. FYI SATURATED FAT is not a good fat...don’t say stuff unless you know for certain. It is ok in moderation but it contributes to raising LDL and heart disease which is bad. Unsaturated fat is the good fat. You can find saturated fats in meats which is why they recommend lean meats and fish. Trans fat is really not good and mostly found in artificial forms in prepared packed foods. Use this guideline people and use the internet to dig deeper. This is also a 2,000 calorie/day limit and that is also not for every body type. You have to adjust accordingly. ??‍♀️ EVERYTHING WILL NEVER INCLUDE EVERYONE. Guidelines are based on country averages...the average American needs x y z...

USDA, you are getting there but still not enough adjustment for quality health on the food plate.
Money still talks and capitalizes the industry even after substantial evidence proves otherwise. Still a disappointed health teacher having to show this to my students.

i think having a balanced diet is important because if you don't get the right balance of food your body would not have the food to work properly.

I think mushrooms and edible fungi need to be recommended more.

I'm watching my daughter in law with gestational diabetes tackle a new way of eating and these are the basics which are actually keeping her blood sugar levels very low, it's all about combining the right amount of each with meals. Not all fruit for breakfast and all protein for lunch, it's all about balance, if you eat carbs you eat protein and dairy to offset etc. I watched her do it for a week and her blood sugar levels were perfect.

This is very informative. Thank you.

Informative thank you

Click on either chart *does* *not* enlarge the image(s) as stated! It takes you to Flickr and you need to have an account there and login to see them! So you cannot and do not get to see an enlarged image by clicking on them!!!

I do not think dairy should be taken out--if it was, I wouldn't need enzyme tablets, but then I get no protein. I do not eat meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish. I also avoid egg yolks, soy, greens, and gluten. Nothing would convince me to go back to eating these foods, which also harm our planet. Dairy and egg whites are the only animal foods I eat. I stick to hard, aged cheeses because the lactose is aged out. I do not even look at the government guidelines anymore because of my medical issues, including hypothyroidism. I eat my own way and take supplements as needed, including D, calcium, magnesium and a B-complex.

what is the research and evidence cited by the USDA for putting forth its recommendations from the food pyramid in 1992 to the MyPlate recommendations of today?

I like the chart

I am excited for this guidance to change with the irrefutable evidence from study after study that dairy is detrimental to our health. We should follow Canada’s lead in this one and remove dairy from this guidance. And maybe one day we can remove meat from the protein section. Imagine guidance suggesting a plant based diet full of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, water, color, spices and flavor. Best for our health and our planet. I’m hopeful this guidance can change to match science rather than $$ in the NEAR future!

is there a specific diet for people with the metabolic disorder MCAD (also called MCADD) to help them lose weight and gain muscle? I've been told it's incredibly hard to do so (as a person with this disorder) and it is very frustrating and discouraging to hear, so if there is a way to lose weight and gain muscle, I would be so grateful to hear about it!

I agree with the required food that a person should eat to be healthy but not too much so they don't get sick, and the proper food groups are protein, milk, vegetables, fruit, and grain