After 19 years, The U.S. Department of Agriculture threw away its ubiquitous—and perplexing—food pyramid. In its place, the department unveiled MyPlate, a colorful diagram that the department hopes with show Americans how to apportion their meals with enough fruits and vegetables.
The plate’s design evolved as part of Michelle Obama’s campaign against obesity. A few nutritionists applauded its emphasize on fruits and vegetables, but the $2 million revamp still met its fair share of resistance.
The plate came with no serving size recommendations, relying instead on the idea that visualization will help Americans make healthier choices. Should you visit MyPlate’s website, you’ll find helpful nutrition hints, like “Enjoy your food, but eat less,” and “Drink water instead of sugary drinks.” One LA Times food blogger took issue with how the MyPlate image muddled that last suggestion, writing, “It looks to me like it's encouraging a glass of milk, as it is placed in the traditional spot for drinks at a properly set table. But I thought conventional wisdom is that we should not be drinking our calories, but eating them.”
Read more at The New York Times
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