Food Guide Pyramid

My Pyramid...Steps to a Healthier You

One size doesn't fit all. MyPyramid Plan can help you choose the foods and amounts that are right for you. For a quick estimate of what and how much you need to eat, enter your age, sex, and activity level in the MyPyramid Plan box.

For a detailed assessment of your food intake and physical activity level, click on MyPyramid Tracker.

Use the advice "Inside MyPyramid" to help you

	Make smart choices from every food group,
	Find your balance between food and physical activity, and
	Get the most nutrition out of your calories.

		Tour MyPyramid Take a tour of the new pyramid in this animated feature.

		Inside The Pyramid Explore the pyramid to learn about the food groups and to see how much physical activity you should be getting.

		Tips & Resources Learn how to make MyPyramid work for you. Find a wealth of ideas that can help you get started toward a healthy diet. There are tips for each food group, physical activity, eating out, a sample menu, and more...

MyPyramid.gov features:

*       MyPyramid Plan - provides a quick estimate of what and how much food you should eat from the different food groups by entering your age, gender and activity level.

*       MyPyramid Tracker - provides more detailed information on your diet quality and physical activity status by comparing a day's worth of foods eaten with current nutrition guidance. Relevant nutrition and physical activity messages are tailored to your desire to maintain your current weight or to lose weight.

*       Inside MyPyramid - provides in-depth information for every food group, including recommended daily amounts in commonly used measures, like cups and ounces, with examples and everyday tips. The section also includes recommendations for choosing healthy oils, discretionary calories and physical activity.

*       Start Today - provides tips and resources that include downloadable suggestions on all the food groups and physical activity, and a worksheet to track what you are eating.

A child-friendly version of MyPyramid for teachers and children is being developed. This version of MyPyramid is intended to reach children 6 to 11 years old with targeted messages about the importance of making smart eating
and physical activity choices. Additional information about USDA's MyPyramid is available at MyPyramid.gov. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and consumer brochure are available at http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

Dietary Guidelines 2005 powerpoint

My Pyramid

"Spending Your Calorie Salary: Tips for Using MyPyramid." PowerPoint presentation.

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For the first time, the federal government issued an official definition of whole-grain foods.

Guidelines issued yesterday by the Food and Drug Administration, whole-grain foods should contain the three key ingredients of cereal grains -- bran (the fiber-filled outer part of the kernel), endosperm (the inner part and usually all that is left in most processed grains) and the germ (the heart of the grain kernel.) Plus, these three ingredients need to be present in the same relative proportion as they exist naturally. 2/06

New Good Guide 2005

Nutrient guidelines for individual nutrient content such as fiber: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR17/wtrank/wt_rank.html

The following are additional important facts about these groups:

	Each of the food groups provides some, but not all, of the nutrients needed daily.
	Foods in one group cannot replace those in another.
	Each food group is needed for good health.
	The key is to eat proportional amounts from each group as shown by the Pyramid.
	A recommended range of servings for each food group is included. Individuals with lower caloric needs should eat the fewer number of servings indicated at the lower of the range.
	Pay close attention to the recommended serving size. Although many servings are recommended of some foods, the portion sizes are small.
	At the base of the Pyramid are foods from plant sources: Serving sizes are: one slice of bread; one oz ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, 1/2 cup pasta, rice or grits.

	On the Second level: are foods from plant sources: Vegetable group-1/2 cup cooked vegetable, 1/2 cup chopped raw vegetable, one cup leafy raw vegetable; Fruit group-whole piece of fruit (small), 1/2 cup juice, 1/4 cup melon, 1/2 grapefruit, 1/2 cup cooked or canned fruit, 1/4 dried fruit.
	One the Third level: these are mostly foods from animal sources: Milk Group-one cup of lowfat milk or yogurt, 1 1/2 oz lowfat cheese) Meat Group-2-3 ozs lean meat; two eggs, one cup cooked dried beans or peas, 2 tablespoons peanut butter. (The serving size is about the size of a deck of playing cards)
	At The Tip of The Pyramid: these foods provide calories and little else.......EAT SPARINGLY! Foods in this group are high in sugar and fat.

Make your meals attractive

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Plan Smart

Eat your way up...from the five food groups.
Pay attention to your special needs.....calcium, if you are a child, teen, pregnant or lactating woman or adult over 50; iron...if you are a young child, teenage girl or woman of childbearing age; folic acid ...if you could become or are pregnant; vitamin D....if you are an older adult.