Food Groups

1. MyPlate and the Five Food Groups

MyPlate is a nutritional food guide, developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The purpose of MyPlate is to teach Americans to be more aware of what they eat and how to choose healthier foods. People can get individual recommendations through the MyPlate website based on their age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. This nutrition food guide replaced the food pyramid in 2011. MyPlate is broken down into five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy. Each food group has its own unique functions and are equally important.

MyPlate divides food into five groups, and each food group has a purpose that they fulfill. Without each part, the diet misses a piece of the puzzle that makes up healthy eating. While not every meal may have every food group, you should try to include three or more in each meal. Be sure to check for your individual needs on the MyPlate website for more accurate serving sizes.

The image below shows the MyPlate food groups, with examples of food options and serving sizes.

term to know

MyPlate

A nutritional food guide, developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

2. Fruits

The first food group is fruits. Fruits are a key component to MyPlate because of the benefits they offer, such as reducing risk of chronic diseases and containing vitamins and minerals that help the body function properly. Most fruits are low-fat, low-sodium, and low-calorie. This aids in satiation because the volume of fruits can be large, but the caloric value can stay low while providing plenty of fiber. Potassium is a nutrient that most people in the U.S. do not get enough of, but through consumption of fruits, such as bananas, avocados, oranges, grapefruit, and cantaloupe, that can be improved. MyPlate suggests eating one to two cups of fruit per day but can differ based on the individual's needs.

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Fruits can be either fresh, frozen, cooked, or canned the only difference being whether the fruits are prepared in syrups. When possible, choose fruits canned in water or their own juice. Whole fruit is the best choice: Fruit juices have more sugar and calories per serving than whole fruit, and you're not getting the fiber.

3. Vegetables

The second food group is vegetables. Vegetables provide many important nutrients, such as potassium, folate, fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C. The benefits for eating vegetables can be a reduced risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. There are five main groups of vegetables: dark green, red and orange, beans and peas, starchy, and other. Leafy greens are spinach, kale, arugula, bok choy, and broccoli. These vegetables mainly offer antioxidants, magnesium, calcium, and iron. Red and orange vegetables are carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and pumpkin offering vitamin A, potassium, and fiber. Beans, peas, and lentils are good sources of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and protein. Starchy vegetables are the most consumed and include foods like potatoes, corn, lima beans, green peas, and string beans. These vegetables make up the bulk of the usual vegetable intake of an average diet.

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The recommended intake of vegetables should be three to four cups and can vary depending on the individual. Choosing variety is important when it comes to vegetables: Dark green vegetables (like broccoli, spinach, and kale) provide different nutrients from orange and red vegetables (like squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes). The "eat your colors" message that you might have learned in grade school is a good one to follow throughout your life.

4. Grains

Grains are the main bulk of the diet and can be divided into two groups: whole and refined. Whole grains contain the whole part of the grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. This makes it so that whole grains provide more nutrients, such as fiber, iron, and B vitamins. Refined grains remove the bran and germ leaving only the endosperm increasing shelf life but removing most nutrients. These grains are typically enriched to add back some B vitamins and iron to the grain. Whole grains include whole-wheat flour, bulgur, oatmeal, whole grain cornmeal, and brown rice. Refined grains include white flour, corn grits, white bread, and white rice. At least half of the grains you eat should be whole grains like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, or oatmeal.

5. Proteins

Proteins are the fourth food group and can come from a wide variety of foods, such as animal meats, seafoods, beans, peas, and lentils. High-protein foods help the body build and maintain muscles, skin, blood, and other tissues. They also have important vitamins and minerals, like iron. Animal meats are recommended to be either lean or low-fat. To be lean or low-fat, the calories from fat should be 30% or lower. Examples of this are chicken breast, pork loin, and 93% lean ground beef. Proteins are the building blocks of the muscles and tissues and requires the nutrients from the other food groups to function properly.

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MyPlate recommends between 5 and 6 1/2-ounce equivalents per day. An equivalent is 1 ounce of meat, poultry, or fish, ¼ cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds. It is important to consume a variety of protein sources because of the nutrients they provide, such as unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, and vitamin D, while lowering sodium and saturated fats from animal meat sources.

6. Dairy

Dairy is the last food group. This includes foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and soymilk. Calcium and vitamin D are the main nutrients that dairy provides but also provides other nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals. There are plenty of dairy products, but it is important to consider the extra calories from fat and sugar from products like ice cream, full-fat cheeses, and flavored yogurts. MyPlate recommends two to three cups per day, depending on age and gender. MyPlate shows dairy as a side or extra to your meal, like a glass of milk.

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Remember that dairy can be part of your meal, like the cheese in a quesadilla, or served as a snack like pudding or dessert, like low-fat frozen yogurt. Yogurt with fresh fruit or a fruit smoothie made with low-fat milk make great desserts. For individuals who are lactose intolerant, options to help you reach your calcium intake are fortified juices, soy products, leafy greens, and plant-based milk alternatives.

reflect

Think about a typical meal in your diet. How can you use MyPlate to make it better for your nutritional needs?

REFERENCES

What is MyPlate? MyPlate. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2022, from www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/what-is-myplate