4.6: ChooseMyPlate.gov Eating Guide
- Page ID
- 63605
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ChooseMyPlate.gov recommends a certain number of servings per day from the grain, vegetable, fruit, dairy, and protein (meat/meatsubstitute) groups (Table 4-2). Each group is particularly rich in certain nutrients, e.g., the dairy group is a rich source of calcium, riboflavin, and high-quality protein. The Guide is shown graphically in Figure 4.4, with vegetables, grains, and fruit groups filling most of the plate, with a smaller section for the protein group, and a “glass” for the dairy group.
The serving sizes aren’t always realistic; they’re made to be somewhat equivalent in certain nutrients. One serving in the dairy group has about 300 mg calcium: 1 cup milk or 1½ oz cheddar cheese or 2 cups cottage cheese. Thus, ½ cup cottage cheese is only ¼ serving in the dairy group. Also, it’s confusing that the serving size on a food label may be different than the serving size in this Guide. To try to lessen the confusion, we’ll call a serving in a food group, a [nutrient] portion in Table 4-2.
The numbers of recommended portions for vegetable, fruit, and grain may seem high, but it isn’t unusual to consume 1½ cup spaghetti (3 grain portions), 1½ cup orange juice (2 fruit portions), and bread two at a time in a sandwich or as two halves of a bagel or hot dog bun (2 grain portions).
Variety is important. We’re assured of some variety by eating foods from each of the food groups, and eating a variety within each group. In all this, maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight (Table 4-3).