MyPyramidNutrition Advocate Club

Funded by the USDA’s Food Stamp Program, an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Food Guide Pyramid - 1992

MyPyramid - 2005

Activity Proportionality

Moderation Variety

Personalization Gradual Improvement

Recommended Amounts

• Recommended amounts for each food group are based on:– Age– Gender– Physical Activity Level

• Least processed

• Fresh, whole

• Highest fiber, vitamins & minerals

• Highly processed

• Highest in sugar, fat, salt

• Lowest in fiber• Refined, processed

• Some added in sugar, fat, salt

• Limited fiber

Fat, sugar= Extra calories

Build on a Healthy Base

Whole Grains

• Whole-wheat flour • Bulgur (cracked

wheat) • Oatmeal • Whole cornmeal • Brown rice • Kasha (buckwheat

groats)

Vary Your Veggies

• Enjoy:– Dark green

vegetables

– Orange vegetables

– Legumes

– Starchy vegetables

– Other vegetables

                                                                                                             

Focus on Fruits

• Eat a variety of colorful fruits• Fresh, frozen, canned, dried

                                                                         

• Focus on fat-free or low-fat milk

• Drink fat-free or low-fat milk with meals and snacks

• Choose low-fat cheeses

• Have low-fat yogurt as a snack

• Use lactose-free products if needed

• Select non-dairy high-calcium foods and beverages if desired

Get Your Calcium Rich Foods

Go Lean With Protein

• Select leanest cuts of meat• Trim all fat and remove skin

from poultry• Prepare with no added fat• Choose lean luncheon meats• Eat beans as main dishes• Eat fatty fish in moderation• Include nuts in snacks,

salads, and main dishes

What are Unsaturated Fat?

• Fats that are liquid at room temperature

• Common oils– canola, corn, olive, soybean,

sunflower• Foods naturally high in oils

– nuts, olives, some fish, and avocado

• Foods that are mainly oil– mayonnaise, certain salad

dressings, and tub margarine

What are Saturated Fats?• Solid at room temperature

• From various animal foods

• Can be made from vegetable oils through hydrogenation

• Common solid fats:– Butter, chicken fat, stick margarine,

shortening, and pork fat (lard)

Do We Need Fat?

• Everyone needs some fat in their diet

• Best to choose from unsaturated fats– Vegetable oils

• Limit saturated fat and trans fat– Solid fats from animal sources and from

vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated

Portion Sizes

• 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese = 6 dice

• 3 oz cooked meat, fish, poultry = deck of cards

• ½ cup serving = ½ baseball

• 1 cup serving = 1 baseball

• 1 tsp = tip of your thumb to the 1st joint

• 1 tbsp = 3 thumb tips

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is

an art."- La Rochefoucauld

This material was produced by the California Department of Public Health, Network for a Healthy California, with funding from the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp Program). These institutions are equal opportunity providers and employers. In California, food stamps provide assistance to low-income households, and can help buy nutritious foods for better health. For food stamp information, call 877-847-3663. For important nutrition information visit www.cachampionsforchange.net.