“Now, first lady Michelle Obama is helping roll out another tool to fight America’s obesity epidemic: ChooseMyPlate.gov, the new food icon and website that Obama administration officials say is a lot easier to understand and follow than the old food pyramid from which we’ve learned for nearly two decades. “As long as they’re eating proper portions, as long as half of their meal is fruits and vegetables alongside their lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, then we’re good. It’s as simple as that,” the first lady said at the MyPlate.gov unveiling at the US Department of Agriculture, which developed the MyPlate icon.” -John Garcia ABC News
Pretty sure Ms. Obama is a LAWYER. Pretty sure this is one of the most colorful wastes of time since… well, the “MyPyramid” icon. And, who says we “learned” anything from the Pyramid the last 2 decades? Have you walked into a school lately? Perhaps a mall? How bout a beach or a HOSPITAL? Wow.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I do commend Ms. Obama for her healthy initiatives and think she has the greatest of intentions, but I also feel she’s working with folks at the USDA that should know better!
We’re paying for pretty new posters and “icons,” while our kids are nutritionally stupid, and their parents aren’t much better off. We can mandate homosexual history education and women’s rights to reproduction, but we won’t teach our kids how to EAT!? Something we HAVE to do! Daily. Everyone. Dietitians, health professionals and MOMS, have been trying to get PROPER nutrition education in schools and healthier school lunches for YEARS, but I’m so glad we were able to push through this [redundant] “campaign”, so our kids, parents and cafeteria workers can STILL BE CONFUSED!
To MyPlate’s defense - in the full article - Ms. Obama mentions a parent not having time to measure out proper portions of foods “i.e. 3 oz meat etc.” True. (BTW in my practice I’ve never recommended this, nor have I come across any parent that does it). She states the “plate” as something easier to visualize, and that the Pyramid is confusing. Agreed.
However. As long as America classifies French fries as veggies, and mac and cheese as grains, we are in serious trouble.
The problem…
All current and previous government sponsored attempts to classify food into pretty pictures and “icons” STILL does not tell us how to feed our families. For instance…
Do you see the problem? All foods are “properly categorized” using both MyPlate AND MyPyramid methods – I even threw in buzz words I get in my office all the time, somehow indicating the meal is now “healthy” – however, this is a high calorie, high sugar, high starch, high sodium and high saturated-fat meal – hardly balanced -- with ALL foods falling into the “carbohydrates” macronutrient category and a Diabetic nightmare. Not to mention the lack of COLOR and variety – there are NO antioxidants, no phytonutrients and no Omega 3 fatty-acids. THIS, ladies and gentlemen is where we’ve messed up in the school system – this, and providing a CHOICE for KIDS while forcing Cafeteria directors to stay within a ridiculous budget.
Classifying food as fruit, grain, vegetable… etc. doesn’t help at all. Who came up with that anyway?! It makes no sense. Our bodies treat food differently based on what MACRONUTRIENT category they belong to: Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat. Hence the mass confusion, a concept that I didn’t learn until I was in COLLEGE! Now, there are more nutritious carbs, proteins and fats than others, but a proper balance of THAT is what we should be striving for.
Instead, check this out…
It’s not perfect, there are parameters that should be explained, aaand that’s why I’m here. Some foods will always fall into multiple categories. But if this was ALL I was using to base my family’s nutrition off of – we’d be in MUCH better shape. BTW Diabetics, tape this to your fridge and follow it like a cult! It will drastically help in blood sugar control.
That’s my two-cents anyway, because you asked right? ;)
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