USDA Guidelines, MyPlate, & Diet Designs

What do Diet Designs, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, and the new "MyPlate"  have in common?  Each one helps individuals consume fewer calories while eating the correct portions of macronutrients.  In my experience, clients need an easy to follow routine to help with weight loss and maintenance.  Meal deliveries make portion control and healthy eating simple and easy.  The new MyPlate targets that easy-to-follow guideline that people can understand.

The  2010 Dietary Guidelines were published at the end of January this year.  By law, every five years The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services issue these evidence based reports. The Dietary Guidelines set the foundation for the Nutrition Facts panel on packaged foods.  They are the standards behind My Pyramid, School Lunch, WIC, and other Federal nutrition education programs.  Nutritionists and dieticians use them as part of their educational strategies every day.  Personally, I’ve always advocated reading food labels and avoiding processed foods whenever possible. 
            Because many products advertise health claims such as “boosting immunity” and “improving brain development”, understanding the Nutrition Facts panel remains an essential part of shopping decisions and meal planning.   As health conscious consumers, we need to look past the misleading advertising and review food labels.  For example, Cocoa Krispies has claimed to “support your child’s immunity” because it contains Vitamins A, C, and E.  How can they claim these health benefits from a cereal comprised nearly 40% of sugar?  Don’t be tricked by some of these functional foods that claim disease prevention or health benefits.   Instead, opt for nonfat or greek yogurt if you’re looking for possible immune benefits.  The probiotics also aid with digestion and chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases.  

Another exciting fact about food labels: reading them has been proven to help you lose weight!  A study published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs states that “women were more likely to read food labels than men and also more successful in losing weight.  Label users who did not exercise displayed a slightly greater likelihood of weight loss than those who exercised but did not read food labels” (Mandal, 2010).  The data suggests that reviewing food labels helps keep us on the right track! 

According to the USDA Press Release on January 31, 2011, the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines aim to “promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity.”  Since two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, the focus remains on reducing calories and increasing physical activity.  The two overriding concepts of this report are to “maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight and to focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages.”  They also emphasize that nutrient needs should be met through the consumption of whole foods.  Eating appropriate portions of nutrient dense foods is key.  Downsize your portion size, make half your plate fruits and veggies, and replace high calorie food with nutrient dense food lower in calories.

  Another significant quantity that many consumers overlook is their sodium intake.  In other words, most people eat too much salt!  The 2010 Dietary Guidelines stresses that most populations need to consume 2,300 mg or less (approximately 1 teaspoon) of sodium per day.  They encourage 1,500 mg or less of sodium for high risk groups, including those with high blood pressure and older adults.  By staying away from processed foods and preparing more home-cooked meals, you can keep your sodium consumption down.   Many of my clients don’t realize the high levels of sodium contained in meals like pizza, soups, and other frozen foods.  Compare food labels and choose the option that contains the lowest amount of sodium.

Besides sodium, a few other principles stand out to me.  First, keep saturated fat at less than 10 percent of calories by replacing them with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.  This means avoiding cream, butter, oils and eating healthy fats, such as nuts, avocados, and grapeseed oil.  The guidelines also recommend avoiding all trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils, and added sugar.  Also, consume at least half of all grains as whole grains.  Because these grains still contain the bran layer and outer hull, they also contain other nutrients like selenium, potassium, and magnesium.  These grains give you energy and help you concentrate.  In addition, try to eat more nutrient, fiber-rich plant based foods.  High fiber foods tend to make you feel full longer.  Great choices include barley, brown rice, millet, wild rice, and whole wheat bread and pasta.

Other recommendations include increasing low-fat dairy products and choosing lean protein.   Consume the often deficient nutrients, potassium, calcium and Vitamin D, through a varied diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk products.  The 2010 Guidelines state that eating 8 ounces of seafood per week helps get healthy fats, especially Omega-3 fatty acids, into your diet.  You can achieve this by eating a 4 ounce portion of fish twice a week.  Other reasons to eat more seafood, high fiber foods, and good fats will help lower your dietary cholesterol.  Keep in mind that total cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL for a healthy heart.

All of these principles outlined in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines are important.  What's interesting is that the new MyPlate is exactly what Diet Designs has suggested since the day we opened, nearly 20 years ago.  Eating portions of whole foods, with a focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein is the only way to provide your body with the nutrients it needs.  A healthy serving of low-fat dairy with each meal, can't hurt :)

Keep these principles in mind the next time you go out to the market!  Studies show that reviewing labels and understanding the Dietary Guidelines contribute to healthy weight loss.