So Long Food Pyramid…Hello Dinner Plate

[caption id="attachment_1103" align="alignleft" width="350" caption="The Ancient Food Pyramid"][/caption]

Ever remember seeing that nutritional food pyramid in the doctor's office or in the corner at the gym? Well if you haven't, then you'll be fine. The Obama administration is putting in place a simpler, more organic image to remind people of which different types of food they should be eating, and the proportions that go with it. Instead of seeing the different food groups in a pyramid, they will be on a dinner plate. William Neuman of the New York Times Fitness & Nutrition has more to say in his article discussing the newly instated nutritional diagram.

Whatever you do, don’t call it a pie chart.

The Obama administration is about to ditch the food pyramid, that symbol of healthy eating for the last two decades. In its place officials are dishing up a simple, plate-shaped symbol, sliced into wedges for the basic food groups and half-filled with fruits and vegetables.

The circular plate, which will be unveiled Thursday, is meant to give consumers a fast, easily grasped reminder of the basics of a healthy diet. It consists of four colored sections, for fruits, vegetables, grains and protein, according to several people who have been briefed on the change. Beside the plate is a smaller circle for dairy, suggesting a glass of low-fat milk or perhaps a yogurt cup.

Read more at New York Times Health & Nutrition