Dianne Esplin, a registered dietician for over 20 years who has been working on Saipan for many years, said “My Plate” is so easy to understand.
“This is one of the best changes that have happened in the past few months,” Esplin said.
With so many options to buy in the market, consumers would find it hard to choose which foods to choose to come up with a balanced nutritional value. Finding time to study the charts and plan hearty and healthy meals is also an uphill challenge especially for busy people.
Chances are when you go shopping you just pick up anything and stack your shopping carts without planning.
USDA’s My Plate suggests a great way to fill your plate not only to enjoy a healthy meal but also to fight diabetes and other illnesses with food.
With the introduction of “My Plate,” homemakers are spared the pains of complicated measuring of food before cooking. Let’s take a look at the composition of “My Plate” so that the next time you go shopping, you already have an idea what to put in your shopping basket.
“MY PLATE” COMPOSITION
Fruit Group
Any fruit or 100 percent juices from any fruit counts under this category. You have a choice of going for fresh, canned, dried or frozen fruit than can be eaten whole, cut-up or even pureed.
The most common fruits are apples, apricots, bananas, berries, cherries, grapes, grapefruit, lemons, limes, mangoes, melons, mixed fruits, oranges, peaches, pears, papaya, pineapple, plums, prunes, raisins, tangerines, raisins, and 100 percent fruit juices from orange, apple, grape and grapefruit.
Take note: Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
Grains
Grains are divided into two groups — whole grains and refined grains. The whole grains section includes the grain kernels such as whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, brown rice and cracked wheat, and ready to eat breakfast cereals, rolled oats, wild rice.
Refined grains are those that have been milled and where the bran and germ had been removed. This includes white flour, white bread, white rice, crackers, flour tortillas, grits, noodles; pasta such as spaghetti and macaroni, ready-to-eat breakfast cereals like corn flakes.
Take Note: Make at least half your grains whole grains.
Vegetable Group
Vegetables or 100 percent vegetable juice can be eaten raw or cooked; fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. You can eat them whole, cut-up, or mashed.
Eating any of the vegetables under the five subgroups is recommended:
Dark green vegetables which includes broccoli, collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, lettuce and others; red & orange vegetables such as acorn squash, pumpkin, red peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, tomatoes and tomato juice among others; beans and peas which includes black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and others in the beans family; starchy vegetables which includes corn, cowpeas, cassava, green bananas, plantains, potatoes, taro, water chestnuts and others; and other vegetables such as artichokes, beets, cabbage, bean sprouts, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, mushrooms, okra, turnips, and others.
Protein Group
My Plate covers the protein group, or all foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the Protein Foods Group.
Included in the protein foods gallery are lean cuts of meats such as ham, lamb, beef, pork and veal; game meats like bison, venison and rabbit; lean ground meats such as pork, lamb and beef; lean luncheon or deli meats; organ meats which includes liver and giblets; poultry such as chicken, turkey, goose, duck; eggs, beans and peas, processed soy products including tofu, bean and veggie burgers, texturized vegetables and others, nuts and seeds, seafood such as catfish, halibut, salmon, herring, mackerel, sea bass and other fish, shellfish like crabs, clams, lobsters, mussels, oysters, scallops, shrimp and squid, and canned fish like tuna, sardines, anchovies and clams.
Dairy Group
All fluid milk products and milk-based foods is one of the compositions of the new My Plate.
Under the dairy food gallery are milk — fat free, low or reduced fat, and whole milk; flavored milks like chocolate and strawberry, lactose-reduced milk, milk-based desserts including ice milk, frozen yogurt, puddings and ice cream, and calcium-fortified soymilk.
Cheese is another item in the dairy gallery. You can include hard natural cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan and Mozzarella; soft cheeses like Ricotta and Cottage cheese, and processed cheeses.
Take Note: Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) milk.
