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USDA MyPlate Plan

USDA MyPlate Plan

The USDA MyPlate Plan is a guide to help you plan a healthful diet. The USDA MyPlate Plan is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The USDA MyPlate Plan provides the amount of foods you can eat each day for a healthful diet. The USDA MyPlate Plan also provides limits for sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.

 

USDA MyPlate Food Groups

MyPlate is USDA’s food group symbol. The MyPlate symbol is a reminder to makePicture of MyPlate symbol. healthy food choices. Each USDA MyPlate food group is represented by a different color on MyPlate.

 

  • Grains – orange.
  • Vegetables – green.
  • Fruits – red.
  • Dairy – blue.
  • Protein foods – purple.

 

Grains: Make Half Your Grains Whole Grains

Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grainMyPlate picture highlighting grain section. is part of this group. Grains are divided into either whole grains or refined grains. In general, 1 ounce from the grains group is:

 

  • 1 slice of bread.
  • 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal.
  • ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal.

 

Vegetables: Vary Your Veggies

Any vegetable or 100 percent vegetable juice is part of this group. Vegetables are divided into five subgroups including dark green vegetables; red and orange vegetables; beans, peas and lentils; starchy vegetables and other vegetables. In general 1 cup from the vegetables group is:

 

  • 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice.
  • 2 cups of raw leafy greens is considered as 1 cup from the vegetables group.

 

Fruits: Focus on Fruits

Any fruit or 100 percent fruit juice is part of this group. In general 1 cup from the fruits group is:MyPlate highlighting the fruit section on the plate.

 

  • 1 cup of fruit or 100 percent fruit juice.
  • ½ cup of dried fruit.

 

 

Dairy: Move to Low-Fat or Fat-Free Milk or Yogurt

All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are part of MyPlate image highlights dairy cup.this food group. Foods made from milk that keep their calcium content are part of this group. Foods made from milk with little or no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream or butter, are not part of this group. Calcium-fortified soymilk is also part of this food group. In general 1 cup from the dairy group is: 

 

  • 1 cup of milk, yogurt or soymilk.
  • 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese.
  • 2 ounces of processed cheese.

 

Protein Foods: Vary Your Protein Routine

Meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, nuts, seeds and soy products are part of this group. Beans, peas and lentils can be considered part of the protein foods group as well as the vegetable group, but should be counted in one group only. In general 1 ounce from the protein foods group is:

 

  • 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish.
  • ¼ cup cooked dry beans.
  • 1 egg.
  • 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.
  • ½ ounce of nuts or seeds.

 

Sodium, Saturated Fat and Added Sugars

Although not food groups, the USDA MyPlate Plan provides limits for fats (oils and saturated fats), sodium, and added sugars. Most of the fat you eat should be oils. Oils are high in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats and low in saturated fats. Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature. Oils come from many plants and fish. Some salad dressings and soft margarine with no trans fats are counted as oils.

 

Solid fats tend to be high in saturated fat which can increase risk of certain chronic diseases. Solid fats are fats that tend to be solid at room temperature. Butter, shortening and animal fats are counted as solid fats. A few plant oils, such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil are high in saturated fats. Although these are liquid at room temperature they are counted as solid fats not oils.

 

USDA MyPlate Plan

 

Recommended Amounts

The USDA MyPlate Plan provides the amount you need to eat each day based on your estimated calorie needs. Your estimated calorie needs are based on your gender, age, and level of physical activity. You can get a personalized MyPlate Plan of the amount of food you should eat from each USDA MyPlate food group at www.ChooseMyPlate.gov.

 

Planning Healthful Meals with the USDA MyPlate Plan

Use the USDA MyPlate Plan to find the types and amounts of food recommended each day for your calorie needs. For example, for 2,000 calories the USDA MyPlate Plan recommends:

 

  • Grains 6 ounces
  • Vegetables 2½ cups
  • Fruits 2 cups
  • Dairy 3 cups
  • Protein foods 5½ ounces
  • Oils 6 teaspoons
  • Limit on calories for other uses 240 calories
  • Limit sodium to less than 2,300 milligram a day
  • Limit saturated fat to less than 10% of calories a day
  • Limit added sugars to less than 10% of calories a day

Spread the foods recommended by the USDA MyPlate Plan across the day into meals and snacks. Below is an example of spreading the amounts recommended for 2,000 calories into three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and a snack. How you spread the types and amounts of food recommended for your calorie needs across the day may look different, this is just an example.

 

Build a Healthy Diet

Everything you eat and drink is important. A healthy diet can help you be healthier now and in the future. When building a health diet remember to:

 

  • Focus on variety, amount and nutrition.
  • Choose foods and beverages with less sodium, saturated fat and added sugars.
  • Start with small changes to build healthier eating.
  • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
  • Focus on whole fruits.
  • Vary your veggies.
  • Make half your grains whole grains.
  • Move to low-fat and fat-free dairy.
  • Vary your protein routine.
  • Eat and drink the right amount for you.

 

Table 1. Example of spreading the types and amounts of food recommended by the USDA daily food plan across the day into meals and snacks.

Food Groups Amounts for 2000 calories Breakfast Lunch Snack Dinner
Grains (oz) 6 2 2   2
Vegetables (cups) 2.5   1   1.5
Fruits (cups) 2 .5 .5 .5 .5
Dairy (cups) 3 1 1   1
Protein foods (oz) 5.5   2   3.5
Oils (tsp) 6 1 2   3

 

Table 2. Estimated calorie needs by gender, age and activity level.

    Males  
Activity Level Age (yrs) Sedentary Moderately Active Active
2 1,000 1,000 1,000
3 1,000 1,400 1,400
4 1,200 1,400 1,600
5 1,200 1,400 1,600
6 1,400 1,600 1,800
7 1,400 1,600 1,800
8 1,400 1,600 2,000
9 1,600 1,800 2,000
10 1,600 1,800 2,200
11 1,800 2,000 2,200
12 1,800 2,200 2,400
13 2,000 2,200 2,600
14 2,000 2,400 2,800
15 2,200 2,600 3,000
16 2,400 2,800 3,200
17 2,400 2,800 3,200
18 2,400 2,800 3,200
19-20 2,600 2,800 3,000
21-25 2,400 2,800 3,000
26-30 2,400 2,600 3,000
31-35 2,400 2,600 3,000
36-40 2,400 2,600 2,800
41-45 2,200 2,600 2,800
46-50 2,200 2,400 2,800
51-55 2,200 2,400 2,800
56-60 2,200 2,400 2,600
61-65 2,000 2,400 2,600
66-70 2,000 2,200 2,600
71-75 2,000 2,200 2,600
76+ 2,000 2,200 2,400
 
    Females  
Activity Level Age (yrs) Sedentary Moderately Active Active
2 1,000 1,000 1,000
3 1,000 1,200 1,400
4 1,200 1,400 1,400
5 1,200 1,400 1,600
6 1,200 1,400 1,600
7 1,200 1,600 1,800
8 1,400 1,600 1,800
9 1,400 1,600 1,800
10 1,400 1,800 2,000
11 1,600 1,800 2,000
12 1,600 2,000 2,200
13 1,600 2,000 2,200
14 1,800 2,000 2,400
15 1,800 2,000 2,400
16 1,800 2,000 2,400
17 1,800 2,000 2,400
18 1,800 2,000 2,400
19-20 2,000 2,200 2,400
21-25 2,000 2,200 2,400
26-30 1,800 2,000 2,400
31-35 1,800 2,000 2,200
36-40 1,800 2,000 2,200
41-45 1,800 2,000 2,200
46-50 1,800 2,000 2200
51-55 1,600 1,800 2,200
56-60 1,600 1,800 2,200
61-65 1,600 1,800 2,000
66-70 1,600 1,800 2,000
71-75 1,600 1,800 2,000
76+ 1,600 1,800 2,000

 

Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the physical activity of independent living.

Moderately Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1 ½ to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to activities of independent living.

Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to activities of independent living.

 

Table 3. USDA MyPlate Plan for different calorie levels.

Calorie Levels 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200
Food Groups          
Grains (oz) 5 5 6 6 7
Vegetables (cups) 1.5 2 2.5 2.5 3
Fruits (cups) 1.5 1.5 1.5 2 2
Dairy (cups) 2.5 3 3 3 3
Protein foods (oz) 4 5 5 5.5 6
Oils (tsp) 4 5 5.5 6 6.5
Limit on calories for other uses 90 100 140 240 280
Calorie Levels 2400 2600 2800 3000
Food Groups        
Grains (oz) 8 9 10 10
Vegetables (cups) 3 3.5 3.5 4
Fruits (cups) 2 2 2.5 2.5
Dairy (cups) 3 3 3 3
Protein foods (oz) 6.5 6.5 7 7
Oils (tsp) 7 7.5 8 10
Limit on calories for other uses 320 350 370 440

 

References

United States Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025. Accessed at: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/

 

United States Department of Agriculture. ChooseMyPlate.gov. Accessed at: www.choosemyplate.gov

 

Janice Hermann, Ph.D., RD/LD

Extension Nutrition Education Specialist

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