choose my plate learning how to choose healthy food will contribute to your overall well-being my plate was developed to make your selection of appropriate foods easier one look and you can visualize what should be on your plate and in what proportion by following the my plate guidelines you will feel better have more energy and help reduce your risk of nutrition related health problems later in life it's the first step to healthy eating the food guide pyramid was first developed in 1992 many people found it difficult to follow and understand what did the stripes mean and why were some stripes wider than others the my plate icon is easier to follow with myplate you can visualize that you should make half your plate fruits and vegetables a quarter grains a quarter protein and dairy the 10 tips to a great plate are balance calories enjoy your food but eat less avoid oversized portions eat fruits vegetables and whole grains often make half your plate fruits and vegetables switch to fat free or low fat milk make half your grains whole grains eat less solid fats sugar and salt compare sodium in food and drink water instead of sugary drinks let's take a closer look at the myplate icon first up is the vegetables group make half your plate fruits and vegetables any vegetable or one hundred percent vegetable juice counts as a member of the vegetable group vegetables may be raw or cooked fresh frozen canned or dried and may be eaten whole cut up or mashed vegetables are organized into five groups this is based on the vitamins and minerals that are in them remember the darker the color of vegetables the higher they are in vitamins and minerals some commonly eaten vegetables in each subgroup are dark green vegetables such as broccoli spinach and brussels sprouts red and orange vegetables include carrots pumpkin red peppers sweet potatoes and tomatoes beans and peas include black beans kidney beans lentils soy beans and split peas starchy vegetables can include corn green peas plantains and potatoes other vegetables such as artichokes asparagus avocado eggplant onions and cucumbers next is the fruit group here too color is important the more colors you eat the better make half your plate fruits and vegetables any fruit or 100 fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group fruits may be fresh cans frozen or dried and may be whole cut up or pureed some commonly eaten fruits are apples bananas cherries peaches and pears the berry group includes strawberries blueberries and raspberries melons include cantaloupe honeydew and watermelon you may find mixed fruits in a fruit salad or fruit cocktail a hundred percent fruit juice can be found in orange apple grape and grapefruit juice next is the grains group make at least half the grains you eat whole grains any food made from wheat rice oats corn or another cereal grain is a grain product examples of grains are bread pasta oatmeal cereals crackers and rice grains are divided into two groups whole grains and refined grains a hundred percent whole grains contain the entire grain kernel they are the most nutritious grain choices and add essential fiber to our diet my plate recommends that 50 of our grains be whole grain examples include whole wheat flour whole wheat pasta rolled oats quinoa brown rice and popcorn refined grains have been milled this is done to give greens a finer texture and improve their shelf life however it also removes lots of nutrients such as fiber iron and many b vitamins some examples of refined grain products are white flour breads white rice cookies saltine crackers cake and pie the best way to know if you are eating a whole grain is to check the ingredient list on the package the first ingredient should say whole grain or whole wheat dairy foods can provide vitamin d potassium and phosphorus in addition to calcium switch to fat free or low fat one percent milk foods included in the dairy group are milk yogurt and cheese all milk and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group dairy group choices should be fat free or low fat foods from this group provide vitamin d potassium and phosphorus however foods made from milk that have little to no calcium such as cream cheese cream and butter are not included if you choose milk that is not fat free or cheese that is not low fat the fat in the product count towards the empty calories category if sweetened products are chosen the added sugars also count towards your empty calories category if you are lactose intolerant you may still find lactose free or lower lactose products available next is the protein group select a variety of protein foods to get as many health benefits as possible vegetarian options in the protein foods group include beans and peas processed soy products and nuts and seeds when choosing protein foods keep your portion small and lean portion sizes should be three or four ounces cooked which is about the size of the palm of your hand all foods made from meat chicken turkey seafood or fish beans and peas eggs processed soy products nuts and seeds are considered part of the protein foods group processed meats such as ham sausage hot dogs and deli meats can have a lot of added sodium check the nutrition facts label on packages to help cut back select fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids the omega-3 fats are good for your skin your blood your muscles and your brain fish with omega-3s include salmon tuna pacific oysters and mackerel when you are thirsty water is an excellent choice to drink it provides the fluid your body needs to keep you cool it helps your body dispose of waste and helps circulate nutrients throughout your body the general tip is to drink eight eight ounce servings of water each day be sure to have water available when outdoors or doing other physical activity not drinking enough water can lead to overheating and dehydration flavored waters or vitamin waters and sports drinks usually have added sweeteners and artificial ingredients the added sweeteners in these drinks add calories be sure to read the nutrition facts label and ingredients on these beverages many of the foods and beverages americans eat and drink contain empty calories empty calories are calories from solid fats and or added sugars foods containing high amounts of solid fats and added sugars add calories to the food but few or no nutrients solid fats are fats that are solid at room temperature like butter beef fat and shortening added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added when foods or beverages are processed and prepared the foods and beverages that provide the most empty calories for americans include cakes cookies pastries and donuts sodas energy drinks sport drinks and fruit drinks cheese pizza chips and french fries ice cream sausages hot dogs bacon and ribs many of these products contain both solid fat and added sugars you can find ways to cut the fat in added sugars by looking for lower fat versions of these products you can choose water milk or sugar-free beverages instead of drinks with sugar we all need to be active every day eating right and being physically active are the keys to a healthy lifestyle it affects your mood your brain power and your body's ability to metabolize or burn calories physical activity is using energy to move your body walking gardening biking climbing the stairs playing soccer or dancing the night away are all good examples of being active my plate defines three activity levels based on the amount of time a person spends being physically active during the day these are sedentary moderately active and active a sedentary activity is when a person gets 30 minutes or less of physical activity in a day moderately active is 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity an active person has more than 60 minutes of physical activity in a day for health benefits physical activity should be moderate or vigorous intensity the best way to incorporate physical activity into your day is to pick activities that you like and start by doing what you can at least 10 minutes at a time every bid adds up and the health benefits increase as you spend more time being active youth should be active for at least one hour every day at a minimum adults and older adults sitting for 2 hours and 30 minutes each week when you're active you use the food you eat better you sleep better your weight will stay in line you have more energy and chances are you'll feel happier you can choose moderate or vigorous activities or a mix of both each week the level of intensity is based on the extent to which the activity makes you breathe harder and your heartbeat faster only moderate and vigorous intensity activities count towards meeting your physical activity needs try to limit sedentary activities like sitting for long periods of time watching tv or using the computer with vigorous or active activities you get similar health benefits and half the time it takes you with moderate ones you can replace some or all of your moderate activity with vigorous activity although you are moving light intensity activities do not increase your heart rate so you should not count these towards meeting the physical activity recommendations these activities include walking at a casual pace shopping and doing light household chores if you're not being very active now increasing your strenuous activities will make you feel better and tone your body some examples of moderate activities include walking at approximately three miles per hour general gardening like raking trimming shrubs dancing water aerobics canoeing and tennis examples of vigorous or active physical activities include running or jogging at approximately five miles an hour walking very fast at about four and a half miles per hour bicycling more than 10 miles per hour heavy yard work such as chopping wood swimming aerobics competitive basketball and tennis singles a main message of my plate is calorie balance calorie balance refers to the relationship between the calories you get from the foods you eat and drink and the calories you use by being active if you want to know the number of calories you should eat in a day you can get your personal daily calorie plan at www.choosemyplate.gov people who are successful at managing their weight have found ways to keep track of how much they eat in a day even if they don't count every single calorie tips for balancing calories include avoiding oversized portions piling your plate or having too much food on your plate leads to oversized portions use a smaller plate bowl and glass stop eating when you feel satisfied not full take your time to eat and enjoy your food the myplate website www.choosemyplate.gov has numerous tips suggestions and interactive activities to help you eat well take time to check out this valuable resource can you visualize what your plate would look like today are there foods you need to increase maybe you're eating too few vegetables fruits whole grains or dairy products keep in mind that in order for you to get all your essential nutrients and remain healthy you need to make healthful eating a habit the good news is if you move to the my plate model and if you choose lots of different foods and food groups those missing nutrients will be found remember these tips for the foods you should increase make half your plate fruits and vegetables make at least half your grains whole grains and switch to fat free or low fat one percent milk certain foods and food components if eaten in excess can increase your risk for health problems later in life these include sodium or salt saturated fat trans fat added sugars and refined grains knowing what is in food comes from reading labels and requesting nutrition information when eating out at restaurants cut back on foods that contain a lot of empty calories and foods that have been overly processed when you fill up on too many of these foods you don't have an appetite for healthy foods remember these tips for foods to reduce compare sodium levels in soup bread and frozen meals and choose the foods with the lower numbers select canned foods labeled low sodium reduced sodium or no salt added drink water instead of sugary drinks remember that soda energy drinks and sport drinks are a major source of added sugar and calories in american diets replace refined grains with whole grains often try eating whole wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice want to know the amount of each food group you need daily you can use my plate for the quick and easy decisions of what to eat you can get more detailed information on the myplate website www.choosemyplate.gov enter your information to receive a customized daily food plan the myplate plan lets you know how much food you should be eating from each food group daily this sample is for a person who needs 2 000 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight the daily calorie level will be higher for higher activity levels and lower for less daily physical activity reading food labels help you make better food choices and builds an awareness of what nutrients are in particular food items there is a lot of good information on a food label that can help you make a good choice it takes a little time to get used to what to look for but once you find where to look it makes identifying good food choices easier check for calories on the nutrition facts panel compare that number to your calorie level from your daily food plan look at the serving size and compare that with how many you will eat or drink if you double the serving you eat or drink you double the calories look at other brands or types of the same food choose foods with lower calories saturated fat trans fat and sodium the difference can be big check for added sugars using the ingredient list some names for added sugars include sucrose glucose high fructose corn syrup corn syrup maple syrup and fructose if the food is a grain food such as cereal crackers or pasta is the first ingredient a whole grain choose whole grain foods over refined grains it can be easy to eat more than you want or should when you eat out here are some eating out ideas for getting the most for your money without getting too much added onto your waste as a beverage choice ask for water or order fat-free or low-fat milk unsweetened tea or other drinks without added sugars calories from drinks add up quickly and don't satisfy your hunger ask for whole wheat bread if you are ordering a sandwich start your meal with a salad packed with veggies to help control hunger and feel satisfied sooner after dressing on the side and use a light hand when adding it to your salad choose main dishes that include vegetables order steamed grilled or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried order from the menu versus the can eat buffet skip the bread basket if the main portions at a restaurant are larger than you want try one of these strategies to keep you from overeating order an appetizer sized portion share a main dish with a friend when your food is delivered set aside or pack half of it to go immediately to keep your meal on the lower end of calories fat and sugars order foods without creamy sauces or gravies add little or no butter to your food and choose fruits for desserts most often try to fill your plate with nutrient-rich foods those that contain substantial amounts of vitamins minerals and fiber for relatively few calories remember too many empty calorie foods put your health at risk so build a healthy plate and make it great