The New USDA Food Plate Replaces the Food Pyramid

The USDA recently revealed a new "Food Plate" diagram to replace the ineffectiv­e and counterint­uitive food pyramids that have reeked havoc on nutrition education for the past 2 decades. I like that the tool has shifted away from using images of specific food items like bread and meat and moved to less than a 1/4 of the plate taken up by "protein." As someone who doesn't eat meat, the most common question I get is "where do you get your protein?" Maybe this image will start resonating­. You don't need meat in your diet to get your daily dose of amino acids! They're in grains, beans, dairy, and even in fruits and vegetables­! GASP! 

What do you think of the new plate?



Wondering what to fill that protein section of the plate with? Here's a list of plant sources of protein from the USDA's website:

Beans and peas:
black beans
black-eyed peas
chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
falafel
kidney beans
lentils
lima beans (mature)
navy beans
pinto beans
soy beans
split peas

Processed soy products:
tofu (bean curd made from soybeans)
white beans
bean burgers
veggie burgers
tempeh
texturized vegetable protein (TVP)

Nuts and seeds*
almonds
cashews
hazelnuts (filberts)
mixed nuts
peanuts
peanut butter
pecans
pistachios
pumpkin seeds
sesame seeds
sunflower seeds
walnuts


This post was shared on:
Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday