Food Pyramid
In order to educate Americans about healthy eating, the USDA and the US Department of Health and Human Services have redeveloped the Food Guide Pyramid. You may be familiar with the old Food Guide Pyramid, or its predecessor the Four Basic Food Groups. The new symbol, called "MyPyramid" represents a personalized approach to eating a healthy diet and staying active through physical activity.
Here's what the different parts to the pyramid mean:
Activity: The person climbing the steps is a reminder of the importance of daily physical activity.
Variety: The 6 color bands stand for the 5 traditional food groups plus "oils". From left to right, the colors stand for:
- Orange = Grains
- Green = Vegetables
- Red = Fruits
- Yellow = Oils
- Blue = Milk
- Purple = Meat and Bean
For good health, it's important to eat foods from all of these groups every day.
Moderation: The narrowing of each food group from bottom to top symbolize moderation. The wide base represents foods with no added sugar or solid fats whereas the top is for fatty and/or sugary foods.
Proportionality: The different widths of the food group wedges show proportionality. This suggests how much food from each group a person should eat.
Gradual Improvement: The slogan, "Steps To a Healthier You" encourages individuals to take small steps every day to improve their diet and lifestyles.
Visit the MyPyramid Web site to learn more exact proportions and more specific types of foods you should be eating.
