Lots of meaning in MyPyramid graphic

By Carol Chandler
Contributing Writer
Union County Post
I’ve seen the new food pyramid around, but I’ve never been able to figure it out. What do the different-colored wedges mean?
The “new” pyramid you’re talking about has been around since April 2005 – for some of us, it has become so familiar that we never question it anymore. So, thanks for asking. A lot of consumers probably wonder the same thing.
The pyramid, called “MyPyramid” because it symbolizes a personalized approach, is a triangle filled with six color vertical bands, or wedges. Each color represents different foods. A wider band indicates you should choose more foods from that group; narrower bands imply you should limit those foods. The fact that each band is wider at the bottom than at the top symbolizes that within each group, there are more nutrient-dense foods you should choose more often, and some, especially with added fats and sugars, you should choose less often.
Here are the details, based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet (if you need fewer or more calories to maintain a healthy weight, go to http://mypyramid.gov for specifics):
Orange is for grains, and it’s the widest band of the pyramid. Eat about 6 ounces of grains a day, with at least half of them whole grains, such as whole wheat, oats, brown rice, whole-grain barley, corn, or even popcorn. Whole grains contain more fiber and nutrients than their refined counterparts.
Green is for vegetables. Eat 2.5 cups a day, and be sure to get a variety for a total of 17.5 cups a week. Each week, strive for three cups of dark green vegetables, two cups of orange vegetables, three cups of dry beans or peas, three cups of starchy vegetables, and 6.5 cups of other vegetables.
Red is for fruit. Eat two cups a day, and choose whole fruit rather than juice most of the time.
Yellow is for oils, and it’s the most narrow band. Most people get plenty of fats and oils from the foods they eat, such as meats and fish, nuts, salad dressing, and cooking oil. If you could measure these fats, they would be limited to six teaspoons a day. Limit the saturated and trans fats in favor of the more heart-healthy poly- and monounsaturated oils.
Blue is for milk and dairy. Get three cups a day, and choose low- or non-fat when possible.
Purple is for meat and beans. Get 5.5 ounces a day, giving preference to lean meats and poultry and choosing fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds more often.
For more information or a personalized pyramid, log onto http://mypyramid.gov.