Download Foundations of Nutrition: MyPlate Presentation

Foundations of Nutrition:
MyPlate
California Healthy Kids Resource Center
(C.H.K.R.C.)
Welcome to the Foundations of Nutrition: MyPlate training. MyPlate is the
food guidance icon developed by the United States Department of
Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) to help consumers make healthier food choices.
This training was developed with funding from the Network for a Healthy
California and includes material developed by the U.S.D.A. Center for
Nutrition Policy and Promotion. It is designed for nutrition education program
coordinators, teachers, school and after school staff, and others providing
programs that build youth skills and positive nutrition and physical activity
behaviors. It will take about 30 minutes to complete, so let's get going!
1
MyPlate Training Objectives
Following this training you will be able to:
• Identify the MyPlate recommendations and
how they compare to prior recommendations.
• Use the MyPlate key messages to create a
healthy diet and active lifestyle.
• Access lessons and resources to bring
MyPlate messages to your students.
Let’s start with the objectives for the training. By the end of this training you
will be able to: identify the basic recommendations of the MyPlate Food
Guidance System and how they compare to prior recommendations, apply
these recommendations to create a healthy diet and active lifestyle, and
access resources to take these recommendations into your classroom or
after school program.
2
The Purpose of Food Guidance
Promote the right balance of nutrients and activity to
maintain good health and prevent disease.
 nutrients
 activity
 sugar and solid fats
 sedentary behaviors
Source used: Davis, C. and Saltos, E. Dietary Recommendations and How They Have
Changed Over Time.
What is the purpose of food guidance?
Approximately 100 years ago, the first dietary recommendations were
developed due to the discovery of nutritional deficiency diseases such as
iron deficiency anemia and scurvy, which is caused by vitamin C deficiency.
Dietary guidance aimed to help people get enough nutrients from their food
choices to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Food guidance continues to
evolve with changes in food consumption and activity patterns, advances in
nutrition science, and a growing understanding of the relationship between
poor nutrition and chronic disease rates. Today, instead of problems due to
nutritional deficiencies, many Americans face illnesses related to excessive
dietary intake of sugar, salt, and solid fats as well as lack of physical activity.
The U.S.D.A. issues dietary recommendations to guide Americans to the
right balance of nutrients and activity to promote lifestyles that maintain good
health and prevent disease.
3
The Evidence Behind Food
Guidance
The U.S.D.A. and the United States Department of Health and Human
Services review and update dietary guidance every five years to stay current
with Americans’ eating trends and the related health consequences. Updates
are published in a scientific report called the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans.
Health professionals and federal and state governments use these
guidelines as the foundation for nutrition education, school meal program
planning, and health promotion programs to ensure that messages and
materials are consistent and based on current scientific research. The
MyPlate icon and key messages are based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines
for Americans. For more information about the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, see
the resources section at the end of this training.
4
U.S.D.A. Food Guidance Icons
1992
Food Guide
Pyramid
2005
MyPyramid
2011
MyPlate
The Food Guide Pyramid, developed in 1992, was the first graphic to use a
pyramid to relate nutrient needs to foods. The Food Guide Pyramid was
updated to MyPyramid in 2005. The 2005 guide included an interactive Web
site to personalize recommendations, an emphasis on nutrient dense or
healthier foods within each food group, and suggestions to promote physical
activity.
The U.S.D.A.'s new food guidance icon, MyPlate, replaces MyPyramid as
the government's primary food group symbol. MyPlate is designed to be a
simple visual reminder for Americans to build a healthy plate, consistent with
the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
5
MyPlate: What is New?
This may be the first time that you have seen MyPlate. How does it differ from
MyPyramid? What do you think of MyPlate as a visual tool to help people
make healthier food choices? Take a minute to compare and contrast the two
images. What changes do you see?
The shape and image of the new MyPlate icon get your attention and are
more straightforward than the two pyramid icons. In light of skyrocketing
obesity rates and diet-related chronic diseases, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines
Report recommended that the U.S.D.A create a new icon to communicate the
principles of a healthy diet in a practical way. Consumer testing showed that
MyPlate is an effective visual cue to translate recommendations using familiar
mealtime symbols.
In addition to the new shape, the food groups have been simplified. MyPlate
calls the former MyPyramid Meat & Beans Group the Protein Group, and the
MyPyramid Milk Group is now called the Dairy Group. Other features remain
the same, such as the number of food groups and the colors representing the
food groups. Let’s take a closer look at the food groups.
6
Get a Variety of Nutrients from the
MyPlate Food Groups
fiber, iron, B vitamins
vitamins
minerals
fiber
phytonutrients
calcium
vitamin D
protein
iron
zinc
protein
MyPlate includes five food groups to guide selection of a healthful variety of
foods. Choosing foods from each of the food groups and a variety of foods
from within the same food group ensures you get the nutrients you need for
maintaining good health.
As you can see, different food groups provide different nutrients that our
bodies need. The fruits and the vegetables groups provide a variety of
essential vitamins and minerals for immune function and growth and repair
of our bodies, and important phytonutrients such as beta-carotene that
results in the bright orange color found in carrots. Phytonutrients are found in
other dark and brightly colored produce. Together with other nutrients, these
compounds appear to provide health-protecting qualities, such as keeping
the eyes healthy and reducing inflammation. The dairy group provides
calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Grains provide carbohydrates and B
vitamins for energy, while the protein group supplies zinc, iron and protein
for building muscles and many other tissues in our bodies.
7
Putting the Food Groups to Work
Your friends take you to dinner, the menu choices sound
delicious, and you think back over the day as you choose
a menu item. For breakfast you had a pastry, milk, and a
juice drink. For lunch you had instant noodles and an
apple, and for a snack an energy bar.
Choose a menu item that best balances the day by
adding more food group variety:
1. Grilled steak sandwich with savory barbeque sauce
2. Pasta with white sauce, fresh grated cheese, and
garlic bread
3. Grilled vegetables and chicken, fruit skewers,
and brown rice
Because no one food contains all the nutrients you need, the first step to
building a healthy plate is to select foods throughout the day and week from
the different food groups. Let’s apply what you just learned about including
foods from a variety of food groups.
It was a busy Friday. You grabbed a toaster pastry, a glass of milk and a
juice drink for breakfast. For lunch, you had an instant noodle soup and an
apple followed later in the day with an energy bar. Your friends surprise you
by taking you to dinner. Which menu choice best balances the day’s food
consumption with a variety of foods from each of the food groups?
1. Grilled steak sandwich with savory barbeque sauce
2. Pasta with creamy white sauce, fresh grated cheese, and garlic
bread
3. Grilled vegetables and chicken, fruit skewers, and brown rice
Use the next slide to visualize your day’s food choices and to help answer
this question.
8
Consider Your Day’s Food
Choices
Which food groups need attention?
Choose the best dinner option.
Look at the plate to determine which food groups are represented with your
day’s food choices. Do you notice any gaps?
Respond to the gaps. Select a dinner choice that provides variety by filling in
the missing food groups. Filling half of the plate with fruits and vegetables
also matches the MyPlate image recommendations and increases nutrients
while keeping total fat low.
9
The Best Answer
The grilled chicken and vegetables,
fruit skewers, and brown rice is the
better choice because it provides:
• Missing food groups–
vegetables and protein
food groups.
• Fills half the plate with
fruits and vegetables.
The best answer is grilled chicken and vegetables, fruit skewers, and brown
rice, because your day was missing foods from the vegetables group and
the protein group. The vegetables, fruit, and brown rice improve the variety
of the day’s food choices and fill the plate with fruits and vegetables
proportioned to fill half of your plate.
The pasta, cheese, and garlic bread meal does not improve the variety of
food groups; this meal simply adds more foods from the grains and dairy
groups. The steak sandwich with savory barbeque sauce option provides an
item from the protein group, but it does not include vegetables, one of the
other missing food groups.
Are you wondering about the energy bar and toaster pastry? The energy bar
may have protein, vitamins, and minerals, yet, another key recommendation
of MyPlate is to get nutrients from foods instead of supplements. Energy
bars are considered supplements; as well-designed as they claim to be, they
do not have the variety of vitamins and minerals found in fresh fruits and
vegetables. Scientists are still discovering nutrients in foods and learning
about their role in health. Although the toaster pastry is considered a grain, it
is also high in fat and added sugar. Guidance for limiting high-fat and highsugar foods are addressed by the MyPlate key messages. Let’s take a
closer look.
10
More than a Food Icon Choose
MyPlate Key Messages
• Balancing Calories
• Foods to Increase
• Foods to Reduce
In addition to the MyPlate icon, there are three categories of key Choose
MyPlate consumer messages. They include:
•
Balancing Calories,
•
Foods to Increase, and
•
Foods to Reduce.
Thinking about these three messages as you choose foods to build your
plate will help to improve the quality of your diet, maintain a healthy body
weight, increase your fitness level, and reduce your risk of chronic disease.
Let’s find out how these key messages can be used to build a healthy plate
and practice other healthy behaviors.
11
Key Message Number 1
Balancing Calories
An adult or child who is maintaining a healthy body weight is balancing
calorie intake with physical activity. Unfortunately, many Americans are not
maintaining a healthy body weight because of excessive calorie intake and
lack of physical activity.
The MyPlate message for balancing calories emphasizes finding the right
amount of calories to maintain a healthy weight and to fuel activity.
Consuming extra calories can really add up. One hundred extra calories
each day for one year is 36,500 calories. Since 3,500 calories equals
approximately one extra pound, that 100 extra calories can lead to gaining
10 extra pounds per year. On the other hand, trimming 100 calories per day,
for example drinking eight ounces of 1 percent milk instead of eight ounces
of whole chocolate milk, may result in a 10-pound weight loss over a year.
12
Get a Personalized Plan
One way to start balancing your plate is to go to
http://www.ChooseMyPlate.gov and select the Super Tracker option to
create a personalized plan that considers your caloric needs and food group
recommendations based on gender, age, and activity level.
13
Personalized Plans for Marta and
Kevin
Marta
This 2,400 calorie plan is for a 37
year old female, 5 feet 5 inches tall,
145 pounds, and physically active
more than 60 minutes a day.
This 2,800 calorie plan is for a
24 year old male, 5 feet 10
inches tall, 165 pounds, and
physically active 30 to 60
minutes a day.
Kevin
Let’s take a look at how gender, age, weight, and activity impact how much
food and how many calories to consume each day.
Here are Marta and Kevin. Marta is 37 and is 5 feet and 5 inches tall, weighs
145 pounds, and exercises for more than 60 minutes a day. Her friend Kevin
is 24 and is 5 feet and 10 inches tall, weighs 165 pounds, and exercises for
30 to 60 minutes every day.
How do the recommended calories and number of servings of each food
group differ? Both individuals still need foods from every group and the same
amount of foods from the dairy group. The total calories and the number of
servings of foods from the other four groups are larger for Kevin than for
Marta. To get a better idea of which foods Kevin and Marta could include
and the food portions equivalent to one cup and one ounce, select the How
Much Do You Eat? handout link.
Go to the Choose MyPlate Web site to access specific recommendations for
your age, height, weight, and activity, and the amounts of each food group
that equal a portion. The Web site includes several other online tools to learn
about food groups and analyze your diet to stay in balance.
Tracking calories and food groups is one way to maintain caloric balance.
Two other strategies are enjoying food while eating less and avoiding
oversized portions.
14
Enjoy Your Food, but Eat Less
8 in 10
Americans
say they
often
overeat
Slow down and pay attention to feelings of
hunger and fullness to guide you
Sources: Pew Research Center (April 2006) and Science Daily (November 2009).
About eight in ten Americans say they often overeat. Eating too fast or when
your attention is elsewhere can easily lead to eating too many calories.
Research shows that eating while watching television leads people to eat 40
percent more food.
What kinds of circumstances may lead you to overeat? Do you eat when you
aren’t hungry or wait until you are starving and gobble your food down? Are
you aware of when you become full or do you often eat past fullness?
Awareness is really the key. Slow down and pay attention to feelings of
hunger and fullness before, during, and after meals. Try the 20-minute rule.
After starting a meal, check in after 20 minutes. Are you really still hungry for
an extra serving? Reminding children to tune in to their hunger and fullness
cues increases food enjoyment and helps prevent overeating.
15
Beware of Oversized Portions
Latte, small
Cheeseburger
Small bag of
tortilla chips
Blended
coffee drink
Double
cheeseburger
Grab bag of
tortilla chips
Paying attention to portion size is another strategy to balance calories. The
American food industry and the media surround us with supersized portions
that can throw caloric intake out of balance.
To start, let’s compare regular and oversized portions of common beverage
and snack items. Our examples include a small latte and a large blended
coffee drink; a cheeseburger and a double cheeseburger; and a small bag of
tortilla chips and a large grab bag of chips. Which choice do you think has
more calories? How many more calories?
16
Avoid Oversized Portions
Latte, small =
150 calories
Cheeseburger =
330 calories
Small bag of tortilla
Chips, 1.7 oz.=
250 calories
Blended
coffee drink =
330 calories
Double
Cheeseburger =
500 calories
Grab bag of tortilla
chips, 2.5 oz. =
410 calories
As you can see, the difference in calories due to portion size adds up fast.
Choosing the smaller portion size of each choice reduces the total calorie
intake by 510 calories in one day. As mentioned earlier, an extra 100
calories a day can add 10 extra pounds each year. That means an extra 500
calories a day can add 50 pounds that can put children and adults at an
unhealthy weight. Making portion-wise choices can better balance calories
and maintain a healthy weight.
Try avoiding supersize options by using a smaller plate, bowl, and glass to
keep portions in check at home. When eating out or grabbing a snack,
encourage choosing a smaller package or sharing.
17
Live an Active Lifestyle!
Adults need:
> 30 minutes of moderate-vigorous activity > 5 days/week
Children need:
> 60 minutes of moderate-vigorous activity most days
Remember the other side of the balancing calories scale? Exercise can also
help bring balance to calorie intake and output. Increasing the amount of
physical activity or its intensity can counterbalance intake and also helps
keep weight at a healthy level.
According to the President’s Council on Fitness and Sports, only three in ten
Americans get the recommended amount of physical activity. Being more
physically active and reducing time spent on sedentary activities like
watching television is necessary to build muscle strength and bone density
as well as to maintain a healthy body weight.
How much activity is recommended? For adults, a minimum of 30 minutes of
moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, is
recommended five days of the week. Moderate activity will raise your heart
rate but still allow you to hold a conversation or sing, whereas vigorous
activity raises your heart rate and breathing so that a conversation or singing
is difficult.
For children ages six to nineteen, the recommendation is that they engage in
at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, preferably
every day of the week.
18
Choose Your Activity
Moderate Activity
Vigorous Activity
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Brisk walking
Easy-to-moderate hiking
Gardening or light yard work
Leisure bicycling
Playing with your kids
Light weight training
Dancing
Fast walking
Running or jogging
Heavy yard work
Moderate-to-intense bicycling
Lap swimming
Heavy weight lifting
Basketball
Activity that gets your heart rate up for more than 10 minutes counts toward
your daily goal. Even a little activity has a positive effect and helps you meet
your daily need for physical activity.
Physical activity is not limited to a gym membership or a workout routine. It
can include activities you enjoy doing and that serve other purposes, such as
housework and gardening, riding or walking for transportation, or hiking with
your family or friends. What are some of your favorite ways to be physically
active?
Have you thought about 10-minute walking breaks or walking with your kids
to school, dancing with your family, or playing with your students during
physical education or recess?
19
Finding a Way Challenge
Your classroom keeps you busy during the day
and your family needs your attention in the
evenings. Think of three ways you could
incorporate physical activity into your busy
schedule.
1. Activity one
2. Activity two
3. Activity three
Life is busy. Finding time for physical activity is an ongoing effort. Think of
three ways you can start to include physical activity in your daily routine.
Remember, three 10-minute blocks of activity add up to your goal of 30
minutes of physical activity per day. Select the Be Active Your Way handout
link for more suggestions on how to include physical activity every day. Also,
check the MyPlate Web site included in the resources section at the end of
this training for tips to reach a healthy weight by balancing the calories you
eat with the calories you burn during physical activity.
20
Key Message Number 2
Foods to Increase
The next MyPlate key message is to build a healthy plate by making the
most of food choices within each food group. Increasing foods that are
nutrient-rich or nutrient-dense such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
fat-free or one percent milk and dairy products provides necessary
nutrients—including potassium, calcium, vitamin D, and fiber. Choose
MyPlate recommends making nutrient-dense foods the basis for meals and
snacks.
21
Nutrient-Dense Food Choices
Nutrient Comparison
Smoothie
Nutrient
Fruit Drink
160
Calories
150
32
Sugars (g)
38
3
Fiber (g)
0
1
Protein (g)
0
0.5
Fat (g)
0
8
Calcium (%)
0.5
450
Potassium (mg)
4
100
Vitamin C (%)
0
3
Vitamin D (%)
0
Remember that fruit drink included with breakfast? Do you think that is a
nutrient-dense choice? Foods and drinks that are nutrient-dense offer more
nutrients per calorie and should be eaten more often than foods that offer
fewer nutrients per calorie. Which choice offers greater nutrient density, the
fruit smoothie or the fruit drink?
You are right if you chose the fruit smoothie. Although the fruit smoothie and
12-ounce container of fruit drink have about the same number of calories,
the smoothie is packed with more nutrients such as fiber, potassium, and
vitamin C. The fruit drink, with added sugars, provides additional calories
with no additional nutrients. This makes it more difficult to balance caloric
intake and meet nutrient needs. Foods such as these are often called empty
calories.
22
Making Nutrient-Dense Food
Choices





Whole grains
Fruits/vegetables
Dry beans/peas
Unsalted nuts/seeds
Lean meats/poultry/fish
and seafood
 Eggs
 Fat-free/low-fat milk/milk
products
Making nutrient-dense food choices does not always have to involve
comparing food labels and looking up nutrient and calorie content. To
increase intake of nutrient-dense foods and beverages in your diet, choose
more foods from each food group that are prepared with little or no added
solid fats, sugars, or salt, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains,
dry beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, lean meats and seafood, and
fat-free or low-fat milk products.
23
Plate Proportion 101
Use your plate as a guide.
• Fill half of your plate with
whole vegetables.
• Fill the other half of your
plate with whole grains
and protein.
• Include a low-fat
calcium-rich food at each
meal.
Los Angeles Unified School District, The Plate Proportion Placemat.
Use your plate as a guide to increase nutrient density. Fill half of your plate
with fruits and vegetables. Remember to choose red, orange, and darkgreen vegetables like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli along with
other vegetables for your meals. Add fruit to meals as part of main or side
dishes or as dessert. Next on the plate include grains.
24
Foods to Increase: Whole Grains
Make at least half your grains whole grains.
Pump up the nutrient density of your plate by choosing whole grains. Most
Americans eat only processed, refined grains and not enough whole grains.
Choose MyPlate recommends making sure at least half your grains are
whole grains to meet your nutrient needs for fiber and essential nutrients.
Start including more whole grain choices by substituting a whole-grain
product for a refined product—such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of
white bread or brown rice instead of white rice. Beware of packaging
advertising whole grain products, sometimes these products are not as high
in fiber or whole grains as they claim. Check the accuracy of the claim by
using the food label to compare the amount of fiber with other products. The
ingredients list is another good indicator. Whole grain products are usually
higher in fiber and list whole oats, whole wheat, or other whole grains as the
first ingredient. Select the Make Half Your Grains Whole handout link to
learn more about whole grain choices.
25
Complete Your Plate with Small
Amounts of Lean Protein
• Twice a week, make seafood the
protein on your plate.
• Eat beans for fiber and protein.
Complete your plate with nutrient-dense protein foods, like lean meats,
beans, and fish. Choose MyPlate recommends eating beans for a natural
source of fiber and protein and including seafood twice a week. Salmon,
trout, and herring are choices that are low in mercury and add healthy
omega three fats that may help reduce the risk of some chronic diseases.
Select the handout link for more practical ideas.
26
Foods to Increase: Low-fat Dairy
Foods
Switch to fat-free or
low-fat (1%) milk
Calories, total fat, and saturated fat
in 1 cup of milk:
Type
Whole
2%
1%
Fat-free
Calories
165
125
100
85
Total Fat
1 ½ tsp.
1 tsp.
1/2 tsp.
0 tsp.
Saturated Fat
1 tsp.
1/2 tsp.
1/3 tsp.
0 tsp.
tsp. = teaspoon
Eating too much solid or saturated fat can increase the risk of heart disease
and other types of chronic disease. The fat in dairy products is primarily from
saturated fat. Choose MyPlate recommends switching to fat-free or low-fat
(1 percent) milk and dairy products to reduce your saturated fat intake and
your risk of chronic disease. Low-fat and fat-free dairy products have the
same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but as
you can see in the table, they have fewer calories and less fat.
A person who does not consume dairy foods will need to carefully choose
foods from the other food groups to get enough calcium and other essential
nutrients. Other calcium-rich options include enriched soy or rice milk and
leafy green vegetables. Select the handout link below for more suggestions
to get the calcium needed while keeping total fat and saturated fat low.
27
Taking MyPlate to Your Students
Your students want to
celebrate birthdays for the
month. They have learned
about the MyPlate food
groups and foods to
increase.
How could they apply what
they just learned to their
celebration?
Let’s consider how you might apply the first two key messages to a
classroom or after school celebration. Your students are going to celebrate
their birthdays for the month. How might they do so and apply the
recommendations to include a variety of foods from all food groups and to
increase fruits, vegetables, and whole grains?
28
Action Suggestions
Some healthy celebration suggestions:
• Consult your students on healthy party ideas.
• Have a food-group party.
• Do a classroom cooking event.
• Make a nutrient-dense fruit salad or a smoothie.
These are just a few suggestions to apply the MyPlate key messages to a
classroom or after school party. Start by asking the students to brainstorm
party ideas consistent with their knowledge of the food groups and foods to
increase. For example, have a food-group party. Have students choose a
food group and bring a nutrient-dense food from that group to the party.
Classroom cooking is always a treat for students and can be used to
reinforce healthy food choices. If food is part of the celebration, steer away
from the typical low-nutrient, high-sugar cupcakes, and choose nutrientdense options like a fruit salad or smoothie. The resources section following
this training has more suggestions on healthy classroom celebrations,
including a classroom cooking resource.
29
Key Message Number 3
Foods to Reduce
What changes would you make
to improve the choices on this plate?
MyPlate key message number three focuses on foods to reduce, especially
foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and sodium. Research cited by the
2010 Dietary Guidelines showed that when eaten in excess, these
compounds can increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, high
blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. Foods high in these compounds
include many prepared foods like cookies, cakes, pastries, sweetened
drinks, pizza, and fatty meats like bologna, bacon, and hot dogs. It is okay to
have these foods as occasional treats, but for good health, they should not
be everyday foods.
Let’s revisit the sample day’s meals shown earlier in the training. If this
eating pattern is an everyday trend, the person consuming these foods may
be on the road to trouble. What foods would you reduce or change to
improve the choices on this plate?
30
Reduce the Sodium
• Compare sodium in foods and choose foods with lower
amounts.
• The recommended limit for sodium intake is 2,300
milligrams per day.
There are many places to start; one important change is to decrease the
sodium included in meals. Eating too much salt can increase blood pressure
and the risk of heart disease. The recommended limit for sodium intake is
2,300 milligrams per day, and most Americans consume an average of
about 3,400 milligrams of sodium daily.
Choose MyPlate recommends comparing sodium in foods and choosing the
foods with lower amounts. Compare the labels on this slide for the instant
noodle soup and a quick pasta salad.
The instant noodle soup has 1,190 milligrams of sodium, over half the daily
recommendation, compared to 630 for the pasta and vegetable salad. Here
is one great way to reduce the sodium for the day and add more fiber and
nutrients.
To keep sodium intake in the healthy range, compare sodium in foods like
soup, bread, frozen meals, and prepared foods – and choose the foods with
lower numbers. Another strategy is to select canned and packaged foods
labeled low sodium, reduced sodium, or no salt added, or choose the fresh
version instead, which is naturally low in sodium. Select the Salt and Sodium
handout link to find more strategies.
31
Drink Water Instead of SugarSweetened Drinks
4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon
If you also said that another way to improve the day’s meals is to reduce the
sugar by substituting the juice drink with water, you are on the same page as
the next MyPlate recommendation. Choose MyPlate recommends drinking
water or unsweetened beverages instead of sugar-sweetened drinks. The
recommended limit for added sugars means that a healthy diet for most
people would have a maximum of about 10 teaspoons of sugar per day. Just
4 grams of sugar is equal to a teaspoon of sugar.
Check the food label, shown in this slide, for a 12-ounce can of soda: How
many teaspoons of sugar are there in the can of soda? You may be
surprised to see that it contains 49 grams of added sugars or the equivalent
of 12 teaspoons of sugar.
Sports drinks may be helpful for athletes involved in endurance activities
lasting more than an hour, but for everyone else, they are just another
source of empty calories. Water is a better drink choice for most adults and
children. Try adding a twist of lemon or lime or slices of cucumbers or a sprig
of mint to a glass of water or a small glass of 100 percent juice to reduce
added sugar and add health-promoting nutrients for the day.
32
One-Day Meal Makeover
Substitute water or 100% juice, whole-wheat
vegetable pasta salad, and a whole-grain bagel with
low-fat cream cheese, tomatoes and lettuce.
)
Changing the pre-packaged soup for a vegetable pasta salad and the
sweetened drink for water or 100 percent juice brings the day’s intake much
closer to a balanced plate rich in nutrients and low in fat and added sugars.
You may have suggested other changes such as including a whole-wheat
bagel with low-fat cream cheese and vegetables instead of a breakfast
pastry. Adding unsalted nuts for a protein-rich snack further improves the
day’s plate.
Take a minute to think about what you’ve eaten today. What could you
choose at your next meal to get all the food groups, increase nutrients, and
lower the added sugars and fat on your plate?
33
For Additional Resources Visit the
Choose MyPlate Web Site
Together with the MyPlate key messages, the U.S.D.A. is rolling out a
variety of educational materials to support putting MyPlate into practice.
While the U.S.D.A. and publishers work to make new materials available,
printable materials are available for free download such as the 10 Tips
Nutrition Education Series shown on this slide. These tip sheets are the
cornerstone of the U.S.D.A. Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion’s
coordinated messaging initiative. The message initiative can be a useful tool
to plan actions to reinforce and apply these healthy messages to changing
classroom and school norms. For example, from May to August 2012, the
messaging focus will be on foods to reduce and drinking water instead of
sugary drinks. What could you do in your classroom or after school program
to support and reinforce this message?
To access these tip sheets and to stay current on other MyPlate consumer
education materials, go to the Choose MyPlate Web site listed in the
resources section at the end of this training.
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U.S.D.A. Messaging Calendar
Classroom and after school activities
• ReThink Your Drink high school
lessons
• Lessons in other resources
• Check with your local Network for
a Healthy California Collaborative
• Water is Cool In School Campaign
Encouraging students to make better drink choices can be as simple as
being a good role model by drinking water or reminding students of healthier
drink options before lunch. If you work with high school students, the
Network for a Healthy California offers free downloadable lessons to teach
students about choosing fewer sugar-sweetened beverages. Lessons and
activities for other grade levels are available from the California Healthy Kids
Resource Center.
In addition, check your local Network for a Healthy California Collaborative
for materials and training resources to start a ReThink Your Drink campaign
in your community, school, or after school program. See the resources
section at the end of this training for more information about the U.S.D.A.
message calendar, as well as resources and Web sites to support these
important nutrition education messages.
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MyPlate Training
Objectives Review
• Identify the MyPlate recommendations and
how they compare to prior recommendations.
• Use the MyPlate key messages to create a
healthy diet and active lifestyle.
• Access lessons and resources to bring
MyPlate messages into your classroom.
Let’s review our objectives for this training. You should now be able to
Identify the MyPlate recommendations and how they compare to prior
recommendations, use the MyPlate key messages to create a healthy diet
and active lifestyle, and access lessons and resources to bring MyPlate
messages into your classroom.
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Congratulations!
This material was produced by the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Healthy California with funding
from USDA SNAP, known in California as CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps). These institutions are equal opportunity
providers and employers. CalFresh provides assistance to low-income households and can help buy nutritious foods for
better health. For CalFresh information, call 1-877-847-3663. For important nutrition information, visit
www.cachampionsforchange.net.
Congratulations! You have reached the end of the Foundations of Nutrition:
MyPlate training. You will now have the opportunity to take a quiz to test the
knowledge you have acquired in this training. If you receive a passing score,
a completion certificate will be e-mailed to you at the e-mail address you
provided. If you do not receive a passing score, you will have the opportunity
to take the quiz again at any time. Following the quiz, you will be asked to
complete a brief feedback survey. After you complete the survey, you will be
able to access sample California Healthy Kids Resource Center library
resources and additional information about MyPlate. You may start the quiz
by selecting the quiz link. Congratulations again and thank you for your
participation.
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