Putting food on a plate makes a lot more sense than stacking it in a pyramid. Enjoy tasty foods and be mindful of how much you eat.

• This plate is for everyone who asked for the bottom line on how to eat healthfully.
• The dominant message is about plant-based foods.
• Fruits, vegetables and grains cover three-quarters of the plate, and that’s as it should be.
• There is no substitute for the naturally occurring vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients found in a colorful array of produce.
• The plate’s remaining quadrant is assigned to protein, a way to accommodate all styles of eating from omnivores to vegans.
• The glass of dairy next to the plate has caused a buzz among those who have issues with milk products, but you can think of it as a serving of any calcium-rich food like yogurt, cheese, milk (cow’s, soy, almond, rice, etc.) or even a cup of kale, which has two-thirds as much calcium as a serving of milk.

For more reading log on to:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/14/2265138/my-plate-food-guidelines-a-welcome.html