The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) MyPlate is a visual guide designed to help people make healthy food choices by illustrating the relative proportions of different food groups that should make up a balanced meal. The plate is a familiar, easy-to-understand image that encourages a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, with balanced portions of grains, protein, and a serving of dairy. However, the guide is equally important for what it leaves out, and understanding which is not part of MyPlate is crucial for a complete picture of a healthy diet.
The Five Food Groups Included in MyPlate
The MyPlate icon consists of a plate divided into four sections and a side cup, representing the five primary food groups essential for good health.
- Vegetables: This is the largest section of the plate, emphasizing that vegetables should be a core component of your meal. This group includes dark green, red and orange, starchy, and other vegetables, providing a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Fruits: Represented in red, the fruit section is slightly smaller than vegetables but together, they should fill half of your plate. The focus is on whole fruits, which offer more fiber than fruit juice.
- Grains: The grains section, making up a quarter of the plate, includes any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, or barley. MyPlate recommends making at least half of your grain choices whole grains, which provide more fiber and nutrients than refined grains.
- Protein Foods: Occupying the final quarter of the plate, this group includes meat, poultry, seafood, beans, eggs, nuts, and seeds. It is important to choose a variety of protein sources and opt for lean or low-fat options.
- Dairy: The blue circle next to the plate represents the dairy group, which includes milk, yogurt, and cheese. MyPlate advises choosing low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Calcium-fortified soy milk is also included in this group.
What is not part of MyPlate? Key Omissions Explained
The visual simplicity of MyPlate means certain dietary components are intentionally excluded from the plate graphic. These omissions teach an important lesson about moderation and consumption. Knowing which is not part of MyPlate highlights which food items to be cautious with.
Oils
Oils are a significant omission from the MyPlate icon. While they are a major source of essential fatty acids and vitamin E and are part of a healthy eating pattern, they are not a food group. They are recommended for consumption in moderation, and the visual guide prioritizes the main nutrient-dense food groups. Examples of healthy oils include canola, corn, olive, and sunflower oil. Solid fats like butter and shortening, which are high in saturated fat, are also not on the plate.
Solid Fats, Added Sugars, and Sodium
MyPlate is designed to promote nutrient-dense foods while implicitly discouraging excessive intake of foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and sodium. These are listed as items to limit in the associated dietary guidelines, but they are not given a space on the plate itself.
- Solid Fats: These are fats that are solid at room temperature, such as butter, shortening, and animal fats. MyPlate promotes choosing leaner protein options and healthier cooking methods to reduce the intake of saturated fat.
- Added Sugars: These are sugars and syrups added to foods and drinks during processing or preparation. Sugary drinks, candy, and cookies fall into this category. MyPlate encourages drinking water or unsweetened alternatives instead of sugary beverages.
- Sodium: Processed and pre-packaged foods often contain high levels of sodium. MyPlate guidelines suggest limiting sodium intake by eating fresh foods and using herbs and spices for flavor instead of salt.
Physical Activity
Another element not shown on the MyPlate icon is physical activity, though it is a critical component of a healthy lifestyle. MyPlate is a visual reminder for healthy eating, but the full Dietary Guidelines for Americans that it represents include recommendations for physical activity. This means that while exercise is essential, it is not part of the mealtime plate graphic.
MyPlate vs. the Food Pyramid
Comparing MyPlate to the older Food Pyramid highlights the improvements in the newer guide and clarifies why certain things are not depicted. The pyramid, particularly the 1992 version, was often criticized for its complexity and for not differentiating between healthy and unhealthy fats or whole versus refined grains.
| Feature | MyPlate (since 2011) | Food Pyramid (until 2011) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Visual | A dinner plate divided into food groups. | A multi-tiered triangle with food groups layered by volume. |
| Focus | Proportional balance of five food groups on a plate. | Daily servings from six food categories. |
| Fruit & Vegetables | Fill half the plate, emphasizing their importance. | Included but less proportionally represented, alongside other items. |
| Grains | Occupy a quarter of the plate, emphasizing whole grains. | Largest base tier, giving the misleading impression of carbohydrate supremacy. |
| Fats & Oils | Explicitly not a food group on the icon, but noted separately in guidelines. | Small, often confusing, representation at the very top of the pyramid. |
Conclusion
While the MyPlate graphic is an excellent tool for understanding the core components of a healthy meal, it is crucial to remember which is not part of MyPlate: oils, solid fats, added sugars, sodium, and physical activity are all addressed in the comprehensive dietary guidelines that MyPlate is based on. By understanding that these elements are meant to be limited or exist outside of the mealtime icon, you can build a more complete and balanced nutritional diet. The key takeaway is to fill your plate with the five core food groups and moderate or limit the items that have been deliberately left off the plate graphic. You can find more detailed guidance on the official USDA MyPlate website.
