Get Your Plate in Shape for National Nutrition Month

Get Your Plate in Shape for National Nutrition Month

Good nutrition is essential for good health. Not only is nutrition a preventive measure for many chronic diseases and problems, but nutrition is a science that is constantly changing as new evidence and new research appears. Registered Dietitians (RD’s) are the professionals that are required to stay up to date and in the know about current nutrition which is evidence-based. RD’s are professionals who have an undergraduate or graduate degree in nutrition, food science, and/or dietetics from an accredited program, followed by a 1200 hour minimum internship that is packed with different rotations in the field of nutrition, followed by an exam that has to be passed in order to legally use the term registered dietitian (RD) behind their name and counsel others. After all of this, in order to maintain their license in the state of Georgia, a RD must meet requirements of completing 30 continuing education hours every two years and in order to remain a registered dietitian, one must complete 75 continuing education hours every 5 years. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is a large organization filled with food and nutrition professionals in all fields of nutrition. They also are an advocate and educator for evidence-based practice and reliable nutrition information you can trust. They also promote National Nutrition Month. National Nutrition Month is in March each year. This year’s theme is “Get Your Plate in Shape.” In case you are not aware, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has created an icon known as MyPlate. Its predecessor, MyPyramid, ended in the summer of 2011. This icon is always based on the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans which are updated every 5 years. This new icon also places an emphasis on mealtime and the recommendations are for children two of age or older. Although the MyPlate icon is only one symbol, it is a recommendation for everyone. However, the portion sizes do vary based on one’s age. Portion sizes developed for you can be found at ChooseMyPlate.gov.  MyPlate is a colorful icon that represents 5 essential components of a plate: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. The goal is to make your plate into four sections. Half of the plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables. For example, a lunchtime salad can meet this recommendation by having a spinach salad with dried cranberries, dried strawberries, diced green pepper, and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. The other half of my plate would be filled with protein and grains. MyPlate recommendations state that protein should take up 1/4^th of your plate and grains should take up the final 1/4^th of your plate. The final component is a low-fat dairy product or a 1% or fat-free milk product. 2% milk and dairy products do not count as a low-fat dairy product; these are reduced-fat products. This is not drawn on the plate divided into four sections but it is drawn as a cup sitting to the side of the plate. If you are lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy, the recommendations are for you to replace this product with a food product that is high in calcium. MyPlate recommendations also recommends drinking less sugary drinks and replacing it with 100% juice, water, or low-fat or fat-free milk. The MyPlate icon is not something that has to be followed three times a day, you can spread out the recommended amounts between three meals and two snacks, five small meals, or however you choose to divide up your daily intake. Following the guidelines set by MyPlate and controlling your portion sizes will have your plate in shape in no time!

For more information on the MyPlate recommendations, visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. For a referral to a registered dietitian and for additional food and nutrition information visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website at www.eatright.org.

Prepared by Morgan Sanders, Cedar Crest College Dietetic Intern