It was announced today that the USDA is doing away with the infamous Food Pyramid and is replacing it with a Food Plate. No, that is not a picture of the aforementioned plate on the left there, but it does represent what will be at the crux of the new dietary recommendations: namely, that half of what we eat should be fruits and vegetables. Those of us who have been studying nutrition have been saying this for a long time. Fruits and vegetables, besides containing healthful vitamins, are chock full of anti-oxidants and fiber. Rumor has it that it will also be recommended that dairy be consumed either low-fat or fat free, and that sugary beverages should be replaced with water. It was said that the old Pyramid was confusing and difficult to follow. And that people needed a visual, i.e. a plate full of food to be able to figure out what they should eat. The new "Food Plate" cost approximately $2 million to develop and design. All this is, no doubt, an effort to help reduce the myriad of diet-related health disorders plaguing mankind. Time will tell whether the Food Plate will make a difference. Tomorrow we receive our first box of produce from our CSA - I can not wait!! Tune in to see what surprises it will hold and what exciting recipes the contents of it will yield. Until then, happy and healthy eating!
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