Say Goodbye to the Pyramid, Hello to the New American Plate

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in this country.  So is it any wonder that heart disease is the leading cause of death, followed by cancer (2nd leading cause) and diabetes comes in at number seven – all diseases that research has shown are negatively affected by excess weight.  Knowing the dangers associated with these deadly diseases, it’s not really surprising how desperate we are to find a way to successfully battle the bulge.  Yes, so desperate we spend more than $40 billion every year on losing weight.  So would you be surprised to hear you can reach & maintain a healthy weight & reduce the risk of disease without dieting, without spending a dime?  That’s what the science tells us!A panel of scientists and experts reviewed thousands of studies for the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and they found extensive scientific evidence indicating it’s possible to lose weight and lower the risk for developing such diseases as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease without a complicated diet, counting calories or estimating carb or fat grams?  The recommendations made in the report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective, led to the development of the New American Plate, guidelines that can help you shape your dietary intake using your dinner plate.Unlike the traditional American plate loaded with animal protein & potatoes, the New American Plate stresses a higher proportion of plant-based foods while bringing portion sizes undercontrol.  Covering more of your plate with beans, fruits, vegetables & whole grains will reduce calories while providing more disease-fighting vitamins, minerals & phyto-chemicals.  The high fiber ‘feeling-of-fullness’ makes it easier to limit portions. Avoiding processed meat and limiting red meat round out the AICR’s plate recommendations – all associated with an increased risk of cancer.  The new plate design and 30 minutes of daily physical activity can make it easier to reach and maintain a healthy weight – one more recommendation for cancer prevention.The AICR suggests adopting the New American Plate guidelines a little bit at a time.  Fill at least 2/3rds of your plate with plant-based foods while limiting animal protein to no more than a third.  Work your way up to plant-based foods covering 3/4s of the plate.  Once that’s mastered work your way down to a smaller plate with an 8-9” dinner plate being your goal.  This method will provide portion control without measuring and calorie control without counting.  It doesn’t require any special foods, equipment or membership fees.  The only investment might be a set of smaller plates!There must be something to this method because the USDA is announcing plans to scrap the Food Guide Pyramid, the symbol for healthy eating since 1992, for a four-colored dinner plate design (each color representing a food group - fruits, vegetables, grains or proteins) and a smaller circle beside the plate representing the dairy group*.  The recommendation will be to cover half the plate in fruits & vegetables, a quarter in grains (preferably whole grains) and limit animal protein to no more than a quarter – umm, sound familiar?It doesn’t really matter who had the idea first, the important things to remember are that it’s scientifically sound and it’s easy to follow.  So why not give it a try.  By the end of summer, you may have lost weight and be on your way to better health – all without ever dieting again!*At the time this article was written the USDA had not released the new plate design with specific guidelines.  We will provide full details on the new design and recommendations in next month’s Sound Off – stay tuned!