USDA's New Food Plate - Beautiful!

Marion Nestle, one of my nutrition heroes, wrote today on her blog, Food Politics, about the unveiling of the USDA's new Food Plate image.  Finally, a very simple graphic that anyone can understand.  As posted on Nestle's blog, even the "instructions" that go along with it are easy to read and follow.


Previous attempts by the USDA at educating the public about nutrition ended up looking something like spaghetti with convoluted messages that attempted to avoid roiling politics within the food and agriculture industries.

The new Food Plate doesn't entirely avoid industry politics, but it is less in-your-face.  It is important to remember the fine line the USDA must walk.  Not only is the USDA responsible for establishing dietary guidelines for Americans, they are also charged with promoting the heavily subsidized U.S. agriculture industry.  Think corn and all of its dozens, if not hundreds, of by-products, as well as dairy, and meat producers to name a few.  These industries are represented by some of the most powerful lobbies in country and have billions of dollars behind them.  Makes it quite difficult for the USDA to even suggest that perhaps meat and dairy are not necessary daily components of every American's diet. Many would argue they should not be.

But I digress.  I think the new Food Plate is about as good as it gets coming from a government agency as wrought with conflicts of interests as the USDA happens to be and for getting the well-balanced diet message across to Americans of all ages.  Good job, USDA!