Monday, August 01, 2011
From farmers’ markets to logos and websites, nutrition info is available
Many of us grew up on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid.
But truth be told, the pyramid could get a bit confusing at times, and its logo wasn’t the most inviting icon in the world.
Earlier this summer, that all changed. Together with some new dietary guidelines, the USDA unveiled its new MyPlate logo and website, www.choosemyplate.gov.
As a registered dietitian, I find the new logo very useful and easier to use when educating patients. It makes people think about building a healthy plate during meals, and emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups.
And the website delves deeper into a healthy diet. It focuses on the new dietary guidelines, released earlier this year, which emphasize:
• Enjoy your foods, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to a fat-free or low-fat milk.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, frozen meals – and choose foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
If logos and icons aren’t your thing, there is a real practical way that you can eat healthier and learn and a little something too.
Each Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a Farmer’s Market is held at Howard T. Brown Memorial Park in Norwich. Most of these events include a Backus dietitian aboard the Backus Mobile Health Resource Center, offering nutritional advice and handing out healthy recipes.
The bottom line is, whether you want to learn online or firsthand, there are many ways to learn to eat healthier. Statistics show more people need to take advantage of these opportunities.
Whitney Bundy is a registered dietitian and Director of Food and Nutrition at The William W. Backus Hospital. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. If you want to comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.backushospital.org/backus-blogs or e-mail Ms. Bundy or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org
But truth be told, the pyramid could get a bit confusing at times, and its logo wasn’t the most inviting icon in the world.
Earlier this summer, that all changed. Together with some new dietary guidelines, the USDA unveiled its new MyPlate logo and website, www.choosemyplate.gov.
As a registered dietitian, I find the new logo very useful and easier to use when educating patients. It makes people think about building a healthy plate during meals, and emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups.
And the website delves deeper into a healthy diet. It focuses on the new dietary guidelines, released earlier this year, which emphasize:
• Enjoy your foods, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to a fat-free or low-fat milk.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, frozen meals – and choose foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
If logos and icons aren’t your thing, there is a real practical way that you can eat healthier and learn and a little something too.
Each Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a Farmer’s Market is held at Howard T. Brown Memorial Park in Norwich. Most of these events include a Backus dietitian aboard the Backus Mobile Health Resource Center, offering nutritional advice and handing out healthy recipes.
The bottom line is, whether you want to learn online or firsthand, there are many ways to learn to eat healthier. Statistics show more people need to take advantage of these opportunities.
Whitney Bundy is a registered dietitian and Director of Food and Nutrition at The William W. Backus Hospital. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. If you want to comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.backushospital.org/backus-blogs or e-mail Ms. Bundy or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org
# posted by ----------------- @ 8:29 PM 
