The New Food Pyramid
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services recently revised the food pyramid, calling the new one "MyPyramid." By visiting www.mypyramid.gov, Americans can learn about their personal pyramid, and learn how many calories they should eat per day.
MyPyramid has six color bands representing the five food groups — Grains (orange), Vegetables (green), Fruits (red), Milk (blue), Meat & Beans (purple) - as well as Fats & Oils, represented by a yellow band. For the first time, daily physical activity is represented by a person climbing steps up the side of the Pyramid. The new MyPyramid symbol contains several messages, including highlighting the importance of activity, eating a variety of foods, taking small steps to improving diet and lifestyles, and eating foods in moderation.
MyPyramid recommends 2 ½ cups of vegetables a day (for a 2,000 calorie diet), and stresses the value of eating a wide variety of different types of vegetables. By looking for colorful vegetables, especially brightly colored ones, you can easily choose a wide variety of different types.
Not eating enough vegetables? Getting more vegetables into your day may be easier than you think.
Every 4 ounces of V8® Vegetable Juice provides ½ cup of vegetables. V8® Vegetable Juice is delicious and convenient when you are on the go, in the car, at your computer, or as a snack after a workout. It’s an easy, tasty way to add more vegetables to your busy day.
Some more tips for adding more vegetables to your day:
- Go for color! Vegetables with deep colors like red, dark green, and orange are especially rich in many of the nutrients that you need, as well as containing phytonutrients that may have additional health benefits.
- Use V8® Vegetable Juice to enhance your favorite recipes. V8® is great as a base for soups, and chilis, and adds delicious flavor to roasts and stews. Find recipes that use V8® at campbellkitchen.com.
- Keep washed and chopped-up vegetables in the front of your refrigerator to remind you to eat them soon and avoid spoilage.
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