MyPlate Replaces Old Pyramid (updated)
2nd Update - a 10-year review.
The old Food Pyramid is now a plate.
There will be a lot of confusion over this, as showing a plate will instinctively lead people to assume it represents their daily meals, which is not the case.
However, the pyramid design is horrible and fails to support any information or eating habits.
I believe they should work harder.
What do you think?
MyPlate replaces the old Food Pyramid, a more straightforward and more visually intuitive guide for healthy eating, reflecting updated nutrition science and aiming to help people better balance their meals.
MyPlate divides a plate into four sections: vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein, with an additional serving of dairy, making it clearer and easier to use compared to the complex structure of the Food Pyramid. Evidence suggests that people who use MyPlate or its predecessor, MyPyramid, tend to have healthier diets overall, eating more whole grains and vegetables, and consuming less added sugar and unhealthy fats.
Major points to update and clarify:
Visual Clarity: Unlike the pyramid, which many found confusing and outdated, MyPlate’s design helps users quickly identify the recommended proportion of each food group. However, it does not specify exact portion sizes or address food quality (e.g., whole vs refined grains, healthy vs unhealthy fats).
Portion Control Still Missing: MyPlate illustrates proportions, but does not directly consider limits on overall calorie intake or portion size. It displays what should be on the plate, but not how much to eat. This is a key limitation because simply following the image doesn’t prevent overeating if plates are oversized. Professional guidelines still recommend consuming no more calories than are burned each day, and tailoring intake to activity level.
New European Trends: Many European countries now use plate visuals (like the UK’s Eatwell Guide), but with local adaptations. There is an ongoing call to tighten these guides, focusing more on sustainability, food quality, and specific health messages.
Quality of Grains and Fats: MyPlate does not distinguish between healthy and less healthy sources within a food group, such as whole vs refined grains, or unsaturated versus saturated fats, which research shows is vital for disease prevention. Experts recommend favouring whole grains, fish, beans, and healthy fats (like those from nuts and extra virgin olive oil), and minimising refined carbohydrates and saturated fats.
Personalisation: MyPlate, and similar European guides, are meant to be adaptable; athletes, highly active people, and those with specific medical needs can use them as a foundation, but may need personalised advice from a nutrition professional.
Grains and Gut Health: While there is growing discussion about sensitivities to grains and the role of gluten and non-gluten proteins in gut health, current mainstream dietary recommendations do not broadly advise against all grains for the general population. Research supports that most people can include whole grains as part of a healthy diet, but individuals with coeliac disease or special sensitivities need to avoid gluten.
There is also no differentiation between whole grains and refined and ultra-processed grain products, or even pseudo-grains, which include seeds like buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth. Ultra-processed products, such as cookies, pastries, cakes, crackers, and breads, are essentially chemical formulas with no recognisable ingredients. Grains, for example, are excessively refined and bleached, offering absolutely no nutritional value whatsoever. They are also mixed with chemicals, such as additives, emulsifiers, and taste enhancers, to make them more palatable, and most importantly, addictive and cheap to produce. Next time you want to buy a £20 cake in a supermarket, remember that it has cost the manufacturer 26p to make.
Updated recommendations, reflecting recent insights:
Make half your plate fruit and vegetables, concentrating on variety and colour. It doesn’t align with current recommendations to have at least one portion of fruits and vegetables of different colours. The idea is to “eat the rainbow”, but it is missing here.
Prefer whole grains and healthy protein sources; minimise refined carbohydrates and processed meats.
Match calorie intake to your activity level; athletes need more calories and protein, while sedentary people should focus more on vegetables and moderate calorie density.
Choose healthy fats from nuts, seeds, and extra virgin olive oil (used raw); avoid excessive refined oils and trans fats.
Remember MyPlate and similar guides are tools for public education; they give broad guidance, but individuals may need more personalised plans.
MyPlate is generally seen as an improvement on the Food Pyramid and is more broadly applicable. Still, it should be supplemented by clear advice on portion, food quality, and tailored nutrition for lasting health benefits.
Rainbow diet.
Pros and Cons of MyPlate
Pros
Clarity and Simplicity: MyPlate uses a clear plate visual divided into food groups, making it easier for people to understand balanced meal composition quickly. Many find this less confusing compared to the old Food Pyramid.
Promotes Vegetable and Fruit Intake: The plate emphasises fruits and vegetables, encouraging greater variety and quantity compared to previous models.
Visual Proportions: By illustrating the relative amounts of each food group, MyPlate helps users grasp the ideal balance of their meals at a glance.
Adaptability: MyPlate serves as a baseline for dietary guidance and can be customised for individual needs, physical activity, and cultural preferences.
Updated with Current Nutrition Science: It integrates newer research suggesting plant-forward diets, focusing on variety, and highlighting the role of whole foods. This was, in a way, opening the door for the globalists’ endeavour that “poor people mustn’t eat meat.” A narrative still going strong, which is planned alongside digital currencies so that you wouldn’t have a choice about food habits (and travel).
Widely Adopted: The plate concept is now reflected in many national dietary guides (e.g., the UK’s Eatwell Guide), which improves consistency and familiarity across regions.
Cons
No Clear Indication on Portion Size: MyPlate shows food group proportions but does not address actual portion size or total calorie intake, risking under- or over-eating if misunderstood.
Food Quality Not Addressed: It treats all foods within a group equally, failing to distinguish, for instance, between whole and refined grains or healthy and unhealthy fats, though this distinction is critical for health.
Missing Context for Special Diets: It assumes a “one-size-fits-all” approach. People with unique medical, activity, or cultural needs may require more tailored guidance.
Does Not Provide Information on Processed Foods: Ultra-processed and sugary foods aren’t addressed or discouraged in the visual.
Potential for Misinterpretation: Some may incorrectly assume that every meal must look like the plate guide or that portion sizes don’t matter as long as the ratios are correct.
No Focus on Sustainability: Unlike some recent European models, the U.S. MyPlate does not incorporate advice on environmentally sustainable eating. Although this doesn’t matter as much in certain countries, such as the UK, where most healthy exotic foods like pineapple, papayas, berries and avocados are imported. These foods need to travel thousands of miles, no matter what.
Insufficient Guidance on Grains for Sensitive Individuals: It does not address growing research and public discussion around grain intolerances, gluten, or gut health.
“Some may incorrectly assume that every meal must look like the plate guide or that portion sizes don’t matter as long as the ratios are correct.”
10-Year Review of MyPlate (2015–2025)
A critical and evidence-heavy review of MyPlate over its first decade must acknowledge that, for all its marketing as an upgraded and science-based nutrition guide, its track record in reshaping American diets is underwhelming. Despite the USDA’s repeated claims that MyPlate is a modern, intuitive tool, national awareness remains very low. Surveys from the CDC between 2017 and 2020 found that only about a quarter of U.S. adults had even heard of MyPlate, and fewer than one in ten reported actively trying to follow its guidelines. Awareness tends to be higher among women and individuals with higher education, but remains low among older adults and certain underrepresented groups. This remarkable lack of penetration calls into question any claims of widespread impact.
For those who do follow MyPlate, there seem to be measurable benefits. Research shows that adherence is linked with higher self-rated diet quality and better eating habits overall. People who used MyPlate in structured interventions tended to consume more fruits and, to a lesser extent, vegetables than those who did not. In some studies, following MyPlate also correlated with reductions in waist circumference over 12 months, results that were on par with more restrictive calorie-counting approaches but often felt more sustainable for participants.
However, from a public health standpoint, the promise of MyPlate to improve eating habits at scale simply hasn’t been realised. The concrete, scientifically documented improvements, such as modest increases in fruit and vegetable consumption among those exposed to structured MyPlate interventions, are seen predominantly in controlled settings, not in national outcomes or overall chronic disease rates. Epidemiology does not show any shift attributable to MyPlate alone in rates of obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome. Even among users who claim to follow it, adherence often means little more than self-selected, variable interpretation of its principles, as the graphic fails to define portion sizes or calories in any meaningful way. Consequently, the risk of overeating or substituting poor-quality foods remains high.
“Surveys from the CDC between 2017 and 2020 found that only about a quarter of U.S. adults had even heard of MyPlate, and fewer than one in ten reported actively trying to follow its guidelines.”
Its simple, colour-coded design makes it easier for people to remember and apply nutritional principles, a quality that has also been observed in similar “plate method” guides used in Europe.
MyPlate visually simplifies the Food Pyramid, but in doing so loses critical nuance. By not distinguishing whole grains from refined grains, or healthy fats from unhealthy ones, it risks seeming “science-based” while ignoring dietary risks and benefits. Further, the inclusion of dairy as a required group is controversial; a significant body of independent nutrition research disputes the necessity of regular dairy for adult health, with critics pointing out its inclusion appears more political than scientific.
Specific subpopulations, especially older adults, those with food intolerances, and diverse cultural backgrounds, find the graphic less relevant or even unhelpful. The MyPlate model assumes Western dietary norms and does not account for differences in access, tradition, or needs, undermining its claim to universality.
In fairness, MyPlate has made important advances over the Food Pyramid. Its visual simplicity and focus on balanced portions make it far easier to understand at a glance than the older model, which many found confusing and overly abstract. Online tools such as the MyPlate Plan have also made it possible to customise dietary targets based on age, sex, and activity level, offering more tailored guidance than before. These changes have helped MyPlate become a useful teaching resource, particularly in schools and nutrition education programs.
To the USDA’s credit, MyPlate has spawned a collection of digital resources and interactive tools (such as the MyPlate Plan and mobile apps), designed to personalise the experience. However, these enhancements primarily benefit those with both the awareness and motivation to seek out extra information — again, a minority within the general population.
That said, after ten years, the most significant improvement MyPlate has brought is in accessibility and usability, not in driving a large-scale transformation of national eating habits. While individuals who actively follow it can see real benefits, its low adoption rate and lack of specific guidance on calorie control, food quality, and cultural adaptability have limited its potential to significantly reduce rates of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related chronic diseases in the United States.
In sum, a decade of evidence makes it clear: MyPlate’s significant contribution is as a visual educational tool and a marginal improvement on the obscure and widely criticised Food Pyramid. For individuals already engaged with healthful eating, its flexible model can provide some structure, and in focused interventions, minor dietary improvements can be measured. But in terms of nationwide, population-level transformation, claims of effectiveness are not substantiated. The root causes are a lack of detail about portions, omissions regarding food quality, failure to address ultra-processed foods directly, and poor resonance outside the already health-focused demographic. These limitations, highlighted by independent researchers and competing models like the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate, underscore MyPlate’s status as a missed opportunity more than a nutrition revolution.
Quick note:
Details about MyPlate recommendations to make half your grains whole grains.
While the endeavour may be applauded, again it serves very little to educate people about the danger of UPFs on human health. Here is what MyPlate indicates:
“Foods made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain are grain products. Bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, grits, and tortillas are examples of grain products. Foods such as popcorn, rice, and oatmeal are also included in the Grains Group.
Grains have two subgroups: whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains have the entire grain kernel, which includes the bran, germ, and endosperm. Some whole-grain examples are whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, and brown rice.
Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life. But it also removes dietary fibre, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are white flour, corn grits, white bread, and white rice.
Refined grains should be enriched. This means adding back certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron. However, fibre is not added back to enriched grains. Check the ingredient list on refined grain products. The word "enriched" should appear in the grain name.
Some food products are made from mixtures of whole grains and refined grains. Only foods that are made with 100% whole grains are considered a whole grain food.”
What MyPlate fails to convey is the extreme processing grains undergo before being overused in many UPFs. They are also bleached repetitively to appear snow white. Secondly, “enriched” doesn’t mean healthy, and to minimise costs, manufacturers use petrochemical-derived vitamins of poor value, very often in a state the body cannot recognise or utilise.
MyPlate Vs Mediterranean Diet
The comparison between MyPlate and the Mediterranean diet reveals key differences and strengths in each dietary approach, reflecting their distinct purposes and underlying philosophies.
MyPlate, created as a practical visual guide, focuses mainly on portion control and balanced inclusion of the five major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. Its clear plate image encourages filling half the plate with fruits and vegetables, making half the grains whole grains, choosing lean or plant-based proteins, and incorporating low-fat dairy. It is designed as broad, accessible guidance for Americans to maintain health and reduce chronic disease risk.
In contrast, the Mediterranean diet proposes food of high quality and traditional eating patterns from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It promotes a plant-forward approach with high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, while concentrating on healthy fats, particularly extra virgin olive oil. Fish and seafood are recommended frequently, red meat is limited, and dairy is consumed in smaller portions, often in fermented forms like yoghurt or cheese. Moderate red wine consumption is optional. The Mediterranean diet’s health benefits are well-documented, including reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline, and improved weight management.
Several distinctions stand out:
Fat Intake:
The Mediterranean diet incorporates healthy fats from olive oil, nuts, and seeds as a central component, which is associated with heart protection and reduced inflammation. MyPlate does not explicitly differentiate between fat types or even discriminate against industrial seed oils, which may lead to less focus on choosing healthy fats in practice.
Dairy Consumption:
MyPlate recommends 2-3 servings of fat-free or low-fat dairy daily. At the same time, the Mediterranean diet typically includes smaller amounts of dairy, often in whole-fat fermented forms, reflecting regional traditions and differing health perspectives. MyPlate also overlooks the fact that low-fat dairy products are loaded with sugar and chemicals, making them highly addictive yet poorly nutritious. Low-fat diets are also known for their role in cognitive dysfunction and still fail to address heart disease.
Protein Sources:
MyPlate allows a wider variety of proteins, including red meats, poultry, fish, beans, and soy. The Mediterranean diet explicitly limits red meat, favours wild seafood, legumes, and plant proteins as staples, all of which are extremely rich in (anti-inflammatory) omega-3s and antioxidants.
Grains:
Both support whole grains, but the Mediterranean diet generally focuses on minimally processed grains with high fibre content, while MyPlate’s guidance is broader and less detailed about grain quality. It also doesn’t discriminate against minimally nutritious ultra-processed manufactured food products.
Alcohol:
The Mediterranean model includes moderate consumption of red wine (often a small glass) with dinners as an optional component; MyPlate does not address alcohol consumption.
Overall, the Mediterranean diet is more focused on food quality, traditional eating patterns, and healthy fats. In contrast, MyPlate focuses on portion control and balanced inclusion of food groups in a way meant to be widely applicable and easy to understand.
Research supports significant health benefits from the Mediterranean diet in reducing chronic disease risks, improving metabolic health, and promoting longevity. MyPlate serves as a valuable educational tool to encourage balanced eating. Yet, it is vital to understand the Mediterranean Diet as a whole approach. Such a diet can only be followed in temperate areas like the Mediterranean Basin, with mild winters and excessively hot and dry summers. This position allows for an explosion of growth and sun-ripped fruits and vegetables, especially if homegrown. Many people in the Mediterranean region are proud gardeners, even if they have a tiny patch. In areas with milder summers and frozen winters, the Mediterranean diet will be insufficient, because the diet will revolve around warmer foods, stews and soups and will avoid raw foods, such as large salads and crudités with every meal.
This comparison draws on current nutrition research and practical dietary guidelines, highlighting that while MyPlate is more of a general public educational tool, the Mediterranean diet represents a robust, well-studied lifestyle approach with extensive clinical backing.
Source:
American Heart Association (2023). Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/monounsaturated-fats + https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/mediterranean-diet.
Harvard School of Public Health (2023)
Mayo Clinic (2022)
MyPlate (2025)
National Center for Health Research (2025)
Public Health England (2016). Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7f73f7e5274a2e8ab4c461/eatwell_model_guide_report.pdf
University of Florida (2025)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2025). Available at: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf
References:
AlAufi, NS. Chan, YM. Waly, MI. et al. (2022). Application of Mediterranean Diet in cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Motivations and challenges. Nutrients. 14(13), 2777. doi:10.3390/nu14132777
Chrisman, M. Diaz Rios, LK. (2019). Evaluating MyPlate after 8 years: A perspective. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 51(7), pp. 899-903. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2019.02.006
Jia, SS. Liu, Q. Allman-Farinelli, M. et al. (2022). The use of portion control plates to promote healthy eating and diet-related outcomes: A scoping review. Nutrients. 14(4), 892. doi:10.3390/nu14040892
Mazza, E. Ferro, Y. Pujia, R. et al. (2021). Mediterranean Diet In healthy aging. Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging. 25(9), pp. 1076-1083. doi:10.1007/s12603-021-1675-6
McCarthy, WJ. Rico, M. Chandler, M. et al. (2023). Randomized comparative effectiveness trial of 2 federally recommended strategies to reduce excess body fat in overweight, low-income patients: MyPlate.gov vs calorie counting. Annals of Family Medicine. 21(3), pp. 213-219. doi:10.1370/afm.2964
Rees, K. Takeda, A. Martin, N. et al. (2019). Mediterranean-style diet for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 3(3), CD009825. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009825.pub3
Restrepo, BJ. (2025). Awareness and use of MyPlate among U.S. adults: Evidence from nationally representative data, 2024. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 31, 108018. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2025.108018
Rimm, EB. Appel, LJ. Chiuve, SE. et al. (2018). Seafood long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: A science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 138(1), e35-e47. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000574
Stendell-Hollis, NR. Thompson, PA. West, JL. et al. (2013). A comparison of Mediterranean-style and MyPyramid diets on weight loss and inflammatory biomarkers in postpartum breastfeeding women. Journal of Women’s Health (Larchmt). 22(1), pp. 48-57. doi:10.1089/jwh.2012.3707
Schwartz, JL. Vernarelli, JA. (2019). Assessing the public's comprehension of dietary guidelines: Use of MyPyramid or MyPlate is associated with healthier diets among US adults. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 119(3), pp. 482-489. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2018.09.012
Tou, JC. Gucciardi, E. Young, I. (2021). Lipid-modifying effects of lean fish and fish-derived protein consumption in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition Reviews. 80(1), pp. 91-112. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuab003
Tsugane, S. (2021). Why has Japan become the world’s most long-lived country: Insights from a food and nutrition perspective. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 75, pp. 921–928. doi:10.1038/s41430-020-0677-5
Wambogo, E. Ansai, N. Wang, CY. (2022). Awareness of the MyPlate Plan: United States, 2017–March 2020. National Health Statistics Reports. N˚ 178.