Reading the Updated Food Pyramid

• Grains -- Make half of your grains whole.
• Vegetables -- Vary your veggies.
• Fruits -- Focus on fruits.
• Oils -- Know the limits on fats as well as sugars and salt (sodium).
• Milk -- Get your calcium-rich foods.
• Meat and beans -- Go lean with protein.
• Activity -- Find your balance between food and physical activity.
• Gradual improvement -- You can benefit from taking small steps to improve your diet and lifestyle.

Learn more about what the newly designed food pyramid represents at MyPyramid.gov. There you also can find the specific daily amounts that are right for you from each of the five major food groups.

Lessons From the Updated Food Pyramid*

1. A person's daily diet should include foods from all six food groups.
2. It is recommended that you eat a wide variety of foods from each food group to get all of your vitamins and minerals.
3. The new food pyramid emphasizes starches, vegetables, fruits, and low-fat milk and yogurt in the diet.
4. The daily diet should include smaller amounts of low-fat protein foods.
5. Fats, oils, and sugary foods should constitute a small portion of the diet.

*The USDA does not endorse any products, services, or organizations.