The USDA Food patterns represent the types and amounts of food groups that aim to provide sufficient nutrients or food components (e.g. fiber) to meet Dietary Reference Intake (DRIs) and Dietary Guidelines For Americans recommendations, at various energy levels, by age-sex groups ages 2 years and older. These 3 patterns (Healthy US-Style, Healthy Vegetarian, and Healthy Mediterranean-Style) together now comprise the “USDA Food Patterns”. As the MyPlate icon shows, the five food groups are Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy.
Following the USDA Food Patterns requires: matching calorie intake with needs based on level of physical activity and other factors. When planning a healthful diet, vegetarians should remember that: the vegetable group contained legumes, which can be counted as protein foods. It’s important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy and fortified soy alternatives. Choose options for meals, beverages and snacks that have limited added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
The Researchers analyzed four eating patterns recommended by standard dietary guidelines: the healthy eating index 2015 (HEI-2015) alternate Mediterranean diet (AMED) core, healthful plant-based diet index (HPDI), and alternate healthy eating index (AHEI). Tracing dietary habits over 30 years. The only meats and poultry that have United Sates Department of Agriculture grades are chicken, turkeys, ducks, geese, beef, veal, pork, lamb, and rabbit!
The Five Food Groups: As the MyPlate icon shows, the five food groups are Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasizes the important of an overall healthy eating patterns with all five groups as key building blocks, plus oils. (While oils are not a food groups, they are emphasized as a part of a healthy eating pattern because they are a major source of essential fatty acids and Vitamin E.) Each food group includes a variety of foods that are similar in nutritional makeup, each group plays an important role in an overall healthy eating patterns. Some of the food groups are broken down further into sub groups to emphasize foods that are particularly good source of certain vitamins and minerals. For example, the subgroups within the Grain Group encourage whole grains, which provide more fiber, magnesium, and zinc and than refined grains
Food Groups Amounts: The USDA Food Patterns specify targets for each food groups in cup equivalents (for fruits, vegetables, and dairy) and ounce equivalents (for grains and protein foods). Each pattern also includes a limited number of calories (8-19%) that can be used in other ways, such as small amounts of added sugars and saturated fats. Americans are encouraged to choose foods in their most nutrient dense forms as often as possible, to keep added sugars and saturated fats intakes each below 10 percent of total calorie intake.