The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s newly revised Food Guidance System, MyPyramid, was released last week to motivate and educate consumers to make positive diet and lifestyle choices. It visually depicts the nutrient-dense super foods Americans should consume on a daily basis (three servings of lowfat and fat-free milk, cheese or yogurt; three servings of whole grains; 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables; and 5.5 ounces of lean meat or beans), and stresses the importance of physical activity. The system includes a comprehensive interactive online tool (at www.mypyramid.gov ) that allows consumers to personalize the Dietary Guidelines to their individual tastes and nutrition goals.

“As a registered dietitian, I’m pleased to see the biggest changes are simply to eat more nutrient-rich foods and be more active in your everyday life,” said Rebecca Reeves, American Dietetic Association president-elect. “Foods such as dairy, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables are naturally packed with many nutrients essential for good health. And in my experience, exercising for just 30 minutes most days of the week can be achieved in small bouts during the day in three 10-minute sessions or two 15-minute sessions.”

In order to meet nutrient recommendations and maintain a healthy weight, MyPyramid recommends that people enjoy more nutrient-rich foods, or whole foods, first. “Three servings of dairy a day help meet the nutrition requirements for four of the seven most critical nutrients adult Americans are lacking: vitamin A, calcium, magnesium and potassium,” explained Greg Miller, Ph.D., MACN, senior vice president, nutrition and product innovation, National Dairy Council®. “They also provide three of the five nutrients kids are lacking: calcium, magnesium and potassium.”

Dairy foods are a good source of nine nutrients essential for good health, including calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin and vitamins D, A and B12. Getting three servings of dairy foods daily is as easy as enjoying lowfat milk, yogurt or cheese with every meal or snack throughout the day. For those sensitive to lactose or considering milk alternatives, both the Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid suggest that the easiest and most reliable way to derive the health benefits associated with dairy consumption is to choose alternatives within the dairy foods group, such as lactose-free milk, hard/aged cheeses or yogurt.

“For years we have believed that an individualized approach to dietary recommendations reflects the latest nutrition science, so we are excited about the potential for these new tools to allow people to personalize the system to fit their own needs,” said Miller. “In addition, we can help people put these recommendations into practice with National Dairy Council’s Dietary Guidelines 5-Day Meal Plan.”

The Meal Plan is available at www.nationaldairycouncil.org. For recipes, visit www.3aday.org and for more information on MyPyramid, visit www.mypyramid.gov.