History of USDA nutrition guides

The history of USDA nutrition guides includes over 100 years of American nutrition advice.

Earliest guides

The USDA's first nutrition guidelines were published in 1894 by Dr. Wilbur Olin Atwater as a farmers' bulletin. In Atwater's 1904 publication titled Principles of Nutrition and Nutritive Value of Food, he advocated variety, proportionality and moderation; measuring calories; and an efficient, affordable diet that focused on nutrient-rich foods and less fat, sugar and starch. This information preceded the discovery of individual vitamins beginning in 1910.

A new guide in 1916, Food for Young Children by nutritionist Caroline Hunt, categorized foods into milk and meat; cereals; vegetables and fruits; fats and fatty foods; and sugars and sugary foods. How to Select Food in 1917 promoted these five food groups to adults, and the guidelines remained in place through the 1920s. In 1933, the USDA introduced food plans at four different cost levels in response to the Great Depression.

In 1941, the first Recommended Dietary Allowances were created, listing specific intakes for calories, —protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, B₁, B₂ B₃, C and D.

Basic 7

In 1943, during World War II, The USDA introduced a nutrition guide promoting the "Basic 7" food groups to help maintain nutritional standards under wartime food rationing. The Basic 7 food groups were:

1. Green and yellow vegetables (some raw; some cooked, frozen or canned).
2. Oranges, tomatoes, grapefruit (or raw cabbage or salad greens).
3. Potatoes and other vegetables and fruits (raw, dried, cooked, frozen or canned).
4. Milk and milk products (fluid, evaporated, dried milk, or cheese).
5. Meat, poultry, fish, or eggs (or dried beans, peas, nuts, or peanut butter).
6. Bread, flour, and cereals (natural whole grain, or enriched or restored).
7. Butter and fortified margarine (with added Vitamin A).

Basic Four

From 1956 until 1992 the United States Department of Agriculture recommended its Basic Four food groups. These food groups were:

• Vegetables and Fruits: Recommended as excellent sources of vitamins C and A, and a good source of fiber. A dark-green or deep-yellow vegetable or fruit was recommended every other day.
• Milk: Recommended as a good source of calcium, phosphorus, protein and riboflavin, and sometimes vitamins A and D. Cheese, ice cream, and ice milk could sometimes replace milk.
• Meat: Recommended for protein, iron and certain B vitamins. Includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dry beans, dry peas, and peanut butter.
• Cereals and Breads: Whole grain and enriched breads were especially recommended as good sources of iron, B vitamins and carbohydrates, as well as sources of protein and fiber. Includes cereals, breads, cornmeal, macaroni, noodles, rice and spaghetti.

"Other foods" were said to round out meals and satisfy appetites. These included additional servings from the Basic Four, or foods such as butter, margarine, salad dressing and cooking oil, sauces, jellies and syrups.

The Basic Four guide was omnipresent in nutrition education in the United States.

Food Guide Pyramid

The introduction of the USDA's food guide pyramid in 1992 attempted to express the recommended servings of each food group, which previous guides did not do. Six to 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta occupied the large base of the pyramid; followed by 3 to 5 servings of vegetables; then fruits (2 to 4); then milk, yogurt and cheese (2 to 3); followed by meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts (2 to 3); and finally fats, oils and sweets in the small apex (to be used sparingly). Inside each group were several images of representative foods, as well as symbols representing the fat and sugar contents of the foods.

MyPyramid

In 2005, the USDA updated its guide with MyPyramid, which replaced the hierarchical levels of the Food Guide Pyramid with colorful vertical wedges, often displayed without images of foods, creating a more abstract design. Stairs were added up the left side of the pyramid with an icon of someone climbing them to represent exercise. The share of the pyramid alloted to grains now only narrowly edged out vegetables and milk, which each were of equal proportions. Fruits were next in size, followed by a narrower wedge for protein and a small sliver for oils. An unmarked white tip represented discretionary calories for items such as candy, alcohol, or additional food from any other group.

MyPlate

MyPlate is the current nutrition guide published by the United States Department of Agriculture, consisting of a diagram of a plate and glass divided into five food groups. It replaced the USDA's MyPyramid diagram on June 2, 2011, ending 19 years of food pyramid iconography.The guide will be displayed on food packaging and used in nutritional education in the United States.