New standard on plate for healthy living

WASHINGTON -- There's a new U.S. symbol for healthful eating: The Agriculture Department unveiled "My Plate" Thursday, abandoning the food pyramid that had guided many Americans but merely confused others.

The new guide is divided into four slightly different-sized sections, with fruits and vegetables taking up half the space and grains and protein making up the other half. The vegetables and grains portions are the largest of the four.

Gone are the old pyramid's references to sugars, fats or oils. What was once a category called "meat and beans" is now simply "proteins," making way for seafood and vegetarian options like tofu. Next to the plate is a blue circle for dairy, which could be a glass of milk or a food such as cheese or yogurt.

The plate is supposed to be a suggestion, not a direction, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. -- AP