Dairy's Place in the Pyramid

You may have noticed a new pyramid when picking up packages of your favorite foods at the grocery store. The USDA recently revised its Food Guidance System.

Officially known as "MyPyramid", it shows Americans how to choose nutrient-dense foods and encourages them to strive for more exercise. For most Americans, the recommendations are simple to size up:

3 servings of milk, cheese or yogurt
3 servings of whole grains
4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables
5 1/2 ounces of lean meat or beans

Unlike the previous pyramids, this system also includes an interactive online tool, www.mypyramid.com, which allows consumers to personalize the Dietary Guidelines to their individual taste and nutrition goals.

What the Experts are Saying

Health professionals agree that three servings of dairy foods per day can play a significant part in building stronger bones and reversing the current trend of poor calcium consumption. Three servings of dairy a day are recommended by many sources:

U.S. Surgeon General

2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Academy of Family Physicians

National Medical Association

American Dietetic Association