Article first published as Where's the Local and Seasonal in MyPlate? on Technorati. First Lady Michelle Obama made news last week when she introduced the USDA's new nutrition representation, MyPlate. The color-coded memory devise shows a plate half full of fruits and vegetables. Grains are recommended to fill slightly larger than a quarter of the plate with small portions of protein and dairy.

The visual representation has been hailed as a vast improvement to the previous pyramid scheme. Vegetarians are praising that the word meat has been updated to protein, recognizing that protein can be found in many foods. Dietitians are pleased that the 'eat sparingly' category that once included sugar and fats has been removed entirely. Choosing whole grains and drinking water regularly is clearly suggested in the USDA's written explanations.

But one ideal is completely missing from the MyPlate USDA information: local and seasonal. No mention is made of where to purchase meal ingredients, yet sourcing has a great impact on individual and environmental health.

Locally-sourced produce is picked at the peak of ripeness, containing the most nutrients and best taste possible. When a peach travels from South America to Ohio, for instance, fuel cost is high whereas buying locally saves considerable environmental resources.

Seasonal availability is another important consideration in making healthy food choices. Eating only what is in season makes families choose a wide variety of produce, a top recommendation of dietitians. Fortunately in most states, local dairy and meat is in season year round.

Contrary to popular belief, shopping the local farmer's market is actually more affordable than buying at a grocery store. Buying locally returns money to the local economy in greater percentages than choosing national chains.

The evidence is clear that eating locally and seasonally is best for personal, environmental, and economic health. Perhaps the next iteration of MyPlate will include preference for local food sources.

Added to Simple Lives Thursday, 47th Edition.

I am delighted to publish this guest post from Sally Kuzemchak, the registered dietitian behind Real Mom Nutrition. When she asked if I had anything specific in mind, I pounced with my standard question to nutritionists: 'What do you think about fat?' what follows is her reasoned and helpful response. An occupational hazard of being a dietitian is that people love to tell us we’re wrong. Anytime a research finding flies in the face of conventional nutrition wisdom—Beer is good for you! You can eat Twinkies all day and still lose weight!—we’re on the receiving end of a certain amount of “gotcha!”

And a report last year seemed to do just that: After analyzing 21 studies involving nearly 350,000 people, researchers concluded there was no proof that saturated fat raises the risk for heart disease or stroke.

So everything we’ve been telling people—buy low-fat milk, eat leaner cuts of meat, lay off the butter—is way off base? And the Wise Traditions folks (and even the Atkins dieters) are right on target? Well, at last year’s national meeting of the American Dietetic Association, even a panel of heavy hitters from Tufts University and Harvard Medical School couldn’t reach a conclusion.

But I can tell you this much: Most people’s fat intake isn’t coming from a grass-fed steak with a side of kale. It’s coming from McDonald’s cheeseburgers and DQ Blizzards and Olive Garden Alfredo sauce. And this highly processed diet also happens to be crammed full of sodium, nutrient-poor white flour, added sugar, food dyes, and preservatives. So could a higher-fat diet without all this extra junk be good you? Maybe, but I’m not ready to start drinking tall glasses of full-fat raw milk just yet.

While the research is still evolving—and the major players in the field are still fighting it out—here’s what I’ve settled on for myself and my family when it comes to fat:

*I buy local, organic eggs and wouldn’t dream of throwing the yolks down the drain to save fat grams (the yolk contains nutrients you won’t find in the white).

*I cook beef every week, from a share we bought of a grass-fed cow.

*I buy full-fat cheese because it tastes better. I bake with real butter.

*I buy conventional, skim milk because I like the taste (and because frankly, I’m not ready to make the financial leap to organic yet since we drink three gallons a week). If I did buy organic, I’d choose one or two-percent since it contains omega-3 fatty acids.

*I use liberal amounts of olive oil in cooking and eat nuts or nut butter every day.

*I limit processed meats. I love wonderful, delicious bacon as much as the next person, but it doesn’t have much nutritional value—and the American Institute for Cancer Research says any amount of processed meat raises cancer risk—so it’s an occasional splurge around here.

*I’m trying to cook more meatless meals. I’m convinced that eating a plant-based diet is important for health and the planet. Plus, it’s more economical. And my Paleo Diet-following friends will have to pry the (whole wheat) pasta out of my cold, dead hands.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic.