Final answer:
MyPlate shapes the Dietary Guidelines into a visual guide, emphasizing a balance of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy, without specifying fats and oils directly.
Step-by-step explanation:
Within the context of MyPlate, which is the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) latest guide to healthy eating, the correct answer to the question is that MyPlate shapes the key recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines into an applicable visual. The main purpose of MyPlate is not to stand alone, but to visually translate the 2015 - 2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines aiming to encourage healthy eating patterns among Americans. MyPlate provides a visual representation where half of the plate consists of fruits and vegetables, and the other half is divided between grains and protein, with a slightly greater emphasis on grains. A representation of dairy is also included, usually illustrated as a drink to the side of the plate.
Contrary to one of the provided statements, MyPlate does not specify proper portions for fats and oils directly on the plate, but this can be found within supplementary material on the accompanying website. Additionally, while grains are an important component of MyPlate, they are not emphasized as the foundation of a healthy diet, as fruits and vegetables hold equal prominence on the plate.
In summary, MyPlate is a nutritional tool that corresponds with the USDA Dietary Guidelines to help consumers build a balanced and healthy diet, focusing on the importance of including several food groups in the right proportions.