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Harvard Serves Up Own Version of MyPlate
September 15, 2011
3 Min Read
BOSTONNutrition experts at the Harvard School of Public Health is serving up its own version of the USDAs recently released MyPlate called the Healthy Eating Plate, which addresses important deficiencies in the MyPlate icon by providing an easy-to-use but specific guide to healthy eating based on the best science available.
The Healthy Eating Plate shows that a plant-based diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and healthy proteins lowers the risk of weight gain and chronic disease. Compared to Harvards version, MyPlate does not tell consumers that whole grains are better for health than refined grains; its protein section offers no indication that some high-protein foods such as fish, poultry, beans and nuts are healthier than red meats and processed meats; it is silent on beneficial fats; it does not distinguish between potatoes and other vegetables; it recommends dairy at every meal, even though there is little evidence that high dairy intake protects against osteoporosis but substantial evidence that high intake can be harmful; and it says nothing about sugary drinks. The Healthy Eating Plate also reminds people to stay active, an important factor in weight control, while MyPlate does not mention the importance of activity.
Unfortunately, like the earlier U.S. Department of Agriculture Pyramids, MyPlate mixes science with the influence of powerful agricultural interests, which is not the recipe for healthy eating," said Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition and chair of the Department of Nutrition at HSPH. The Healthy Eating Plate is based on the best available scientific evidence and provides consumers with the information they need to make choices that can profoundly affect our health and well-being."
The following is a breakdown of Healthy Eating Plate recommendations:
Vegetables: Eat an abundant variety, the more the better. Limited consumption of potatoes is recommended, however, as they are full of rapidly digested starch, which has the same roller-coaster effect on blood sugar as refined grains and sweets. In the short-term, these surges in blood sugar and insulin lead to hunger and overeating, and in the long term, to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic disorders.
Fruits: Choose a rainbow of fruits every day.
Whole Grains: Choose whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice. Refined grains, such as white bread and white rice, act like sugar in the body. Eating too many refined grains can raise the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Healthy Proteins: Choose fish, poultry, beans or nuts, which contain healthful nutrients. Limit red meat and avoid processed meats, since eating even small quantities of these on a regular basis raises the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and weight gain.
Healthy Oils: Use olive, canola and other plant oils in cooking, on salads, and at the table, since these healthy fats reduce harmful cholesterol and are good for the heart. Limit butter and avoid trans fat.
Water: Drink water, tea, or coffee (with little or no sugar). Limit milk and dairy (1-2 servings per day) and juice (1 small glass a day) and avoid sugary drinks.
The sizes of the sections suggest approximate relative proportions of each of the food groups to include on a healthy plate. They are not based on specific calorie amounts, and they are not meant to prescribe a certain number of calories or servings per day, since these numbers vary from person to person.
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