Whole Grains, Less Dairy: Harvard’s Healthy Plate

Anjali Prasertong
Anjali Prasertong
Anjali Prasertong is a writer and public health dietitian focused on food systems, racial equity, and nutrition. Originally from Los Angeles, she has taught English in rural Japan, worked as a private chef in Malibu, and led an innovative city-funded corner store program in New…read more
updated May 2, 2019
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Earlier this year, the government released MyPlate, an image of the ideal healthy diet on a plate rather than stacked in a confusing pyramid. But is it really the ideal? Harvard released its own version of the healthy plate, which it says is free of the politics surrounding the meat and dairy industries.

The Harvard plate removes the cup of milk next to the USDA’s plate — which seems to imply a serving of dairy with every meal — and adds a small bottle of oil, to represent heart-healthier oils. It also includes a lot more explanatory text, recommending whole grains in place of refined, and specifying that french fries do not count as a vegetable.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Walter Willett, chair of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health, says the biggest issue with the USDA’s plate was the inclusion of milk and the choice to not differentiate between different types of protein.

“It’s probably a mix of science and powerful influence from agricultural interests,” he said, “and this isn’t a good recipe for healthy eating.”

• Read more: Harvard’s own version of healthy plate draws criticism at the Boston Globe

What do you think of Harvard’s version of the healthy plate? Is it an improvement?

Related: Goodbye Food Pyramid, Hello Food Plate

(Image: Harvard School of Public Health)

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Healthy Living