Harvard School of Public Health has put out a new plate—different from the USDA’s revamp of the Food Guide Pyramid. Among the differences, the USDA’s MyPlate does not talk about nutrient dense choices within their food guide. For example, the USDA says that a quarter of your plate should be grains. Harvard does not dispute that all, but rather, Harvard wants to clarify that grains should be whole grain and not refined. Over time, eating refined grains can make it difficult to control weight and can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes. According to Harvard, this matters for someone’s health.
The Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Harvard Medical School are redefining how we should eat with more specificity. Harvard is sharing with the public that political and commercial pressure from food industry lobbyists are the main influences of the USDA’s endorsement of MyPlate.
Harvard takes on the USDA’s recommendations section by section here.
–Joy Williams, PHW Regional Consultant
