MyPlate

I did say that I would get back to this when I had a few minutes.  I received my Harvard Nutrition Source Newsletter this week and the folks there, including my hero, Walter Willett, MD did the work for me.

I suggest you read their article, but the most important concerns with the new MyPlate icon - the plate that is supposed to guide our eating - are these:

-Dairy products are not necessarily essential and they are high in fat when not consumed in low or fat free versions  - the plate does not note this. 
-Protein is not something that a majority of Americans lack; however, lean protein is.  It would be better if the plate emphasized fish, chicken, beans and other lean sources of protein and cautioned against the over consumption of red meat. 
-Monounsaturated and Omega 3 fats are vital to a heart healthy diet and are not given a place on this plate.
-Whole grains are preferred and refined grains should be limited - such as sugary snacks - but this is not evident from the plate.
-Again, Dr. Willett points out that not all fruits and vegetables are optimal -  he suggests limiting potatoes for example.  Recall that his New Food Pyramid was posted here in the past and is mentioned again in this article.


Thus my take on the new plate is that it is not very helpful.  I still prefer the pyramid below- not from the government but from Harvard.

Copyright © 2008. For more information about The Healthy Eating Pyramid, please see The Nutrition Source, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, http://www.thenutritionsource.org, and Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy, by Walter C. Willett, M.D. and Patrick J. Skerrett (2005), Free Press/Simon & Schuster Inc.