The USDA created the food pyramid to help guide healthy, balanced eating. If you were in school during the ’90s or early 2000s, you likely remember it.
The food pyramid attempted to show the priority of specific foods within your diet. They included grains and carbohydrates at the base, fruits, and vegetables right above that, dairy and proteins above that, and fats and sweets at the top.
The food pyramid was replaced altogether in 2011 by USDA’s MyPlate. The goal of MyPlate was to make it easier to understand healthy eating by showing what should be on your plate, and it was divided into four sections that include fruit, veggies, proteins, grains, with a circle for dairy in the corner.
But when it comes to healthy eating guides, there’s another option that may be even more useful.
Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate
Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate was created by nutrition experts at the Harvard School of Public Health. While it is based on the USDA’s MyPlate, it offers even more accurate and specific guidance based on current nutritional research.
How Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate Can Help You Live Better
Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate breaks the colorful plate into four sections. The biggest section is vegetables, followed by lean proteins and whole grains, followed by fruits.
But what makes Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate such a helpful tool to help you live better is that it provides more specific tips and guidance for each of these sections.
The vegetable section reminds us that the more veggies we eat the better the variety.
The whole grains section again recommends variety when it comes to whole grains. This means that you should prioritize whole wheat bread, whole-grain pasta, brown rice, and limiting refined grains like white bread.
The healthy protein section of the plate steers readers towards protein sources like fish, beans, poultry, and nuts. It also recommends limiting red meats and cheeses and avoiding processed meats and cold cuts.
Finally, the fruit section of the plate recommends a variety of fruits.
But Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate doesn’t stop there. It also includes guidance on:
- Beverages – Stick to water, tea, or coffee with little or no sugar; limit milk or dairy to 1-2 servings a day and juice to 1 glass a day.
- Healthy oils – Use canola oil or olive oil for cooking and salads, but limit butter and avoid trans fat.
- Exercise more!
Following the guidance provided by Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate can help you live better and bring you closer to your health and fitness goals.
Health supplements may also help you meet some of your health or nutritional goals, including formulas from Core Med Science, NutriDyn, and Healthforce Superfoods.
Liposomal B-Complex Multivitamin – Core Med Science
Liposomal B-Complex Multivitamin from Core Med Science contains every essential B vitamin in its most active, usable form to support improved energy, heart health, clearer thinking, mood balance, relief from cravings, sleep regulation, and much more. Core Med Science uses liposomal technology, which encases and protects the B complex vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from breaking down in the stomach. This allows the nutrients to reach the small intestine where absorption occurs for the greatest potential health benefits.
Fruits & Greens Daily Drink – NutriDyn
Fruits & Greens Daily Drink from NutriDyn is a flavorful fruit and greens powder supplement packed with antioxidant superfoods, including nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, fiber, digestive enzymes, and probiotics. No matter which of the many flavor options you choose (berry, blackberry tangerine, grape, strawberry melon, green tea melon, mint, chocolate, chocolate peppermint, or espresso), you’ll get the benefits that come from the SuperFruitox Antioxidant Blend, the Digestive Enzyme and Probiotic Blend, the Vegetable Antioxidant Blend, and the Fiber Blend.
Vitamineral Green – Healthforce Superfoods
Another way to increase the greens in your daily diet is with Vitamineral Green from Healthforce Superfoods. Vitamineral Green is an organic raw whole food supplement made with all-natural ingredients from the land, the waters, and the oceans. On top of those ingredients is a VMG Enzyme Concentrate blend. The 100% organic formula may support the liver, kidneys, blood, bones, colon, circulation, and immune function.
How do you use Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate’s guidance to make healthier decisions in your diet?
