Use the Healthy Eating Plate as a guide for creating healthy, balanced meals—whether served at the table or packed in a lunch box. Click on each section of the interactive image below to learn more. Healthy Oils Use healthy oils (like olive and canola oil) for cooking, on salad, and at the table. Limit butter. Avoid trans fat. HEALTHYOILS WaterDrink water, tea, or coffee (with little or no sugar). Limit milk/dairy (1-2 servings/day) and juice (1 small glass/day). Avoid sugary drinks. WATER VegetablesThe more veggies — and the greater the variety — the better. Potatoes and French fries don’t count. VEGETABLES FruitsEat plenty of fruits of all colors FRUITS Healthy ProteinChoose fish, poultry, beans, and nuts; limit red meat and cheese; avoid bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats. HEALTHYPROTEIN Whole GrainsEat a variety of whole grains (like whole-wheat bread, whole-grain pasta, and brown rice). Limit refined grains (like white rice and white bread). WHOLEGRAINS Stay ActiveIncorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Looking for a printable copy? Download one here, and hang it on your refrigerator to serve as a daily reminder when planning and preparing your meals! Translations of the Healthy Eating Plate are also available in over 25 languages. Building a Healthy and Balanced DietMake most of your meal vegetables and
fruits – ½ of your plate. Go for whole grains – ¼ of your plate. Protein power – ¼ of your plate. Healthy plant oils – in moderation. Drink water, coffee, or tea. Stay active. The main message of the Healthy Eating Plate is to focus on diet quality:
Your Plate and the PlanetJust as different foods can have differing impacts on human health, they also have differing impacts on the environment. Food production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and it places an enormous demand upon our earth’s natural resources. Learn about the impacts of the foods on your plate Your Questions AnsweredAre the relative sizes of the Healthy Eating Plate sections based on calories or volume?
How can I apply this guide if I don’t eat my meals from a single plate? As the name suggests, the Healthy Eating Plate is visualized as a single plate, however it can be used as a guide for creating healthy, balanced meals—no matter which type of dishware is used!
There are many cultures around the world in which people may not eat their meals from a plate. Although our translations of this guide maintain the single-plate graphic, we encourage its use for creating healthy, balanced meals in context of cultural and individual customs and preferences. What about alcohol? Isn’t alcohol supposed to be good for you in small amounts?
Who created the Healthy Eating Plate? The Healthy Eating Plate, created by nutrition experts at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and editors at Harvard Health Publications, was designed to address deficiencies in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s MyPlate. The Healthy Eating Plate provides detailed guidance, in a simple format, to help people make the best eating choices. The Healthy Eating Plate is based exclusively on the best available science and was not subjected to political or commercial pressures from food industry lobbyists. Learn more about how the Healthy Eating Plate compares to the USDA’s MyPlate. Will following the Healthy Eating Pyramid and Healthy Eating Plate guidelines really make me healthier?
Two studies offer further evidence of the disease prevention benefits that accrue from following a diet similar to one based on the Healthy Eating Pyramid:
Permissions for UseThe Healthy Eating Plate image is owned by Harvard University. The downloadable version may be used, without permission, for educational and other non-commercial uses with proper attribution, including the following copyright notification and credit line:Copyright © 2011, Harvard University. For more information about The Healthy Eating Plate, please see The Nutrition Source, Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, www.thenutritionsource.org, and Harvard Health Publications, www.health.harvard.edu. References
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