2.3: Tools to Help Design a Healthy Diet
- Page ID
- 20934
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Learning Objective
- Describe various food patterns that can be used to design a healthy diet.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is one tool that can be used to develop a heathy eating pattern. Let's take a look at this and other tools that can be used to design a healthy diet.
The New Pyramid
The New Pyramid is a pictorial representation of the Dietary Guidelines. This inverted pyramid promotes the inclusion of protein, dairy, healthy fats, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in a healthy diet. Foods are assumed to be nutrient-dense, with no or limited added sugars, refined carbohydrates, or chemical additives. For more information on designing your diet visit realfood.gov.
Harvard Healthy Eating Plate
Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate encourages eating whole grains and limiting refined grains; provides specific guidance related to healthy protein options; recommends healthy fat options; and encourages water as a beverage while limiting milk/dairy, juice, and sugary drinks.1 For more information about The Healthy Eating Plate, please see The Nutrition Source and Harvard Health Publications.
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan
The DASH Eating Plan has been shown through research to be the most effective eating plan for lowering blood pressure. This plan recommends:
- Eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
- Including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils
- Limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils
- Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets2
| Food Group | Daily Servings | Weekly Servings |
|---|---|---|
| Grains | 6-8 | |
| Meats, poultry, fish | 6 or less | |
| Vegetables | 4-5 | |
| Fruit | 4-5 | |
| Low-fat or fat-free dairy products | 2-3 | |
| Fats and oils | 2-3 | |
| Sodium | 2,300mg (1,500mg lowers blood pressure even further) | |
| Nuts, seeds, dry beans, and peas | 4-5 | |
| Sweets | 5 or less |
Key Takeaways
- There are a variety of food patterns available to help design a healthy diet.
- The New Pyramid encourages the inclusion of nutrient-dense protein, dairy, healthy fats, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in a healthy diet while also limiting highly processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates.
- The Harvard Healthy Eating Plate also promotes vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. It also provides guidance related to healthy protein options, oil consumption, and encouraging water as a beverage while limiting milk/dairy, juice, and sugary drinks.
- The DASH Eating Plan can be used to lower blood pressure and emphasizes nutrient-dense whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins.
References
- Healthy Eating Plate vs. USDA's My Plate. The Nutrition Source. hsph.harvard.edu. Accessed May 9, 2025.
- DASH Eating Plan. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). nhlbi.nih.gov. Accessed May 9, 2025.