Nutrition experts at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), in conjunction with colleagues at Harvard Health Publications, have unveiled the Healthy Eating Plate, a visual guide that provides a blueprint for eating a healthy meal. Like the U.S. government’s MyPlate, the Healthy Eating Plate is simple and easy to understand—and it addresses what researchers claim are important deficiencies in the MyPlate icon.

Comparing the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate to the USDA’s MyPlate shows the shortcomings in the government’s guide, researchers claim. For example, they say MyPlate does not tell consumers whole grains are better for health than refined grains; its protein section offers no indication that some high-protein foods—fish, poultry, beans, nuts—are healthier than red meats and processed meats; it is silent on beneficial fats; it does not distinguish between potatoes and other vegetables; it recommends dairy at every meal, even though there is little evidence that high dairy intake protects against osteoporosis but substantial evidence that high intake can be harmful; and it says nothing about sugary drinks. Finally, the Healthy Eating Plate reminds people to stay active, an important factor in weight control, while MyPlate does not mention the importance of activity.