Wednesday, February 25, 2015

My Issues With The New Proposed Dietary Guidelines

The media is touting the positive changes made in the "new" dietary guidelines for Americans.  They have not really recognized what the real goals of these new dietary guidelines are.  

The new proposed guidelines have a few good changes.  They suggest that we can eat more cholesterol from eggs, and they suggest limitations on sugar and sugary drinks suggesting that water be offered more often in school cafeterias and vending machines. 



Here is one of those mainly positive reviews that I have read:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/new-dietary-guidelines-bring-back-saturated-fat-cholesterol-why-experts-dont-owe-323038

If you look into the new dietary guidelines further however; you will find that they have have also doubled down on their recommendations to increase polyunsaturated fats and reduce saturated fats and even reduce red meat consumption or to avoid it altogether. 

The new guidelines lean towards vegetarianism and the DGAC has suggested the reduction or elimination of red meat consumption for mostly environmental reasons.  This has been ignored by many of the writers reporting on the new recommendations. 

Here are a few articles that explain: 
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150219-dietary-guidelines-sustainable-environment-ngfood/


http://www.salon.com/2015/02/19/major_dietary_guidelines_report_recommends_decreasing_meat_consumption/

I find that the consideration of the environment (green house gases) in determining our consumption of meat to be suspect.   In the same recommendations there is no mention of the effect of GMO crops or ingredients or the use of pesticides, round-up (glyphosate) and other poisons on our fruits and vegetables.  There is also no recommendations to label GMO foods products.  


The recommendation that 50% of the American diet continue to be made up of whole grains will remain as the core of the diet.   They suggest increasing fruit and vegetable portions even higher than previous guidelines have suggested.  As for dairy, low fat and skim will continue to be recommended to the masses.  They continue to suggest very little use of fats, oils or butter on vegetables. 





Although the new guidelines will now list sugar as empty calories they have lumped sugar together with saturated fat from meats and tropical oils like coconut oil.  It's new recommendations now state that sugar and saturated fats are both "empty calories" providing NO nutritional value.

I beg to differ! Saturated fats from meat and coconut oil,etc. provide essential nutrients called fatty acids that are needed for the continuation of life and for brain function!   


The continued suggestion for low fat high carb whole grain diets while suggesting that meat and saturated fat needs to continue to be curtailed even seems almost to be criminal to me!

In my opinion the proposed dietary guidelines do not properly address the health crisis that we are facing in this country. They suggest the same song and dance as before.   Beyond that, they are suggesting food policies that will continue to make our children fatter and sicker.

Their report acknowledges major vitamin and mineral deficiencies in our population.

From the report:

"DGAC determined that vitamin D, vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C were shortfall nutrients and that there may be a high prevalence of inadequate dietary intake of these nutrients. Of the nutrients with an AI (vitamin K, choline, dietary fiber, and potassium), the DGAC determined that a low proportion of the population had fiber and potassium intakes above the AI and so potassium and fiber were therefore considered to be under-consumed."

The dietary suggestions to address these deficiencies is to eat more "healthy" fortified whole grain breads and cereals in place of non-whole grain breads and cereals.  They will be suggesting that the food companies put more effort into making more fortified whole grain products and put more money and effort into marketing them.
They propose that food companies, stores and other vendors change to lower sugar and higher healthy grain products and that our schools cafeteria's increase fruits & vegetables while decreasing meat and fat.  It's no wonder that our children's little brains can no longer function and we are facing an epidemic of ADHD and other brain problems that affect a child's ability to focus!  
I have read these new guidelines in depth.  I realize that most don't want to go through pages and pages of dogma so here is an overview of the proposed guidelines:
http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015-scientific-report/04-integration.asp

Comments are being taken on the guidelines and will be considered.  I find this comment from a physician to be a good one: 
  http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2015/comments/readCommentDetails.aspx?CID=1339

Comments will be taken through April 8th, 2015.  Comments from health providers with proven benefits of diets including meat and saturated fats may sway the committee although that seems doubtful.

Once these new guidelines are approved and implemented we will have 5 more years of the continuing failed experiment of high carb low fat diets on our children and grandchildren. We will also have five more years to continue our fight to restore dietary sanity to our world!  

You may submit or read comments in regard to the proposed guidelines here:

http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2015/comments/



1 comment:

  1. Yes I resonate with you Sandy. It is insane of having the reason of environmental friendly (by reducing animal farming so that less energy and GMO grains are needed to feed the animals?) and recommend to reduce meat consumption. But continue to use chemical on crops, fruits and vegetables, and continue to poison the earth and the people directly...How environmental friendly is that? Animal can be raised naturally by grazing the pasture and don't need GMO crops.
    No sugar (this is the only positive change), no fat, no red meat, it is like saying dear people please continue to eat more veg, fruit (which is also sugar), and grains (are also sugar) that grown with pesticides and GMO. There is not much of a change after all.

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