Whatever Happened to the Basic Four Food Groups?
What Ever Happened to the Basic FourThe USDA was originally given the conflicting task of educating the public on agricultural matters while simultaneously working with food producers to provide a reliable and consistent food supply. This has, over the course of time, led to our ever evolving dietary guidelines, and yet is the purpose of these guidelines for our health or to sell more food? Would You Believe There Were Once 12 Food Groups?The food guides during the 1930's were heavily influenced by The Great Depression and at that time included 12 separate groups! In 1956 the USDA produced the "Basic Four" food guide. The Dairy Industry was so enthusiastic they heavily promoted the plan, and why not; since milk, eggs and butter were suggested as a separate food group, it only made sense that the Dairy Industry would be quite pleased. In grade school in the 1960s we were taught three square meals a day were what was best, and any other eating was considered a "snack." What is a snack? Is it extra food when you're not hungry? Is it something to do when your bored? Is it a social activity (standing around a table laden with food at a party)? And just what was a square meal? It was based on the "Basic Four Food Groups" as they were defined at that time: 1. Milk
2. Meat
3. Fruit & Vegetables
4. Grains Four groups, four sides, four square! Neat. Easy. People could "get" this, and that was the point. Make it easy enough for the average person to understand. In the 1970's research began making a case that the over consumption of certain foods such as fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, increased chances for heart disease and diabetes and thereby caused the USDA to attempt to further modify their guidelines. This was met with scorn, ridicule and very heavy resistance from the meat and dairy industries. They fought tooth-and-nail to keep the guidelines as they were, but to no avail. Eventually we ended up with the Food Pyramid. Big Foods Wins AgainIn 1988 and 1989, the USDA produced the Eating Right Pyramid, emphasizing grains and other plant foods, and de-emphasizing animal products. It was set for approval in 1991. Just prior to it's scheduled release the meat, dairy, and egg lobbyists finally took notice and heavily attacked the plan due for it's misrepresentation on their products. Complaints were made to the Secretary of Agriculture, Edward R. Madigan, that this pyramid would hurt the sales of beef. The National Milk Producers Association joined in the fight, and within weeks the new Eating Right Pyramid was withdrawn. Big food wins again! Secretary Madigan gave as his reason for the withdrawal that the plan was, "confusing to children." Next came the protests from the American Cancer Society, the American Medical Association and other health and medical organizations over the withdrawal of the pyramid. In July 1991 a private firm was hired, and charged with the task of testing the pyramid on a select group of children and those with minimal education. The resulting $855,000 study determined the plan was indeed sound, and it was again scheduled for release. In April 1992 the Eating Right Pyramid was released, one year late due to the 33 changes demanded by the meat and dairy industries, nearly all of which were incorporated into the design. Keep in mind that the dietary guidelines are a product of the food manufacturers greater needs (selling more product) with a rough balance of the health industry's attempt to influence public opinion. The Eating Right Pyramid Attacked by Atkins Diet and Other Low Carb DietsToday, in the early 2000s, we are again revising the USDA's recommendations. Formerly heavily leaning toward the consumption of breads and cereals (it never made a point of being specific about grains, but it make sense. The food industry is interested in selling processed grains, not whole grains), it appears we'll soon move back to the plan of the early 1930s which emphases meat and dairy, or maybe not. Only time will tell who will win the fight this time around. And the cycle continues. What's up next for our dietary guidelines is anyone's guess, which is why I suggest the common sense diet. Eat good food and more of it. End of story. ~~ Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com Get The Daily Bites: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss.
MORE RESOURCES:
|
Elderly NutritionSioux City JournalPersons 60 years of age and older, and their spouses may participate in the elderly nutrition program in Siouxland. In Sioux City, meals are served Tuesday-Friday at Riverside Lutheran Church, 1817 Riverside Blvd.; on Monday at Riverside Gardens' ... |
|
Soccer for Success after-school program makes net gains in nutritionDetroit Free PressThe free afterschool program, developed by the US Soccer Foundation, was designed to positively impact the lives of children in underserved urban communities by promoting health and nutrition while learning skills of the most popular sport in the world ... |
|
30 nutrition rehab centres to come up by JulyIBNLive.comHYDERABAD: Thirty Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres, proposed under the National Rural Health Mission, will come up in the state by the end of July. Of those, 23 will be set up at the district headquarters and seven in tribal areas. |
|
High Point company creates art prints with nutritional messagesWinston-Salem JournalParadigm Nutrition Inc., formed in late 2011, offers "nutritional facts in a nonthreatening, easy-to-understand way," said Bill McKenzie, who owns the company with his business partner, Ted Johnson. "It just delivers an easy message to people. |
Care2.com |
Nutrition Classes for Parents and TeachersCare2.comI recently interviewed a woman who coordinates nutrition classes for parents and teachers. I found her work to be both inspiring and encouraging. There is often the assumption that children don't like healthy foods. We often believe that, if given free ... |
|
At Hana Fresh, health and nutrition step forwardHonolulu Star-AdvertiserBy Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi ~~. ASK Cheryl Vasconcellos what she most enjoys about her job as the executive director of Hana Health, and there's no doubt pruning, planting and harvesting will be on her list. That's because in addition to her administrative ... |
Google News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Why People Get Sick
The body is a marvelous creation, a carbon, oxygen combustion machine, constantly burning fuel, disposing of the waste products of combustion, and constantly rebuilding tissue by replacing worn out, dead cells with new, fresh ones.Every seven years virtually every cell in the body is replaced, some types of cells having a faster turnover rate than others, which means that over a seven year period several hundred pounds of dead cells must be digested (autolyzed) and eliminated.
Healthy Food Tastes Better!
How is it that we can't seem to think that something nutritious and healthy could in fact be tasty and enjoyable? Ever since I started to eat healthy food I have discovered new tastes, new flavours and new favourites. I do it almost daily.
Whatever Happened to the Basic Four Food Groups?
What Ever Happened to the Basic FourThe USDA was originally given the conflicting task of educating the public on agricultural matters while simultaneously working with food producers to provide a reliable and consistent food supply. This has, over the course of time, led to our ever evolving dietary guidelines, and yet is the purpose of these guidelines for our health or to sell more food?Would You Believe There Were Once 12 Food Groups?The food guides during the 1930's were heavily influenced by The Great Depression and at that time included 12 separate groups!In 1956 the USDA produced the "Basic Four" food guide.
The Toxic Truth About Artificial Sweeteners
The problem with sugar is that it doesn't contain any nutrients so when you consume too much you crowd out room for healthier foods. In fact, it is estimated that on average, Americans consume over 200 pounds of refined sugar annually.
Green Tea, or not to Green Tea?
Wow! Is it just me or? Wait! Let me start again, I think it's great that Oprah is the communicator to the masses that she is, without her or her influence, we would surely be less informed and less enlightened than we currently are, I can admit this, but there are certain things that exist that should not necessarily require the direction of Oprah or her throng of guests to bring to light there-well there mere existence?Green Tea is one such discovery?now there I go; it is not a discovery, although it seems like the entire US population has just been introduced to the latest and the greatest discovery since the last big thing, exercise for weight management? How many centuries has this natural substance existed? And I know that Dr. Perricone did not invent green tea either, but you'd never know it by the response evidenced by his appearance on the Oprah show.
The Sugar-Coated Truth
It is believed that cane sugar was discovered before the birth of Christ. As early as 500 B.
The History of AmbrotoseŽ Complex
AmbrotoseŽ - the Nutritional Alphabet of the "Sweet Language of Life"The story begins with Aloe Vera. The discovery of AmbrotoseŽ really dates back to the 1980's.
Ginger 4 Spleen - A Love Story!
For all I prefer to buy my fresh produce at a farm shop or farmers' market, I do appreciate the role that supermarkets have played in improving the variety in our diets, not to mention the convenience. Ginger, the root, is one of those foods that not too long ago, you would have to have hunted high and low for.
Bumble Bee Fish Oil - Do You Need It?
The makers of Bumble Bee Tuna generated some buzz today by announcing they will be producing a fish oil supplement with their Tuna's name on the bottle. None of the reports mention if they are using an particular standization and quality processes or what methods they are using to ensure that environmental toxins are not being concentrated into their supplement.
Protein and Endurance Sports
Endurance Sports are like music concerts. They start at a low key, setting a steady rhythm and culminate into a crescendo that enthralls the spectator and the athlete.
Nutrition Tips to Improve Fat Loss
Incorporating these fat loss tips will improve your nutrition program. Start off slowly and add one a week, you don't have to adopt all of them at once.
Food We Take Determines Our Character
When you take your food next time, take care of the food what you are taking. Because the food you take determines your character.
Battling Childhood Obesity through Smart Eating
Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign to stem childhood obesity is emerging. For the thousands of children and their families who are currently battling with childhood obesity, this good news is long awaited.
Finding Your Reason Why to be Healthy
The most incredible thing you can do for yourself is have a big enough reason why that will totally light up your life and will remind yourself of that reason every single day. We are going to go through a process to help you create your reasons why to make it almost impossible not to be healthy.
Not all Fats are Bad
Fats have been unfairly lumped together as being all bad for too long. Fat doesn't necessarily cause disease, and can actually cause a role in its prevention.
What Colors Are on Your Plate?
Can the colors on your plate tell you what health benefits you are getting?As researchers are learning more and more about the foods we eat there is one hot topic that keeps coming up?.phytochemicals.
Seasonings: Add More Than Just Flavor
Besides providing taste, color, and aroma, certain seasonings can also add health to your meals. Herbs and spices contain phytochemicals which are natural health promoting substances and have been found to protect us against diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Aspartame -More Dangerous Than High Fructose Corn Syrup
It's really hard to believe that something could be worse than the intense sugar loads from high fructose corn syrup and sucrose. But, Aspartame ( Equal, Nutrasweet, Equal Measure, Spoonful, Canderal) is even more dangerous to your health.
What is A Balanced Diet For Losing Weight and Good Health?
The total calories that you should be consuming depend on whether you are a women or a man. It depends on your body structure and your activity level.
Male Infertility and Glutathione
Are You Half The Man Your Father Was?It is a well-known fact that sperm counts have dropped by half in the last 50 years, and that modern men have 20 percent less semen volume than their fathers (BMJ, 1992, volume 305).A recent report from researchers in Aberdeen presented preliminary data that suggests the sperm concentration of the men seen in their clinic had declined by 29% over the past 14 years.
|
