The Food Pyramid Scheme

So we now have a new Food Pyramid. Why? Because the old one established by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1992 led to the unhealthiest generation yet; Gen Y. 

Dear Millennials, before I go on, I want to let you know it’s not your fault you have the highest incidence of obesity, diabetes, and other major health issues. You can blame it on your Gen X parents, who are also unhealthy, and because we are the ones who fed you.

Or can we all agree that the USDA, whose Food Pyramid told us to eat lots of carbs and processed foods, is partially to blame? As it turns out, a carb-based diet supplemented by Pop Tarts and juice boxes was not good for you. 

The old food pyramid was controversial from the start. But we can’t blame science for this one. A federal government, infiltrated by special interest groups and lobbyists for farmers, ranchers, and the rest of “Big Ag“, overstepped the science and sacrificed the health of all of us.

The USDA created the old food pyramid, not the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and that is where the conflict lies. The USDA’s goal is to promote American agriculture and the FDA’s goal is protecting public health. Therein lies the conflict that created the Food Pyramid Scheme.

When dietary advice threatened major industries like wheat, corn, beef, and dairy, the science got pushed aside. The USDA’s conflicting goals often created recommendations that were softened, blurred, or rearranged so they would not reduce demand for US agriculture products.

Think about this. The old Food Pyramid suggested six to 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta per day. The only people that need that many carbs are marathon runners. The base of the pyramid wasn’t driven by food science, it was more about surplus grain production, Federal subsidies for corn and wheat and a food manufacturing complex that turns these grains into high carb, shelf stable products. #sugarcornpops

Moms sent the kids off to school after a nice nutritious breakfast of skim milk and Frosted Flakes. Kids were served school lunches based on the pyramid, with pizza, fries and mac n’ cheese on the menu. The evening meal was the only time each day where a protein was served, and after school activities oftentimes meant stopping by Mickey D’s for McNuggets.

Luckily for us, the new food pyramid was developed with the US Health and Human Services Department. It’s at https://realfood.gov/ and I recommend you read it. Regardless of how much you may or may not like RFK Jr., it’s actually based on scientific data from the last few decades.