What happened to the four basic food groups?

What happened to the four basics?

USDA was originally tasked with educating the public on agricultural issues while working with food producers to provide a reliable and consistent food supply. This, over time, has 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 that there were ever 12 food groups?

Food guides during the 1930s were heavily influenced by the Great Depression and at that time included 12 separate groups.

In 1956, the USDA developed the “Basic Four” dietary guide. The dairy industry was so excited that it strongly promoted the plan, and why not; Since milk, eggs, and butter were suggested as a separate food group, it made sense that the dairy industry would be quite pleased.

In elementary school in the 1960s we were taught that three full meals a day were best, and any other meal was considered a “snack.” What is a snack? Is it extra food when you are not hungry? Is it something to do when you are bored? Is it a social activity (standing around a table laden with food at a party)?

And what was a full meal? It was based on the “Four Basic Food Groups” as defined at the time:

1. Milk

2. Meat

3. Fruits and vegetables

4. Grains

Four groups, four sides, four squares! Cleansed. Easy. People could “understand” this, and that was the point. Make it easy enough for the average person to understand.

In the 1970s, research began to argue that consuming too much of certain foods, such as fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, increased the chances of heart disease and diabetes, and therefore caused the USDA to try to further modify your guidelines.

This was met with contempt, ridicule and great resistance from the meat and dairy industries. They fought tooth and nail to keep the guidelines as they were, but to no avail. We eventually ended up with the Food Pyramid.

Big Foods wins again

In 1988 and 1989, the USDA produced the Eating Right Pyramid, emphasizing grains and other plant foods and downplaying animal products. It was set for approval in 1991. Just before its scheduled launch, meat, dairy and egg lobbyists finally caught on and strongly attacked the plan due to misrepresentation of their products.

Complaints were made to the Secretary of Agriculture, Edward R. Madigan, that this pyramid would hurt meat sales. The National Association of Milk Producers joined the fight and within weeks the new Eating Well Pyramid was withdrawn. Big food wins again! Secretary Madigan gave the reason for the withdrawal that the plan was “confusing for the kids.”

Then came protests from the American Cancer Society, the American Medical Association, and other medical and health organizations over the removal of the pyramid. In July 1991, a private company was contracted and tasked with testing the pyramid on a select group of children and those with minimal education. The resulting $ 855,000 study determined that the plan was really sound and was again scheduled for release.

In April 1992, the Eating Well Pyramid was launched, a year late due to the 33 changes required by the meat and dairy industries, almost all incorporated into the design.

Keep in mind that the dietary guidelines are a product of the increased needs of food manufacturers (sell more product) with a rough balance of the health industry’s attempt to influence public opinion.

The correct food pyramid attacked by the Atkins diet and other low-carb diets

Today, in the early 2000s, we are revisiting the USDA recommendations. Previously leaning heavily towards the consumption of breads and grains (he never bothered to be specific about grains, but it makes sense. The food industry is interested in selling processed grains, not whole grains), it looks like we will be back to the early plan soon. the 1930s emphasizing meat and dairy, or maybe not. Only time will tell who will win the fight this time. And the cycle continues. What follows for our dietary guidelines is anyone’s guess, which is why I suggest the common sense diet.

Eat good food and more. End of story.