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Probably since we can remember as little children in early grade school, we were shown those colorful charts that represent our nation’s “food guide”.
A food guide is supposed to give us the basic foundation and guidelines of what to eat, to achieve the nutritional needs of our body for a state of health.
Food guides differ sometimes slightly, and sometimes majorly between different countries. Over the years however, one thing that they have held in common, is that they have become a popular tool that is referenced by many nutritionists, dietitians, doctors and teachers alike, when it comes to teaching people how to eat for supposed health.
Despite their wide acceptance however, a closer examination of food guides shows a whole different story. In fact, critics of food guides over the years are not shy to voice their concerns, about just how misleading most food guides actually are when it comes to shaping people’s health.
Thus in this article, I want to give you a general history of the Canadian and American food guide, followed by an examination of some of the major flaws, of why eating according to a food guide, may actually do more harm than good.
History of The Food Guides
The history of the American food guide began in 1916, after some major discoveries in the areas of vitamins and other nutrients. This is when the USDA developed the first 5 food groups: (vegetables & fruits), (meat, fish & milk), (cereals), (simple sweets) and (butter & wholesome fats). At this point there was little concern about the harmful effects of overnutrition. As long as one ate the minimum requirements, one could eat anything they liked.
The first RDA’s (recommended dietary allowances) were announced in 1941, and this lead to several new food guides being developed, with an emphasis during the next 15 years on the nation’s food supply and link to the wars. By 1956, a general 4 food group guide was developed. In 1979, the Daily Food Guide was developed, which expanded on those 4 groups, both in terms of increasing servings and adding in sweets, fats and alcohol.
In 1992, there was the emergence of the Food Guide Pyramid, after many criticisms of the previous guides, and this was the first one to put more emphasis on plant material, although meat and dairy were still greatly overemphasized.
The latest addition came in 2005, with the introduction of the My Pyramid. Although seen as an improvement to the previous guides, the main criticism is still an overemphasized meat and dairy consumption. Given the American health crisis, the next changes are scheduled for 2010. You can see the My Pyramid here.
In Canada, the first official food guide was introduced in 1942. Over the years, changes were similar to that of the United States, however the focus always revolved around the four major food groups. Most Canadians are still familiar with the popular version of the food guide from 1992, which grossly misrepresented the importance of the grain group. The newest food guide to come out in Canada was in 2007, and some major beneficial changes were made. Fruits and vegetables, now became the most important group, and their servings were increased. However, it still remained a limited, basic 4 food group guide. Here is the 1992 guide compared with the 2007 guide.
1992 
2007
Limitations Of The Food Guides
Over the years many criticisms were put forth about the food guides.
One of the main criticisms as I already mentioned, has been the huge overemphasis of meat and dairy. In fact a general consensus exists, that the food guides are too influenced by those industries. Many groups have even flat out accused the USDA of being biased towards them, due to the strong ties between them. This is no surprise as the government lobbies are also in great favor of promoting the meat and dairy industries, with links to having a healthy economy. We know today, that meat and dairy carry each with them numerous health problems and should in no way, be eaten in the amounts that are recommended. For some fun from a political side, check out the following food guide:
Another major criticism was that the food guides have not kept up adequately with nutritional science. Today, we know that there is so much more to the benefit of plant food, than just simple vitamins and minerals. We also know that meat and dairy are not requirements for a healthy diet. We know that refined grains and sugars are detrimental to our health, and should not be promoted on food guides that are supposed to teach people how to eat and be healthy.
Another area of concern was that throughout most of the food guides, grain servings have been grossly overstated. Grains were made to be eaten in the largest amounts of all the foods, with numbers ranging from 5 – 11 servings of grains per day. This is too much for most active people, never mind sedentary people. Hence the food guides were also blamed for contributing to the obesity epidemic we have today. Grains are very dense in energy, and you just cannot eat like that regardless of whether they are whole or processed, white grain products.
Although the food guides try to be simple and use various colors, pictures and charts, surveys show that despite all this, most people still have no idea how to use them and hence eat healthy. Problems arise around how much actually is a serving, how to fit all the servings into a day, etc. In the end, many people are often left more confused and stuck in counting numbers, rather than making and eating food, simple and fun.
Finally, the food guides do not cater to many people in the population. The food guides are not applicable to people with various conditions, especially diabetes. They can somewhat be useful to vegetarians, but are completely useless to vegans.
Bottom line, the food guides mislead people into thinking that they must have meat, dairy and grains to be eating a so called healthy diet. When in reality, major populations of people around the world today, eliminate one or more of these food items and function completely well.
Optimal Health and Eating Beyond The Food Guides
As a holistic nutritionist and nutritional counselor, I have to tell you one of the biggest pet peeves is when people assume that all nutritionists work, based on the general food guides. Too many equate the word “nutritionist” with “food guide”. I guess I cannot blame anyone though, as this system has been deeply ingrained into all of our heads, whether it is appropriate or not. Not many people pause to analyze the food guides and make sense of them for themselves.
As with most things in life, we rely on others to tell us what to do, when to do it and how to do it. Bottom line, I do not support the general food guides, as they are not designed for optimal health.
The first thing I tell my clients is, take accountability for your own health! We have so much information at our finger tips today, thanks to the Internet. And while some sources may not be the most credible, there are enough good sources to be able to draw your own conclusions of what actually is right and makes sense for you, at different times in your life.
Secondly, what we know today about nutrition, versus what your mom knew growing up, versus what your grandmother knew is astoundingly different. That is why, it is also important to be open-minded and aware of the latest findings and changes.
Thirdly, not everyone is the same. Our body compositions vary, our physical needs vary, our health needs vary and there is no way that any 1 chart can tell us accurately what is right for us.
So what is the solution? First and foremost make eating for optimal health easy, by following a common sense approach.
You don’t need a degree in anything to know that processed and refined food is not part of a healthy diet. Let your common sense prevail. Simply look at mother nature and eat a variety of what she offers in its most natural form. And to add to that, forget counting, whether it be calories, carbs or nutrient levels. Simply listen to your body.
We know today, that the healthiest foods for us, are ones that are natural and plant-based. That means fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans. When it comes to animal products, the story gets a little more difficult, and no, mother nature is not offering them to us like some people think. We take these animals by brute force to get what we want from them.
Having done the research I have, I personally cannot in good conscience recommended to anyone a diet based on meat and dairy. Numerous reports, studies, doctors, films and books have been showing consistently for the past few decades that animal products are the number one reason for the current weight, cancer, and heart disease problems that we have in the population. Of course these are counteracted by the heavily ingrained food guide recommendations and heavy marketing by the meat and dairy industries to make sure we live in fear that without milk, our bones will break, etc.
If one really wants to keep them in their diet, based on the China Study – the biggest study ever conducted on animal products and health, keeping only 10% animal products in your diet will give some benefits, where as having 4% or less animal products is best for optimal health.
So in conclusion, a discussion like this is far from over, as I am sure many people out there still have lots of questions when it comes to health and eating. Hence, I leave you for now with 5 very simple and general guidelines for optimal eating:
- A major portion of any meal should be green vegetables, especially leafy ones
- Whole grains should be used as additions to a meal, not its main part
- Eat a generous handful of beans with at least 1 meal each day
- Your plates should look like a rainbow of natural colors
- Fruits, nuts and seeds make great snacks throughout the day
To add to this, I leave you with one other, very valuable resource. There was one food guide that I came across in my research that I do support as a good reference. It is called the Honest Food Guide and it was developed by Mike Adams of NaturalNews.com.
In fact, I highly recommend this food guide, because instead of telling you what to eat, it gives you the facts and leaves you with a choice of what state of health you desire. It does this by presenting you with 2 groups of food choices and lets you decide which ones you want to choose from. On the left side, are foods that lead to diseases, and on the right side, are foods that lead to optimal health. Click on the picture below, to download your own copy of it for reference or printing.
Most importantly, get creative with natural food combinations, have fun and enjoy!
References:
1. Nutrition for Health, Fitness & Sport by Melvin H. Williams
2. The Dietitian’s Guide to Vegetarian Diets: Issues and Applications by Virginia Messina et al.
3. Becoming Vegetarian: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Vegetarian Diet by Vesanto Melina et al.
4. The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health by Colin T. Campbell et al.
5. The Food Pyramid: Its History, Purpose and Effectiveness by Jaye Lewis
About the author:Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN - is a certified holistic nutritionist, biologist, educator, writer, researcher and speaker in the areas of health, science and holistic wellness. She is a nutritional science expert and her teaching and writing focus on natural, wholesome, plant-based and organic nutrition to achieve optimal health and longevity. Learn more about Evita Ochel or Follow Evita Ochel on Twitter.
9 Comments to “Why Eating According To The Food Guide, Does More Harm Than Good”
I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that milk/dairy is bad for you. Like an unbelievably hard time. Firstly for the past, I’m going to go with my entire life (almost 19 years), it’s been like: “Some bacteria is good, Amber, like yogurt and cheese!”
Even in grade 5 I remember distinctly having to write down what we ate on a daily basis and my teacher flipping on me because I only ate 2 dairy products a day and she was all “Woman need more dairy! You’ll get osteoporosis!”. And then there’s all the propaganda, “Got Milk?”.
I can accept red meat being bad for you, but I mean poultry and stuff (aside from the hormones) isn’t as bad, right?
Maybe it’s just hard for me to believe that I’ve been wrong my entire life, and everyone around me has been wrong their entire lives. And the simple fact is, I know people who seem healthy who eat a lot of dairy and a decent amount of meat. But then looks can be deceiving, I suppose.
Ah! I’ll add onto this later, I just noticed the time. Thanks for writing this, and I’m glad you don’t mind my questions. I always wonder if I annoy people, although I think I’ve asked you the most questions out of anyone.
@ AMBER – I can completely relate to how you feel. When I researched, learned and found out what I did about:
- meat (all meat including fish)
- dairy (esp. milk)
- our personal care products
- pesticides
- genetically modified food
- water quality
(not to mention spiritual/religious views)
…it was mind blowing to say the least. In the last 5 years, I had to reshape, rethink and start from scratch almost all the paradigms and ideas that I had been lead to believe all this time!!! How’s that for feeling lied to…especially that you would expect schools, esp universities to teach you better. But most people Amber, 80% maybe 90% just live life, reciting the same stuff from one to another, never stopping to THINK!!!
This is another reason you know why I left formal teaching. I could no longer be a part of a system that leads people down a very misleading path. And so I had to break away and teach people in another way.
So yes Amber, to say that our society leads us astray or well in some cases bluntly lies to us, is putting it mildly.
I did not change over night though. The biggest changes have happened in the last 2 years. And I still always teach, do not believe anyone, this includes me. Seek sources, many sources and put your own ideas together. You will know what feels right within, if you allow it.
See, that is what growth, growing up is all about. Letting go of old paradigms and the ideas of others and finding your own truths as you go through life. We can go through life like zombies, asleep from day to day, believing in what others feed us, or we can start to reason, think and critically analyze what we have come to be told.
As far as dairy goes, I had a huge smile on my face as I read your questions and parts. Me – the cheese eating, milk drinking diva 3 years ago is today telling people that dairy is bad, yes Amber, crazier things have happened.
Do you realize that we are the only mammal that drinks milk, and that is milk from another animal as an adult??? And everybody just acts this as normal??? Even in biology class one learns that we lose the main enzyme, renin after being young children, which is needed to digest milk properly.
When you learn, always also consider where the information comes from and what does the person have to gain by telling you what they are. For example, what do I gain by telling you not to drink milk vs what do the dairy companies gain by telling you to drink milk….
As for the bacteria you speak of, they are not bad. Proper bacteria are very healthy, but it is not the yogurt that makes them good, it is them that make the yogurt good. And if we stay away from antibiotics (another bombshell :) and eat foods that favor healthy bacterial growth, then we can actually have a very healthy intestinal flora.
Anyhow there is way too much that I want to say that I could possibly cover in a comment. So for now I say this: simply stay open to the information you find out there, and start forming your own truths.
So I have so many resources to give you and point you towards, I actually do not even know where to start. The point is Amber, if you should choose to look into this further, the evidence is everywhere.
1. The first and easiest place I would start is to watch the following movie:
http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/483/movie-review-a-delicate-balance/?t=review
It is available as a pay-per-view online $5.00US (it is all legit) (get 4 other friends and it costs you each a buck ;)
2. Another option is to read the following book:
http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/725/book-review-skinny-bitch/?t=review
It is very short, easy to read, mind you has a few swear words, but talks in a language that really appeals to people, especially teens.
3. Subscribe to the website: NaturalNews.com
4. Start by reading this article from me as well:
http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/745/you-can-thank-high-protein-and-high-sodium-diets-for-your-bone-loss/
As for people seeming healthy who eat this stuff…. that all depends what they blame their headaches, their indigestion, their colds, flus, their weight gain, their thyroid problems, their skin problems, their allergies, their cancers, their high blood pressures on….need I go on… Too few people are making the connection between what they put in their body, and what they get in return.
And as for your questions, LOL, questions are wonderful as they make us grow and learn – and so you are welcome!
Don’t worry Miss, I’m a very critical person. I don’t tend to believe just anything. It’s a gift and a curse. However, I am inclined to believe you, (which you can take whichever way you please).
Lol, crazier things? I just found out there used to be a $2 bill, my mind has already been blown for the week… and now dairy, my precious dairy!? Given, I’ve never loved cheese (except on certain things)… but my chocolate milk? My yogurt?
But anyways, enough of that. You’re going to be mad at me, it’s 2am… my sleep schedule will be fixed *eventually*, it’s been messed up since exams.
But yes… back on topic. Jakki’s gonna lend me Skinny Bitch when she’s done, you’ve got her all health conscious too, hah. And yeah swearing, hah, heard way worse in my day.
Ah, the thing is. Even if you’re right. Which for argument’s sake (not to mention the million things you’ve cited to prove it) let’s say you are right. If you’re right, the world is in utter food chaos at the moment, and I can’t believe the mass amount of misinformation that corporations are feeding off of. It actually makes me sick. I hate money.
I can’t say I’m going to make any drastic changes to what I eat yet. To be honest, for the most part I feel fine unless I eat something absolutely horrid for me. I’ve made small changes, although seriously, having strong nails is probably the best thing ever. Baby steps.
I’m conflicted in short. Very conflicted. Like I went to my boyfriend’s house for dinner tonight and we had a “well-balanced” meal, and in my head… it’s like “Well, actually… chocolate milk, pasta, meat, is not good for you and the tomato sauce probably has salt.”
I don’t know… more research is in order.
Wow, great article. It is fascinating that so many people just follow along with what they are told at face value. I sincerely think that the food industry (like the drug industry) is run by the companies with the most money, trying to ensure they keep the funds rolling in.
I stopped eating meat when I was quite young (10) out of my own personal choice. My family was not too happy with me as ‘what about my PROTEIN!?!?!’. Needless to say, I’ve survived! And I am quite healthy. Working to become a registered holistic nutritionist has only opened my eyes wider to the misinformation that is out there.
This is why you’re such a good teacher, Evita! You handled that so well and and piqued her curiosity!
Another great post! I actually have a problem with the whole “food group” issue. Who says that food needs to be in groups? I’ve often read comments from supposed experts warning people about eliminating “whole food groups” and I just don’t buy the concept at all. I rarely eat from the meat group, the dairy group and the grain group and I am healthier than I’ve ever been! Fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes are doing me a world of good.
I like the honest food guide.
@ AMBER – You’ve nailed it here, when you said:
“the world is in utter food chaos at the moment, and I can’t believe the mass amount of misinformation that corporations are feeding off of”
Amber there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes from a political standpoint that try to hide this. But natural health leaders today will not be silent. The truths are being brought out louder and louder, and more people are waking up and listening for the first time.
I am glad that you are a critical thinker, and as you said nothing drastic yet. Collect your data, as you research and make changes as you see fit.
One thing about the chocolate milk….read the ingredients…. and nutritional label. I think there is actually more sugar in that milk than fat, which is hard to believe given that it is milk. Oh yes I was there too.
If you do nothing but read your food labels, you will already be off to an amazing start where your health is concerned.
As for feeling good/bad. You are young and when it comes to food and our bodies, it isn’t like with some strong poison. You don’t eat a hamburger and than fall over dead or seriously sick. (If it were that fast, we wouldn’t have the problem we have) Anyhow, our bodies try to fight it and deal with it for years WITHOUT giving you any symptoms. But within slowly, things change, things get weaker, etc.
We think aging and diseases as we get older are normal. This is only the case because we are not connecting the dots yet, that poor food choices at 20, lead to poor health at 40.
So it all just depends on how one wants to invest in their future.
Something else that I find amusing is how many people pay money to life insurance companies, and how few ever put effort, never mind money into insuring good health for the future… but c’est la vie!
@ KOKO – Thanks so much for the feedback Koko! Yes, I think more and more people are seeing that indeed the food industry and drug industry have a lot of similarities…
Wow that is so awesome you gave up meat at 10! What an evolved child you must have been! And you are so right, many, many people are very confused, mislead and misguided when it comes to eating and the whole area of nutrition. And with so much info out there one may wonder why perhaps. But it is in my opinion because of how much conflicting info there is that people are so confused.
Congratulations on your journey to becoming a registered holistic nutritionist! I am sure with your knowledge, you will make a great one and help many people out there!
P.S. By the way I made another one of the “raw cheesecakes” and added blueberries into it, kept out the lime. It turned out great and I loved it, though my husband loved the original more ;)
@ HANLIE – Thanks so much Hanlie! Any info I can offer others to help where health and nutrition, and life happiness is concerned is my pleasure!
And I so agree with you, the same happened to me when I gave up those two groups. Today I am healthier than ever before, and I know I am building a strong body for the future years, not one that will be prone to decline and disease.
And yeah, I love that Honest Food Guide – it just says it straight up like it is :)
[...] Why Eating According TO The Food Guide, Does More Harm Then Good [...]
A dynamite article, comprehensive in its examination of the decades-long bias in our food education. Thank you so much for providing factual information that further counters BIG CORPORATE agribusiness influence over farming, food production, and food distribution!
@ JAMES – Thanks so much James for stopping by and offering your feedback. Both very much appreciated!
Yes, unfortunately there is a lot of control, and not of the right kind when it comes to food production, distribution and education. But when we all look into things for ourselves and embrace the bigger picture, we get to see through a lot of the biased hype.