Michael, as always a balanced view. For all his faults, I’d like to think RFJ genuinely believes he is doing the right thing, even when his right thing is indeed the wrong thing as demonstrated by years of scientific research. Therefore, I am even more frustrated when some of these recommendations either contain errors or is intentionally misleading.
As you dutifully pointed out, these recommendations influence policy and the expenditure of billions of dollars. For that reason alone, this work should be guided by common sense and research, and unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be wholly the case.
Maybe my circle is a bunch of weirdos, but just about everyone I've seen eat regularly is chronically undereating protein. They're worried about getting fat (or, often, fatter). So they snack on carbs between meals instead. I had one friend I had to convince to try to eat at least 50 grams a day because she wasn't getting even that much.
The time to avoid sarcopenia is long before you get it. Overeating high-quality protein (if you practically can without extra effort) is much less harmful than protein deficiency. It's not just the calories. You can certainly develop metabolic syndrome while in energy balance.
When I first saw those guidelines my immediate reaction was to lament the fact that I'm not a cardiologist. I could retire in under a decade with this pyramid.
While "eating whole foods" broadly sounds great, the sheer number of inconsistencies you point out give me the opposite of the warm and fuzzies. I'd like to think that most folks have had enough heart disease in their family to have some sense, but I'm more than halfway expecting heart disease rates to go up and "butter influencers" to unironically become a thing.
For goodness sake it’s a guideline. Not a manual for your life.
We’re not infants out here, stop treating people as such. Perhaps it’s the tendency of the government to treat us as babies why we’ve become so soft and fat. Assuming we’ll all slather butter on everything because of a government food pyramid is once again the bigotry of low expectations. Some might, if they do they have much bigger issues.
Still, I’ve never once heard anyone say I gained 20lbs, it was the food pyramid that did it!
Regardless, scoffers shouldn’t scoff so much, there’s not much to recommend the previous approach. At least someone has come along with a different idea after years of doing the same failed thing.
Here’s a guideline. Above all use your common sense and grow up.
Again, one would hope that in an institution that purports to be of learning, like a school, common sense would be applied by grown ups to something such as dietary guidelines. Perhaps if we treat each other as capable of such, that could happen.
Instead we’ve infantilised our institutions and the results are horrible.
I’m rattling on too much. But I came to this site because I felt there may be grown ups here working at being responsible for their health. I don’t think I’m wrong. I made the assumption you set the bar high for a reason, because you have high expectations, this is good.
You clearly assume we’re capable of doing hard things. More of this please in society as a whole.
Schools aren’t allowed to have common sense. You must not have kids if you think they are. These guidelines aren’t put out for shits and giggles, otherwise, most of us with common sense won’t care.
That’s okay. I wasn’t meaning to be snarky to you but to the system as a whole. Schools don’t have a lot of leeway individually. Everything is decided on a much grander scale and then trickles down. It does not have to make sense; it still has to be put into practice. I know a lot of teachers who are frustrated as well. So yes, it does seem silly that we’d “need” a federal government good guideline; but yet, when you understand the system, it also makes sense. Additionally, there are a lot of people, even people who do have access to fresh food, who do not understand food at all. They only know what they grew up on and that’s the staple they rely on with their own children. These are sometimes college educated people too.
Except that is exactly what the myriad low carb food influencers say. “We started to get obese with the 1977 guidelines, and by vilifying fat, then the food pyramid.”
I have numerous friends and family repeat this nonsense verbatim.
The problem is, in America, no one followed the 1977 guidelines of limiting fat to 30% of calories, and saturated fat to 10, of eating more “real food” in the form of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, lentil’s etc., and limiting calories.
America instead, increased fat intake from 35% on average to over 40%, and dramatically increased saturated fat consumption.
They also increased caloric intake by 30-40%, while decreasing hole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, peas and lentils.
We then went even farther with the re-release of Atkins New Diet Revolution in 1992, vilifying fruit, vegetables, starches and grains, which then re-branded as Paleo, then Keto, now carnivore, to the point the grocery store is littered with foods touting their protein content, and lack of “carbs”.
Yet in the US, over 98% of Americans meet, or exceed their protein needs, it is in literally in almost every food you eat, broccoli, potatoes, fruit, greens, grains, etc.
Every single plant has all 20, including the nine essential amino acids, eat enough calories, and virtually no healthy person can be anywhere near a protein deficiency.
The .8 guideline was purposefully high, two standard deviations above nitrogen balance, to ensure everyone gets “enough”.
But conversely 98% of Americans do not meet the feeble minimums for Potassium, Fiber and fruits and vegetables, but what did the panel highlight?
Protein and full fat dairy, and use tallow and butter for cooking over vegetable oils, even though dozens of HRCT’s show that swap leads to increased heart disease risk and all cause mortality.
So what we have believed to be common sense, is in fact what has made us obese, riddled with insulin resistance, and ASCVD.
Butter contains pentadecanoic acid, which is linked to a variety of health benefits. You don't need to overeat, but enjoy it here and there should be okay.
Not to get political but this food pyramid is nothing more than a political scheme. I wonder what it’s like to have guidelines and information posted for the public that stems purely from a scientific standpoint, whether it’s food or medicine or whatnot and to actually back it all up with actions and real actionable policies? As I’ve stated before, we have millions of Americans going hungry-in a world of abundance-and we are concerned about how we eat. If we addressed feeding everyone, making sure everyone has access to plentiful of fresh foods, then maybe this would be more relevant. Instead, we are spending billions of our tax dollars on other countries while we argue about free school lunches and which diet is the best diet.
I wanted to look at the statement “most American are getting enough protein already”. According to the USDA (ref 4), American men get about 90 g of protein a day, so roughly 30 g/meal. The average weight of an American male is about 200 pounds or roughly 90 kg. That would mean about 1 g per kilogram, which is more than the older guidance bit substantially less than what is currently promoted. That intake works for someone who weights about 160lbs. So, I think there’s more nuance needed for this part of the discussion.
That male is also overweight/obese, with elevated LDL/ApoB and insulin resistance. The guidelines are for your healthy weight, and the .8 is enough for over 98% of the population, the idea that it isn’t is not based on the scientific research.
The current 1.2-1.6 per kilogram is for maximum MPS, or as Layne Norton says, “if you want to be the most jacked, strong human you can be”, but that has nothing to do with being healthy
I don’t disagree on the overweight part, but then the recommendations have to be scaled on lean weight not actual. But, most folks don’t have a measure of the former.
You hit the nail on the head. The recommend using tallow instead of seed oils but the 10% amount didn't change?? That will be hard to do.
At first the alcohol bothered me but if you have it in moderation and use it socially, I can see the mental health benefits. Like anything, moderation is the key.
Also interesting that alcohol limits were removed.
My first thought when seeing the new pyramid: Michael Easter isn’t going to like seeing oatmeal in the bottom 1/3.
My second thought: where’s the McDonalds, Monsters, and Nerd Clusters?
My third thought: yeah I should probably ensure I get my 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
They’ll take my oatmeal from my cold dead hands.
😂
Always appreciate your thoughtful, grounded responses to these things. A calm voice in a sea of "hot takes" and "my team your team". Thanks Michael!
Maybe one day I'll go off the rails—but apparently not today lol.
Thanks for reading the post.
Michael, as always a balanced view. For all his faults, I’d like to think RFJ genuinely believes he is doing the right thing, even when his right thing is indeed the wrong thing as demonstrated by years of scientific research. Therefore, I am even more frustrated when some of these recommendations either contain errors or is intentionally misleading.
As you dutifully pointed out, these recommendations influence policy and the expenditure of billions of dollars. For that reason alone, this work should be guided by common sense and research, and unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be wholly the case.
Thanks for your analysis!
Maybe my circle is a bunch of weirdos, but just about everyone I've seen eat regularly is chronically undereating protein. They're worried about getting fat (or, often, fatter). So they snack on carbs between meals instead. I had one friend I had to convince to try to eat at least 50 grams a day because she wasn't getting even that much.
The time to avoid sarcopenia is long before you get it. Overeating high-quality protein (if you practically can without extra effort) is much less harmful than protein deficiency. It's not just the calories. You can certainly develop metabolic syndrome while in energy balance.
Trying to figure out if that's tuna or sardines being represented by the canned fish graphic.
Looks like a tuna, but it needs to be a 'dine.
I was worried about a possible war on bread until I saw the daily servings where more than I eat anyway ahaha.
Diet seems like an area where compromise and moderation give you best results.
The level of incompetence is astounding.
When I first saw those guidelines my immediate reaction was to lament the fact that I'm not a cardiologist. I could retire in under a decade with this pyramid.
While "eating whole foods" broadly sounds great, the sheer number of inconsistencies you point out give me the opposite of the warm and fuzzies. I'd like to think that most folks have had enough heart disease in their family to have some sense, but I'm more than halfway expecting heart disease rates to go up and "butter influencers" to unironically become a thing.
Butter Bar, anyone? https://youtube.com/shorts/oTdEI1yZANg?si=ByRoQm3uXIKwPwbg
I almost put a joke about cardiologists having plenty of future work in the post. Lol.
For goodness sake it’s a guideline. Not a manual for your life.
We’re not infants out here, stop treating people as such. Perhaps it’s the tendency of the government to treat us as babies why we’ve become so soft and fat. Assuming we’ll all slather butter on everything because of a government food pyramid is once again the bigotry of low expectations. Some might, if they do they have much bigger issues.
Still, I’ve never once heard anyone say I gained 20lbs, it was the food pyramid that did it!
Regardless, scoffers shouldn’t scoff so much, there’s not much to recommend the previous approach. At least someone has come along with a different idea after years of doing the same failed thing.
Here’s a guideline. Above all use your common sense and grow up.
Just noting these guidelines determine federal food programs, like school lunches.
Again, one would hope that in an institution that purports to be of learning, like a school, common sense would be applied by grown ups to something such as dietary guidelines. Perhaps if we treat each other as capable of such, that could happen.
Instead we’ve infantilised our institutions and the results are horrible.
I’m rattling on too much. But I came to this site because I felt there may be grown ups here working at being responsible for their health. I don’t think I’m wrong. I made the assumption you set the bar high for a reason, because you have high expectations, this is good.
You clearly assume we’re capable of doing hard things. More of this please in society as a whole.
Over and out.
Schools aren’t allowed to have common sense. You must not have kids if you think they are. These guidelines aren’t put out for shits and giggles, otherwise, most of us with common sense won’t care.
I have two adult children. I have no idea what the point of your post is, sorry.
That’s okay. I wasn’t meaning to be snarky to you but to the system as a whole. Schools don’t have a lot of leeway individually. Everything is decided on a much grander scale and then trickles down. It does not have to make sense; it still has to be put into practice. I know a lot of teachers who are frustrated as well. So yes, it does seem silly that we’d “need” a federal government good guideline; but yet, when you understand the system, it also makes sense. Additionally, there are a lot of people, even people who do have access to fresh food, who do not understand food at all. They only know what they grew up on and that’s the staple they rely on with their own children. These are sometimes college educated people too.
Except that is exactly what the myriad low carb food influencers say. “We started to get obese with the 1977 guidelines, and by vilifying fat, then the food pyramid.”
I have numerous friends and family repeat this nonsense verbatim.
The problem is, in America, no one followed the 1977 guidelines of limiting fat to 30% of calories, and saturated fat to 10, of eating more “real food” in the form of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, lentil’s etc., and limiting calories.
America instead, increased fat intake from 35% on average to over 40%, and dramatically increased saturated fat consumption.
They also increased caloric intake by 30-40%, while decreasing hole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, peas and lentils.
We then went even farther with the re-release of Atkins New Diet Revolution in 1992, vilifying fruit, vegetables, starches and grains, which then re-branded as Paleo, then Keto, now carnivore, to the point the grocery store is littered with foods touting their protein content, and lack of “carbs”.
Yet in the US, over 98% of Americans meet, or exceed their protein needs, it is in literally in almost every food you eat, broccoli, potatoes, fruit, greens, grains, etc.
Every single plant has all 20, including the nine essential amino acids, eat enough calories, and virtually no healthy person can be anywhere near a protein deficiency.
The .8 guideline was purposefully high, two standard deviations above nitrogen balance, to ensure everyone gets “enough”.
But conversely 98% of Americans do not meet the feeble minimums for Potassium, Fiber and fruits and vegetables, but what did the panel highlight?
Protein and full fat dairy, and use tallow and butter for cooking over vegetable oils, even though dozens of HRCT’s show that swap leads to increased heart disease risk and all cause mortality.
So what we have believed to be common sense, is in fact what has made us obese, riddled with insulin resistance, and ASCVD.
Butter contains pentadecanoic acid, which is linked to a variety of health benefits. You don't need to overeat, but enjoy it here and there should be okay.
Not to get political but this food pyramid is nothing more than a political scheme. I wonder what it’s like to have guidelines and information posted for the public that stems purely from a scientific standpoint, whether it’s food or medicine or whatnot and to actually back it all up with actions and real actionable policies? As I’ve stated before, we have millions of Americans going hungry-in a world of abundance-and we are concerned about how we eat. If we addressed feeding everyone, making sure everyone has access to plentiful of fresh foods, then maybe this would be more relevant. Instead, we are spending billions of our tax dollars on other countries while we argue about free school lunches and which diet is the best diet.
Finally a rational, well reasoned take. Excellent Michael.
I wanted to look at the statement “most American are getting enough protein already”. According to the USDA (ref 4), American men get about 90 g of protein a day, so roughly 30 g/meal. The average weight of an American male is about 200 pounds or roughly 90 kg. That would mean about 1 g per kilogram, which is more than the older guidance bit substantially less than what is currently promoted. That intake works for someone who weights about 160lbs. So, I think there’s more nuance needed for this part of the discussion.
That male is also overweight/obese, with elevated LDL/ApoB and insulin resistance. The guidelines are for your healthy weight, and the .8 is enough for over 98% of the population, the idea that it isn’t is not based on the scientific research.
The current 1.2-1.6 per kilogram is for maximum MPS, or as Layne Norton says, “if you want to be the most jacked, strong human you can be”, but that has nothing to do with being healthy
I don’t disagree on the overweight part, but then the recommendations have to be scaled on lean weight not actual. But, most folks don’t have a measure of the former.
You hit the nail on the head. The recommend using tallow instead of seed oils but the 10% amount didn't change?? That will be hard to do.
At first the alcohol bothered me but if you have it in moderation and use it socially, I can see the mental health benefits. Like anything, moderation is the key.
Well written article!