The USDA Contradicts its Food Pyramid Advice

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercola.com/2005/may/19/food_pyramid.htm

 

The USDA Contradicts its Food Pyramid Advice

 

A troubling disparity highlighted the awkward truth about the U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA): What it advises people to eat to

stay healthy does not exactly match what it pays farmers to grow ...

to say the least.

 

For starters, the only reference to corn on the USDA's new food

pyramid is a graphic of a bright-yellow ear of corn amid a sea of

other vegetables; soybeans are not mentioned at all. Yet U.S. farmers

receive $15 billion in subsidies to grow corn and soybeans that are

largely used to feed livestock (with harmful chemicals and antibiotics

often added).

 

What's worse, corn and soybeans are used to make artificial sweeteners

and partially hydrogenated oils -- the very ingredients the food

pyramid urges Americans to avoid. Comparatively so, fruit and

vegetable farmers receive no subsidies whatsoever, though whole foods

are supposed to make up the largest part of Americans' diets, per the

pyramid's recommendations.

 

Discrepancies Noted

 

According to a former U.S. Congressman, farm policy has clearly been

developed with little regard for the diets and health of Americans and

instead is the result of a Depression-era program that was supposed to

give temporary relief for low commodity prices. He further explained

that those who attend hearings on domestic farm policies are largely

lobbyists who protect the interests of a handful of crops, including:

 

* Corn

* Soybeans

* Cotton

 

 

 

* Rice

* Wheat

* Sugar

 

A nutrition professor at New York University said the USDA has fought

with conflict of interest since its mission was expanded beyond

farming to dietary advice and food assistance to the poor.

 

The result?

 

Lobbying from the food industry has historically influenced the

agency's nutrition advice -- the composition of the new pyramid included.

 

Moreover, the alleged conflict between the agency's role in promoting

both nutrition and agriculture even prompted former Sen. Peter

Fitzgerald to compare the USDA, when it comes to farm subsidies, to a

fox guarding the henhouse. He introduced legislation to move the

nutrition program to the Department of Health and Human Services, but

his legislation fizzled.

 

Farm subsidies are not the only USDA program that seems to contradict

the advice of the food pyramid: The department also sponsors a variety

of marketing initiatives that encourage consumers to eat more of

everything.

 

Chicago Tribune May 2, 2005

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

You may be wondering why there is such a gigantic discrepancy between

what corn and soybean farmers are being paid, compared to fruit and

vegetable farmers. The reason, as usual, is money.

 

The USDA doesn't give $15 billion to just anyone. In this case, they

are guaranteeing themselves continued support from the mega food

corporations, who make billions themselves from the sale of numerous

products made with the ingredients supplied by corn and soy.

 

By itself, corn is used in an untold amount of products. Everything

from conventional cattle feed to high-fructose corn syrup to even some

forms of vitamin C are made from corn.

 

Of course, products made with soy constituents are equally plentiful.

Many experts tout soy as a health food, despite the evidence that it

is not. Most soy is grown for its uses in livestock feed and in the

hydrogenated fats used in making processed foods.

 

It's unfortunate that the government doesn't place the same emphasis

on your health as it does on capitulating to corporate conflict of

interest. The above study only serves as more confirmation that there

is still a long battle ahead to turn the health of America's citizens

into one of its highest priorities.

 

Related Articles:

 

US " Food Pyramid " Invalid as It was Made by Experts with Conflicts

of Interest

 

Was the New Food Pyramid Worth the Wait?

 

New Conflicts Revealed in USDA Dairy Promotion