The world was anxiously awaiting the release of the 2015-2020 dietary guidelines – as there’s been a tremendous push over the last 10 years to make some serious changes.
Not only because the United States is more fat and sick than ever before, but because we’ve been blessed with a considerable dose of undeniable evidence that fat and cholesterol are not the enemy they’ve previously been portrayed as.
Some would argue that the internet is responsible for this rebellion – as it’s given courageous low-carb advocates like Tim Noakes the ability to spread his message, fat-eaters across the country the chance to share their personal success stories, and an opportunity to collaborate and create online petitions (like this one pioneered by Jeff Volek) that can be signed by thousands of people across the globe in a matter of minutes. But despite all the coverage and increased enthusiasm, the U.S. government found a way to drop the ball…AGAIN! Continuing to advocate a lower-fat approach to health, and promote the grain-dominant, anti-meat diet they always have.
And sure, it’s got a shiny new package and less of an all-out assault on saturated fat, but it’s the same unproven, corporately funded nonsense they pumped out 5 years ago. Smeared with vegetable oil, stuffed with tofu, and served on a bed of whole-wheat pasta.
There’s probably a lot more wrong with the new guidelines than what’s identified here (like eating <2300mg of salt), but these 8 overarching issues should give you enough reason to tell your doctor and dietician where they can put their government-approved nutrition advice.
1. Soy is a Staple
The first obvious problem, is that soy is mentioned as a ‘key recommendation’ in the executive summary of this plan…twice!
The government jackasses not only encourage soy milk consumption over dairy, and soybeans over meat, but they manage to squeeze it in the nutrient food lists as a good source of vitamin D, calcium and fiber.
As we’ve discussed, and I hope you’ve learned, soy is only safely consumed as a fermented condiment. NOT as a meat or milk replacement.
2. Degenerate Dairy
If soy milk isn’t for you, the U.S. government thinks low-fat dairy is a good option. Also known as ‘the cancer-promoting variety of milk that lacks the health-boosting factors (butyrate, CLA) found in the fat.’
Realistically, the fat in dairy is all you should be eating – as that’s how you get all the fat burning, gut boosting, heart supporting saturated fats, without the insulin skyrocketing sugar and whey.
3. More Wheat Than Meat
When more than 75% of your population is obese or overweight, and more than 50% are diabetic or pre-diabetic, it would be wise to re-evaluate your food recommendations. Yet the latest 2015 guidelines encourage multiple servings of grains per day, and include an upper limit on meat consumption in favor of non-meat protein sources.
Just like last year…and the year before…and the year before…
In fact, this has been the case since the late 70’s, when the U.S. first fell in love with trying to eat less fat and more fiber. At which point, they started to get progressively fatter.
Seems like a group that could use 21 servings of whole grains to every 2 servings of red meat. Right?
Or as I like to call it – 10.5 bagels for every steak!
4. Fortified CARBage
I suppose you can’t blame the U.S. government for recommending 21 servings of grains a week. Since that’s our best source of nutrients (insert sarcasm).
Why eat egg yolks and organ meats when you can eat fortified cereal?
Sadly, the guidelines also recommend fortified orange juice as a good source of vitamins and minerals. As clearly, a regular fructose injection is much healthier than eating meat.
5. Sugar-Filled Fiber Failure
Not surprisingly, grains and beans are also plastered across the report as great sources of fiber. An odd recommendation, given the sedentary, obese, insulin resistant population that could probably go without 40g of glucose to get 4g of fiber.
As we discussed in Eat Meat And Stop Jogging, the research on ‘eating more fiber’ is just as twisted as ‘eating less fat.’ And even if it did live up to the hype, vegetables pack an equivalent punch, without the carb-load and gut-damage.
6. Protein for Preschoolers
The only thing worse than a pre-diabetic population eating excess carbohydrates, is an under-muscled pre-diabetic population eating excess carbohydrates. Which is exactly what the U.S. government appears to be going for with their recommendation of 46g of protein for adult women, and 56g for adult men.
What’s worse, is that this advice is based on the non-meat protein sources.
Soy milk and pinto beans for all!
But not too much; we gotta leave room for the pasta.
7. Mixed-up Macronutrients
Despite being #7, this may be the most depressing part of the 2015 guidelines. Largely because this is where everyone was pushing for changes.
The positive research on the superiority of a low-to-moderate carbohydrate nutrition plan is unavoidable – whether we’re talking about losing body fat, improving heart health, or preventing and reversing diabetes.
Frankly, there’s no reason a big fat, metabolically dysfunctional country should be coming anywhere close to a diet composed of 45-65% carbohydrate.
And that’s before discussing the double-disaster of avoiding or restricting saturated fat!
(I’m getting ravishingly hungry just thinking about it.)
8. PUFA Promotion
I retract my earlier statement; advocating industrial seed oils may be the most depressing recommendation. As somehow the U.S. Gov thinks we’re going to pump MORE pro-inflammatory, oxidizing oils into the general population….?
Simply put, canola, corn, safflower, and soybean oil are not your friend. And unless you can figure out how to power your car with them, they’re best placed in the trash….
…right next to the 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidlelines!
Stay Lean!
Coach Mike
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