Dietary Guidelines: Corporate Guidance

As our federal government ramped up to release the new dietary guidelines, they solicited comments, which they posted online. You can read all 1,900 yourself, here.

There were all the usual suspects. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association felt that “beef’s important role in the diet [was] underappreciated.” That’s funny; that’s exactly what the President and CEO of The Sugar Association said: “Sugar’s important role in [a healthy] diet,” adding, “There is no scientifically verifiable negative health impact ascribable to sugar intake.” What? Not even, like, dental health? It’s all due to some evil cavity fairy? Unbelievable.

Wrigley’s was on the same page as the Cattlemen, complaining Americans don’t chew enough gum, a “beneficial part of a healthful diet.” Really? Gum? Hey, you have to chew it, they remind the Dietary Guidelines Committee—that’s exercise. Chewing gum expends “11 calories per hour,” they note, and Americans could use all the help they can get.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Peter Mellor.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Image thanks to {Charlotte.Morrall} via flickr. Image has been modified.