The Honest Palate

There are some things that make me shake with anger.  A few:

• People on the subway who play music without headphones.
• Line cutters.
• All of the Twilight books, movies, merchandise and fandom.
• Health and government professionals who tell lies for their own personal benefit.

The last one on the list is unforgivable, and unfortunately it happens constantly.  This article, Big Food Exerts Unhealthy Influence on America’s Nutritionists, which I read on Grist.org, discusses a problem that I sometimes briefly forget is all too prevalent in the nutrition industry.  

The processed food industry is trying to woo dietitians into promoting products that are usually labeled as “unhealthy” or “snack food.”  With endorsement from a nutritionist or dietitian, these products receive credibility from a professional who’s job it is to tell the public what and how to eat right.  The nutrition field is already rife with conflicting views, lies, and unclear data, and it’s only discredited further when dietitians partner with Big Food companies who’s goal is not public health, but to make a buck.  

Often, food companies sponsor events for the American Dietetic Association, and other industry groups, providing housing, event space and food for free - an attractive option for groups lacking funds.  But now these conferences are packed with booths for companies like Yum! Brands, Pepsico, General Mills, McDonalds, etc, and they are seriously influencing the people who matter.  

A recent conference held a panel titled A Fresh Look at Processed Foods, which was attended by hundreds of RDs and health professionals.  One panelist, Lindsey Loving of the International Food Information Council, announced to the audience that processed foods, “represent sources of important nutrients for consumers and should be eaten along with fresh fruits and veggies.”

How could a trained RD take this seriously?  Impossible, right?  Wrong.  Unfortunately RDs and nutritionists can be bought, if not with a paycheck, then with fancy hotel rooms at conferences, free flights, gift baskets, and further recognition.  I often find that dietitians partner with brands to make themselves more visible, giving them the opportunity to attend events, meet professionals and test new products.  The dietitian’s customer base grows and the food company gets acknowledged by a trusted and trained professional.  The cycle continues… 

Dietitians and nutritionists who work with brands are breaking a code of ethics that is crucial to performing their job successfully and credibly.  They are damaging the profession’s reputation and harming consumers, just to get ahead.  If a dietitian wanted to make personal gains without any regard for the public, they probably should have gone into finance instead.  Please leave the task of bettering the health of our nation to those who actually want to make a difference.

Jane Brody’s article about counting calories in the New York Times this week may not seem shocking, but I was happily amazed to read something so truthful about nutrition.  Her article discusses counting calories as a diet plan, and the new research which shows that it is very likely outdated.  According to the article, the specific foods you eat DO matter and some are better for you than others.

The goal of the food industry is to convince consumers that there are no “good” or “bad” foods and that everything can be enjoyed in moderation.  This is how they convince buyers that junk foods are okay, as long as you are staying within your allotted calorie range and getting enough exercise.  They will do ANYTHING, including lobbying for legislation changes, to stop health professionals from saying otherwise.

This is why I was shocked when I read this quote from Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health: 

“There are good foods and bad foods, and the advice should be to eat the good foods more and the bad foods less,” he said. “The notion that it’s O.K. to eat everything in moderation is just an excuse to eat whatever you want.”

Finally, someone telling it like it is!  I can’t wait to read the food industry’s rebuttals to that one. 

The study followed participants eating and lifestyle habits for 12-20 years and found that the average participant gained 3.35 pounds every four years, for a total of a 16.8 pound weight gain in 20 years.  Even with proper exercise, those who did not pay as close attention to diet did gain weight, which proves that you cannot just focus on fitness, but you must watch what you eat as well.

As for the foods contributing to weight gain:

French fries led the list: Increased consumption of this food alone was linked to an average weight gain of 3.4 pounds in each four-year period. Other important contributors were potato chips (1.7 pounds), sugar-sweetened drinks (1 pound), red meats and processed meats (0.95 and 0.93 pound, respectively), other forms of potatoes (0.57 pound), sweets and desserts (0.41 pound), refined grains (0.39 pound), other fried foods (0.32 pound), 100-percent fruit juice (0.31 pound) and butter (0.3 pound).

No surprise there.

Foods that didn’t affect weight gain? Whole fruits and vegetables of course. Surprisingly dairy had a neutral effect on weight gain — which is good news for me. Another great item to see in print was about nuts! I often hear people state that nuts are fatty and shouldn’t be eaten often.  I include a serving of nuts in my diet almost daily.  They’re full of healthy fats, fiber and protein to fill you up.

And despite conventional advice to eat less fat, weight loss was greatest among people who ate more yogurt and nuts, including peanut butter, over each four-year period.

Nuts are high in vegetable fat, and previous small studies have shown that eating peanut butter can help people lose weight and keep it off, probably because it slows the return of hunger.

Overall, this article provides an incredibly helpful and easy to follow picture of human nutrition and is a great model for those looking for some healthy eating tips!