Death by Food Pyramid - Gym Free Fitness

Have you ever wonder where the US food pyramid came from? You’d be surprised to know that the original food pyramid looked completely different than the one that was finally released to the public. So what happened?

In the 1980s, the USDA hired a team of nutritionists lead by Luise Light to come up with dietary recommendations for the public. The recommendations were to be based on science and promote healthy individuals. The food pyramid’s initial design which was submitted to the USDA after extensive research included 5-9 servings of vegetables and fresh fruits and 3-4 servings of whole-grains each day. When the final version, approved by the USDA, was released to the public it had transformed into recommending a maximum of 2-3 servings of vegetables and fruits and a surprising 6-11 servings of whole grains! So, what happened?

Here’s what happened. First, Ms. Light said that while she was working for the USDA she learned that “nutrition for the government is primarily a marketing tool to fuel growth in consumer food expenditures and demand for major food commodities: meat, dairy, eggs, wheat.” [1] Second, as Denise Minger found while researching her new book, Death by Food Pyramid, the recommendations were motivated by trying to contain costs in the government’s food stamp program.

So, the food pyramid went from being based on the health of the human body, to being based on the health of the economy and government. Watch the video below for more information on the food pyramid as as well as how the diet industry became so confusing. Find out why what works for one person may not work for another and how there are many ways to eat right, not just one.