Harvard Medical School "Food Pyramid" lacks meat and dairy

[taekwondave]

http://lifehacker.com/5842833/the-harvard-healthy-eating-plate-offers-politics+free-nutritional-guidelines

[Slim]

I'm okay with that. You don't really need meat and as long as you are getting calcium some other way it will probably do more good than harm to cut out dairy. They are calling this a healthy alternative and that sounds accurate.

[woot]

No, it doesn't. It specifically recommends meat, in fact. It just takes a smarter stance on it, recommending not going overboard with dairy and avoiding red and processed meats.

It's a definite improvement over the USDA version.

[taekwondave]

No, it doesn't. It specifically recommends meat, in fact. It just takes a smarter stance on it, recommending not going overboard with dairy and avoiding red and processed meats.

It's a definite improvement over the USDA version.

"Choose fish, poultry, beans and nuts; limit red meat; AVOID bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats."

Definitely a step up. True it doesn't technically LACK meat, but it restricts it much more than the USDA does. Completely eliminates dairy though. That's saying something (See "The China Study").

[Lost Student]

Anything that says to decrease bacon is axiomatically false.

[woot]

"Choose fish, poultry, beans and nuts; limit red meat; AVOID bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats."

Definitely a step up. True it doesn't technically LACK meat, but it restricts it much more than the USDA does. Completely eliminates dairy though. That's saying something (See "The China Study").

Actually, it recommends 1-2 servings of dairy a day. I haven't eaten meat in over a year and try to limit my dairy, so we seem to think similarly on this stuff, but you're having some trouble interpreting Harvard's recommendations.

[FMCoug]

"Choose fish, poultry, beans and nuts; limit red meat; AVOID bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats..

These people are obviously godless commies. Disregard.


Posted from my 14 month old Android phone that is faster than the iPhone 4s

[taekwondave]

Actually, it recommends 1-2 servings of dairy a day. I haven't eaten meat in over a year and try to limit my dairy, so we seem to think similarly on this stuff, but you're having some trouble interpreting Harvard's recommendations.

I guess I am. I'm gonna go back through and read it thoroughly. It was my understanding that they had axed dairy in their recommendations. I'm frequently wrong, as you, almost unlike any other, are adept at pointing out

[taekwondave]

I notice it recommends against having more than maybe a glass of juice per day. Why is that exactly? The calories maybe?

[woot]

I notice it recommends against having more than maybe a glass of juice per day. Why is that exactly? The calories maybe?

Fruit juice is concentrated sugar. It does have some other nutrients, but the sugar content tends to be very high, and the fiber, which slows the rate at which the sugar is metabolized, is removed. Assuming one is taking a multivitamin or is otherwise getting sufficient nutrients from other sources, a strong argument can be made that soda is "healthier" than fruit juice.

[San Juan Sun]

and the fiber, which slows the rate at which the sugar is metabolized.

This isn't true. Fiber, which is not absorbed by he digestive tract, has no effect on glucose uptake or utilization.

[woot]

This isn't true. Fiber, which is not absorbed by he digestive tract, has no effect on glucose uptake or utilization.

Except that it slows the rate at which the food passes from the stomach into the small intestine, which is where absorption occurs. All the sugar is still absorbed, but it doesn't spike insulin as much because it leaks through the pyloric sphincter over a few hours instead of very quickly, as it will if there's nothing but juice.

Is this controversial? I could be mistaken on this, but everything I've read has been pretty clear on this point.

[taekwondave]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y[/YOUTUBE]

[San Juan Sun]

Except that it slows the rate at which the food passes from the stomach into the small intestine, which is where absorption occurs. All the sugar is still absorbed, but it doesn't spike insulin as much because it leaks through the pyloric sphincter over a few hours instead of very quickly, as it will if there's nothing but juice.

Is this controversial? I could be mistaken on this, but everything I've read has been pretty clear on this point.

High fiber diets do not significantly decrease gastric emptying time. They exert their most important effects more distally in the digestive tract. You are correct that lots of fruit juice is bad (pure sugar without the fiber i.e. undigestable carbohydrates you'd get from simply eating the apple).