Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Healthier School Lunches to Cost More; Can We Lose the Low-Fat Milk?

Click here to read the latest on healthier—and more expensive—school lunches. Unfortunately, since the politics of our food supply are so wacky, we're left scrambling to pay for "special" food that should be the default.

Also, why are we not giving our kids (or everyone for that matter) whole fat milk? The low- and fat-free myth has snowballed from debatable science to accepted governmental and societal policy. How about the nutrients in the fat? How about the idea of the different components of foods (proteins, fats, carbs, nutrients, etc.) working in concert to make a complete food? If we were supposed to be eating egg white omelets (an incomplete food), don't you think the eggs would come without the yolks?!?!?!?

We are having the wrong conversation in this country! Instead of worry about fat and cholesterol, we should be talking about the hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, artificial colors and denuded foods that are the real causes of our plummeting collective health.

3 comments:

Matt said...

Unreal. According to the guidelines, not only is whole milk unhealthy (since it would push the total saturated fat content of the meal above the new 7% threshold), but 2% is also being removed in favor of 1%. Fortunately for fans of flavored milks, there is no such harsh restriction on sugar, so low fat vanilla, chocolate and strawberry milk are OK. No meal will be wheat free. A complete outrage that flies in the face of real food.

http://www.usda.gov/documents/cnr_chart.pdf

Anonymous said...

I wanted to lose a few pounds and do it sensibly without gimmicks, just healthy eating and keeping track of everything by writing a food diary. I also researched nutrition. I decided that adding whole milk at lunch might be a good idea for me. I also added almonds (limited amount) as a snack item. Ironically, the diet was easier and the weight came off faster after I added those higher fat foods (and eliminated other foods, and exercised).

Matt said...

@Anonymous, it's really not ironic at all. Macronutrient composition isn't the be-all, end-all. Foods with fat are more satiating.