Food Pyramid: How the USDA Conspired with Food Manufacturers to Boost Their Sales
Search results show site after site claiming the original food guide pyramid was released in 1992 and almost nothing about the 1950s version I was trying to find information on. I never could locate an image of the original 1956 USDA “Basic Four Food Groups” pyramid.
Simply search for information about the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. I spent HOURS and have yet to find the original government released Food Guide Pyramid created in the 1950s that I remember from when I was in school.
1992 food guide pyramid
Schools taught the pyramid as health science, but where it came from, who decided what was on it, and who REALLY benefited from it is an interesting and important story that few understand.
Finding the real truth about it in a search engine is VERY difficult. Another search you can use for testing is “Dietary Guidelines”. See what results you get.
This post on the 1992 version of the Food Pyramid includes this excerpt about how the USDA conspired with food manufactures to boost their sales while totally disregarding your health:
Luise Light, the architect of the original version was a nutritional expert who made her recommendations based on valid food science in the 1980′s. But certain members of the food lobby rejected her prescription for small servings of their products so they strong armed the USDA, urging them to bury her work. By 1992, they returned her Food Pyramid to her unrecognizable.
She writes in A Fatally Flawed Food Guide, “When our version of the Food Guide came back to us revised, we were shocked to find that it was vastly different from the one we had developed. As I later discovered, the wholesale changes made to the guide by the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture were calculated to win the acceptance of the food industry…“it appears our nutritional needs are being sold to the highest bidder … again!“
I disagree with FoodForeThought‘s conclusion that eating by the food pyramid is why people are overweight today. I lay that at the feet of food that does not contain the nutrients we need and the enormous amount of things we are ingesting that are NOT FOOD including chemicals, genetically modified organisms and especially high fructose corn syrup that is in almost every product on the shelf!
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a very interesting post. I will try to do more research on it. Your post really got me curious.
Twitter: retta719
April 29, 2012 at 8:16 pm
Twitter: @retta719
Wow, I haven’t seen one of those in a few years. What a horrible misrepresentation of nutrition that thing was. Look at that bottom layer of the pyramid. What’s the fastest way to fatten up a cow for slaughter? Feed it a bunch of grain!!
Loretta would love you to read ..Gluten Free Chicken Parm Dinner
This food pyramid article is really good.
I’ve enjoyed reading the original content and fresh ideas you wrote.
You are good at writing on this topic and I hope I can read more of your work soon.
Reyna would love you to read ..Healthy Diet and Quick Method
Twitter: GrowMap
April 10, 2012 at 9:26 am
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Reyna,
Actually, food pyramids are intentionally misleading because of conflicts of interest as explained in this post. Note that there is enough of my work already on this site to keep you reading for a long time.
Hi enjoyed reading your post
Will be honest only came on your blog when read heading ? Food pyramid? I had never heard of it. Maybe me being a bit dense. But was intrigued so I thought I would have a look. Glad idid the pyramid is quite self explanatory when you look at it. Reinforces what percentage of what type of food should be in your diet. Should be up in school classrooms if they aren’t already.
Thanks again good post
Lee would love you to read ..Multi Van Insurance – Getting A Cheap Deal
It is important to eat a balanced meal. But too much of carbohydrates especially white bread and white rice might not be good for you. Try try to eat whole wheat bread and brown rice instead if possible.
I agree with you. Processed food are the ones causing obesity and sicknesses in people and they are very accessible to people. Most of the food found in the supermarket and fastfood restaurants are mostly chemicals…it is scary. And children are eating them! So sad.
Twitter: grassfeedbeef
March 2, 2012 at 3:28 am
Twitter: @grassfeedbeef
This food pyramid can truly be a problem especially if it has been commercialized by those who have the power. The solution is for the people to be more particular of teh food they eat. After-all it will still be them to decide if the food they eat would be healthy for them.
Twitter: succeednow
February 28, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Twitter: @succeednow
The fast food industry and and obesity are linked directly.You not only consume empty calories but also- non health -promoting soft drinks.The obesity crisis in America is fueled by a nation bent on self destruction by ignoring common sense and eating” EASY” food.The food pyramid is just one facet of the problem.What about statistics that state that a third of children do not play outdoors anymore? Sad but true.Obese kids grow up to be obese adults.
Suzanne would love you to read ..Solution for Obesity Not To Be Found in Obesity Drugs
check out thetruthaboutabs.com to learn how our government has the nutritional pyramid set up wrong with cereal, bread, whole grains, rice, carbs as the largest portion of our daily intake. totally wrong. Large cereal companies pay Washington lobbyists to keep it that way.
Twitter: matthewacoleman
December 12, 2011 at 12:18 am
Twitter: @matthewacoleman
i thinks its the lifestyle and the eating habits of people that is the cause of obesity..
I agree the food pyramid is not why people are overwieght. It is the junk you mention, and the every growing portions of it.
The amount of power lobbyists have in this country is sickening. Most laws are written by lobbyists, not politicians, even something as simple as the food pyramid is bought and sold. The current health care reform bill was heavily influenced by the health care industry and does not solve some of the real problems with health insurance.
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