EP 945 The New Food Pyramid Differs in Significant Ways from the Previous One

You may have heard that there is a new food pyramid in town.  In January of this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released an updated version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  The 10-page document is a major change from the one published five years ago. The new emphasis is on boosting protein and healthy fats, like eggs, seafood, red meat, dairy, beans and nuts.  It still wants us to load up on veggies and fruit and to choose whole grains.  Pasta, white breads and other carbohydrates are further diminished on this pyramid in favor of more whole foods and fewer processed foods.  Saturated fat, villainized in previous pyramids, has been resurrected in this one.  To discuss the shifts is Gary Taubes, an accomplished science writer who has written books, including “Good Calories: Bad Calories”, “Why We Get Fat” and “The Case Against Sugar.”  He knows his stuff as you can tell early on in this discussion.

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