Report Issued on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

by Patrick Baker, Editor

On June 15, 2010 the US Federal Government announced the release of the Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, a solicitation for written comments on the report, and an invitation for testimony at a public meeting to be held on July 15, 2010 in Washington D.C. Links to this announcement, the report, and instructions for submitting written comments or attending the public meeting are available at the Dietary Guidelines for Americans web site (www.DietaryGuidelines.gov).

Federal legislation requires that the most recent edition of the guidelines (last published in 2005) be reviewed, updated if necessary, and published every five years. The current report contains the recommendations of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) to the Secretaries of Agriculture and of Health and Human Services for use in updating the Guidelines.

The Current USDA Food Pyramid. Source: www.health.gov.

In the introduction, the 2010 DGAC report states that two-thirds of the American public is overweight or obese. It goes on to say that "Americans are making dietary choices in a highly obesogenic environment and at a time of burgeoning diet-related chronic diseases affecting people of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and socioeconomic levels. The DGAC considers the obesity epidemic to be the single greatest threat to public health in this century."

The introduction goes on to discuss the role of diet and physical activity in attenuating the risk of chronic diseases, as well as identifying population groups of particular concern. These include: children, pregnant and lactating women, and older adults.

Dr. Cordain was asked to comment on the report, and stated "I really don't see how these ‘new’ recommendations vary substantially from prior USDA Food Guidelines." Cordain states that the recommendations to consume whole grains and skim milk "obviously vary from the human ancestral diet, and upon closer scrutiny, these two foods are not necessarily healthful."

Dr. Cordain’s cites evidence from his book The Paleo Diet, as well as his and other published research, that whole grain products frequently may contribute to an elevated glycemic load because of the quantity of total grains the USDA recommends (8 ounces per day, equivalent to 8 slices of bread). Wheat in particular is problematic because it contains the storage protein gliadin, shown to increase intestinal permeability in celiac patients as well as in healthy persons.

Cordain notes that increased intestinal permeability promotes passage of a gut borne bacterial substance called lipopolysachharide into the bloodstream, producing a low-level chronic state of inflammation called endotoxemia (see Maelán Fontes’ article on Type 2 Diabetes and Endotoxemia). Endotoxemia likely underlies many chronic disease states, particularly cardiovascular disease and a number of autoimmune diseases, according to Cordain.

Dr. Cordain goes on to say that, "In the U.S. alone, it is estimated that 1 in 100 people or about 3 million US citizens have celiac disease. It is irresponsible to make across-the-board dietary recommendations to the entire population given the high incidence of celiac disease."

Cordain notes that while skim milk is promoted by the USDA because it contains much lower concentrations of saturated fat, it has been shown to be highly insulinotropic – "meaning that it raises blood insulin concentrations, similar to eating candy or a chocolate chip cookie." Dr. Cordain states that, "Work from our laboratory substantiated this effect for both skim and whole milk. In a recent study of young boys, they became insulin resistant after seven days on a high milk diet, compared to seven days on a high meat diet. This study has not been replicated in adults, but there is no reason to believe that the response would vary." Consumption of milk elevates a hormone called IGF-1 - which increases growth in children, resulting in an increased adult stature. However, says Cordain, "it also increases the risk for breast, colon and most particularly prostate cancer."

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is accepting written comments on the report until July 15, 2010. The public meeting to solicit oral comments on the report will be held on July 8, 2010, starting at 9:00 am EDT. Details are available at the Dietary Guidelines for Americans web site (www.DietaryGuidelines.gov).

Consumption of Nightshade Plants (Parts 1 -3) Newsletter Articles

Dear Readers,

The three most recent editions of our weekly newsletter The Paleo Diet Update (Vol. 6 Issues 15-17) featured Dr. Cordain's newest paper "Consumption of Nightshade Plants". The final installment (three of three) was published last week. All three parts of the newsletter will available for purchase as back issues from our web store until July 5, after which the entire paper will be available from our web store.

Thank you for your continued readership.

I Lose It - A New Weight Loss iPhone App

If you have an iPhone or iTouch, check out this new version of the virtual weight loss model. It's only 99 cents in the store - Virtual Weight Loss App

Blood Type and Diet Newsletter Article

Dear Readers,

Dr. Cordain's article "A Critical Examination Of Blood Type Diets" was published in a recent issue of our weekly newsletter The Paleo Diet Update (Vol. 6 Issue 14). If you're not already a subscriber you may purchase this informative article from our web store. Past issues of our newsletters are available for purchase individually, or as part of the entire archive.

Thank you for your continued readership.

Fantastic Figs

Image via Wikipedia

There is nothing nicer than a fresh, organic, wonderfully sweet fig. Sadly they are not available all year round, so the next best option are dried figs. Figs are very nutritious, great for your health, and can be added to both sweet and savoury dishes.

Figs are the fruit of the Ficus tree, which is a member of the Mulberry family. They can be traced thousands of years ago to Egypt and later to Greece and Rome where they were held in high esteem.  Spanish missionaries introduced them to the Americas. Figs come in many varieties and colours, like the pale green/yellow Calimyma with amber flesh, the dark purple  Mission with pink flesh and the green Adriatic with tan flesh.

They are a very healthy fruit to add to your five-a-day, whether they are fresh or dried.  They are a good source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, iron, vitamin B6 and calcium. Figs are low in sodium but high in fruit sugars.  Internally figs' potassium helps to control blood pressure, their fiber content is a good weight management aid and also relieves constipation, their calcium helps to promote good bone density and drinking fig juice helps to soothe irritated bronchial passages.. Externally the juice of green figs is said to soften corns, reduce skin pigmentation, and relieve many other skin problems. Fig leaves are said to help diabetic patients reduce their amount of insulin intake.

Note : Figs contain measurable amounts of oxalates. Therefore individuals with kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating figs.

Fresh Figs are very perishable so only purchase what you intend eating in a few days. Store figs in the fridge.  They can also be frozen. Freeze individually then store in a plastic container in the freezer for up to 3 months.  Freezing will change the texture and the figs will be much softer when thawed, but will still be very tasty. Some people like to dehydrate any excess figs rather than buy commercially dried figs. If buying commercially dried figs, look for those that are organic, sun-dried, and which have no added sulphites.  

Figs are in season in the North at the moment, so those lucky enough to see them in your local shops, pop a few in your basket and enjoy a very tasty treat.

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There was an Old Person of Ischia,

Whose conduct grew friskier and friskier;

He danced hornpipes and jigs,

     and ate thousands of figs,

That lively Old Person of Ischia.

Edward Lear  (1812-1888)

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Fig and Mint Salad

From About.com   By Jolinda Hackett,

This unusual combination of figs and fresh mint makes for an unusual raw food salad ~ Jolinda

handful of fresh strawberries, sliced

6 fresh figs, sliced

2 tbsp agave nectar

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl until fruits are well coated. Enjoy!

Nutty Fig Bites

By The Vegan Chef    

20 dried figs

1 cup pecans or peanuts

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup peanut butter

finely chopped peanuts

In a food processor, place the figs, pecans, raisins, and cinnamon, and process for 1 minute to combine. Add the peanut butter and pulse a few times to combine. Using your hands, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls, and then roll the balls in the finely chopped peanuts. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 2 Dozen

Fresh Fig and Rose Smoothie

From the Chocolate and Zucchini blog.

6 ripe black figs (about 250gms/9ozs)

2 or 3 large oranges (about 250 ml / 1 cup juice)

2 tsps rose water, plus more to taste

Remove the very tip of the fig stems and quarter the figs. Juice the oranges. Combine the quartered figs, orange juice, and rose water in a blender, and whizz until smooth. Taste, and add a little more rose water if desired. Serves 2

Marinated Green Bean Salad with Dried Figs, Almonds and Olive Vinaigrette

From California Figs   Created by The Chef's Table Restaurant, Fresno, CA

1 shallot, white part only, minced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 tbsps balsamic vinegar

6 tbsps virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pitted mixed ripe and green olives, chopped fine

2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed, cut crosswise in 1/2-inch length, and blanched

6 dried California figs, diced 1/4-inch

4 tbsps sliced almonds, toasted

In large bowl, combine shallot, garlic, vinegar, olive oil and olives; mix well. Add green beans, figs and almonds; toss to coat well. Cover and chill. Divide and serve on lettuce leaves, if desired. Serves: 4

Bad Mood Foods

Brandon, age 22, was not overweight but he suffered from depression, low energy, exhaustion and panic attacks for two years. He was on anti-depressants plus going to therapy but these were not helping.

All the while, his diet was never examined. Breakfast was several cans of Mountain Dew, a high-caffeine soda. He ate pizza, chips, French fries and candy throughout the day, and dinners were often Hot Pockets and snack foods.

"I was never overweight, so diet was never something I thought about. I was not eating any fresh fruits or vegetables," he said.

Check out the intereresting article about how food affects mood.