All food is “real” food. The implication of using phrases like “real food” suggests there are food that are “fake,” “dishonest,” “artificial,” or in some other way harmful. The colloquialism “the dose makes the poison” is as applicable to food as it is to its toxicological origins. More specifically, one can become ill from drinking too much water, eating too many bananas, or eating too much chocolate cake. Water, bananas, and chocolate cake are all equally “real” and “whole” but each should be consumed in moderation.
Under the new guidelines, Americans should emphasize eating 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, consuming primarily water as a beverage, eating three servings of vegetables, two servings of fruit, and 2-4 servings of whole grains each day. While meal planning, Americans are also urged to limit “added sugars” to 10 grams or less per meal and incorporating “healthy fats” while keeping saturated fats to 10 percent or less of their total daily caloric intake.
Some of the new guidelines may pose more challenges than meets the eye if consumers choose to follow them to the letter. For example, the recommended protein requirements are higher than previous requirements and based on body weight and mass. The average American man weighs 200 pounds, or 90.7 kilograms, while the average American woman weighs 171 pounds, or 77.5 kilograms. Under the new USDA food guidelines that works out to be 136 grams of protein per day for a man and 116 grams of protein per day for a woman in the U.S.
There are approximately 9 calories per ounce in a chicken breast, before seasoning and added oil or butter for cooking. If a man ate only chicken breast to achieve his protein goals for the day, he would need to consume about 15 ounces of chicken breast. Each ounce of chicken breast, again before seasoning and cooking add additional calories, is about 47 calories an ounce, making 15 ounces of chicken breast the equivalent of about 710 calories total. That works out to be about one pound of chicken breast consumed per day.
In the present economic environment, affordability of the new food guidelines is something to take into consideration as well. The USDA estimates American men, ages 20-50, should spend an average of $70.40/week on food and American women, ages 20-50, should spend $56.90/week on food for home-cooked meals; that works out to be $3.40 and $2.71 respectively per meal. The most recent national average cost per pound for fresh chicken breast was $4.15/lb., or $29/week, effectively 41 percent of an American man’s estimated weekly food budget or 51 percent of an American woman’s estimated weekly food budget.
As the new food guidelines make their way into mainstream American life, as more people become familiar with the “inverted pyramid,” perhaps the real topic of discussion should be around whether we need a visual aid for our dietary needs at all. As the United States continues to grapple with the complex relationships between food, culture, health, and physiology, it becomes more apparent that we should consider teaching a better understanding of how all those considerations intersect. Small changes in daily behaviors can add up to positive, long-lasting health outcomes for people in all walks of life. Those small changes could be as simple as measuring a serving of cooked rice versus free serving rice with a spoon or swapping regular soda for sugar-free soda.
If the dose makes the poison, perhaps the cure is as simple as moderation. No one should be deprived of foods that are enjoyable or culturally appropriate but working to educate people about small habit changes that can improve their lives through free agency makes everyone’s life better. So, enjoy a slice of “real” chocolate cake, just don’t eat the whole cake.
Pam Lewison is a fourth-generation farmer, Pacific Research Institute fellow, and ag research director for Washington Policy Center.
