Salinas, CA Food Labeling May Not Be Reflective Of Actual Eating Habits

Reading food labels and going to other sources to try and decipher what is good for you is not an easy task.  Part of the problem is that there are different food guidelines depending on whether you are reading the dietary guidelines published by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture, or whether you are reading those on food packages which are developed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The serving sizes listed on packages are based on survey data conducted in the late 1980’s and are not likely reflective of what most people eat in one serving (particularly given the rise in obesity in this country).  According to the government, a serving of grains is one ounce and a serving of meat is only 2 to 3 ounces.  This doesn’t’ seem realistic.  Why different government guidelines aren’t the same is not clear, and why certain changes are implemented aren’t always either.  Particularly perplexing was the announcement by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee last month which said measuring cholesterol was no longer very important.  The new “official” guidelines won’t be out until later this year, and hopefully this will provide more clarity on what is and isn’t healthy.