Milling & Baking News - February 2, 2016 - 7

Editorial

Guidelines merit more than ho-hum

loud hurrah, a baited breath and wondering much of this product is actually consumed by school
why they are still saying that are the three age children who do not prefer whole grain is a source
choices grain-based foods has in reacting ini- of controversy in just how well the Guidelines themtially to the release of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guide- selves are achieving goals. Overweight problems
lines for Americans. Issued early in January, the new provide the nexus for much of the arguing about the
Guidelines maintain recommended consumption of Guidelines.
grain-based foods at six servings (mainly one ounce)
Indeed, it is recognition that the 2015 Guidelines
per day, at least half of which should be whole grain running to 2020 are the eighth to be issued in a proand the other half enriched grain foods. As in pre- gram begun in 1980 that prompts the less enthusiasvious recommendations, whole grain products are tic reaction. Except for the parts of the food industry
favored. Prompting celebration is slightly less deni- most positively impacted, like egg and fish producgration of "refined grains" and the new, but well de- ers regarding protein and cholesterol, and those
served language boosting "enriched grains" for their negatively affected by new recommendations for
nutrients and folic acid content deemed to fit the oft- less consumption, like sweeteners, the food indusstated goals "to promote health, prevent chronic dis- try itself is best described as ho-hum. This explains
ease and help people reach and
why grain-based foods assomaintain a healthy weight."
Any satisfaction needs a serious re- ciations, all part of the Wheat
While the changes in grainChain
collaboration,
are
think when the comments of the
based foods are minimal, any
pleased that changes appear
main Guideline critics are studied.
deserved cheering reflects the
relatively minor. Much effort
omission of approaches that had appeared in an ear- went into assuring this outcome at the Washington
lier release of possible revisions that resulted from level. After all, it is difficult to trace eating trends in
deliberations of a scientific advisory committee. That any product to these efforts.
committee was inclined to sharpen the assault on "reAny satisfaction needs a serious re-think when the
fined grains," a word combination that has become comments of the main Guideline critics are studied.
anathema to the industry. In pushing for revisions Critics generally favor major shifts in what Amerimeant to reduce overweight, the preliminary report cans eat in order to end overweight problems, which
had stressed total dietary approaches like Paleo and they claim have been worsened by the failures of the
Mediterranean that would cut out snack-related items Guidelines in many past efforts. Much of this criticism
that have a major position in the market. The final re- takes the 2015-2020 version to task for not singling
port does favor such approaches but with less weight out "refined grains" in ways (including a period of
given to eating certain foods and cutting back or not not eating a single grain food) that would devastate
eating others.
the grain-based foods industry. Promoted mainly by
As a work of the federal government, issued joint- professors at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Publy by the Departments of Agriculture and of Health lic Health, the allegation is made that obesity stems
and Human Services, the Dietary Guidelines have from eating too much high glycemic foods like refined
an immediate effect in requiring that the millions of grains, sugar and other processed carbohydrates.
children participating in school breakfast and school They contend that conventional wisdom on weight
lunch programs abide by the recommendations. Ef- loss is wrong and counter-productive. Their goal is
forts also are being made, and may increase, to as- to force reduced consumption of the "high carbohysure that participants in food stamp and other special drate" diet. This is where grain-based foods needs to
feeding programs financed by the government reflect center its attention immediately in order to be sure
these same recommendations, thus stirring demand that this disastrous approach does not reach beyond
for whole grain products by federal rules. Just how academia. MBN
MORTON SOSLAND, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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