How do you feel about USDA food recommendations?

mkzara
mkzara Posts: 73 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I took a look at the USDA's website for food/diet recommendations and I found the list extremely different from my current diet. I am curious about those who follow it or don't ascribe to it, and am wondering if you have found the recommendations helpful or not. How do you stay in your calories and get all the food groups in your diet?

For those who aren't familiar, I believe the recommendations are as follows for women between the ages of 19-30

Fruits - 2 cups
Vegetables - 2 cups (separate recommendations for dark greens, orange & red veggies, beans & peas, etc.)
Proteins - 5.5 ounces
Grains - 6 ounces
Dairy - 3 cups

For anyone who would like to see more the link is http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/. If I can't put that link, let me know and I'll edit my post. :)

Just looking for some opinions and thoughts

Replies

  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
    There's no such thing as "empty calories." If nothing else, calories can provide us with energy. If that alone didn't tell me everything I needed to know, I know that there are a bunch of HSUS-affiliated animal liberationists at the very top of the organization now and they have no business telling me how to eat.

    Hey, you asked!

    :laugh:
  • mkzara
    mkzara Posts: 73 Member
    There's no such thing as "empty calories." If nothing else, calories can provide us with energy. If that alone didn't tell me everything I needed to know, I know that there are a bunch of HSUS-affiliated animal liberationists at the very top of the organization now and they have no business telling me how to eat.

    Hey, you asked!

    :laugh:

    I didn't mention anything about empty calories... And I didn't notice anything on the website about it either (but sometimes I skim, oops)

    Is your diet significantly different than what is suggested by the USDA?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I think it's a general guideline but, no, I don't follow their serving guidelines. I eat what I want when I want in moderation, and I try to make sure my macros as I set them up in MFP are met each day.
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
    I don't follow them at all.
  • JoeyFrappuccino
    JoeyFrappuccino Posts: 88 Member
    I think the current model is an improvement over the pyramid ratios. I think there are too many grains and too few vegetables though, and I do think that's probably because of our agricultural practices and food aid in foreign countries. It's not a poor base to start with but most people will find areas they'd change for themselves. As for HSUS involvement, I can't imagine they'd continue to recommend dairy of all things, but I'm sure it's been influenced politically by more than a few parties.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
    There's no such thing as "empty calories." If nothing else, calories can provide us with energy. If that alone didn't tell me everything I needed to know, I know that there are a bunch of HSUS-affiliated animal liberationists at the very top of the organization now and they have no business telling me how to eat.

    Hey, you asked!

    :laugh:

    I didn't mention anything about empty calories... And I didn't notice anything on the website about it either (but sometimes I skim, oops)

    Is your diet significantly different than what is suggested by the USDA?

    There is a link to "empty calories" in the Related Topics category (right under grains). They define foods with empty calories as being foods with solid fats and added sugars. So, just . . . no. I'll cut out my butter when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. Here is their list of foods that provide the most empty calories in American diets:

    Cakes, cookies, pastries, and donuts (contain both solid fat and added sugars)
    Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks (contain added sugars)
    Cheese (contains solid fat)
    Pizza (contains solid fat)
    Ice cream (contains both solid fat and added sugars)
    Sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and ribs (contain solid fat)

    Once again, just . . . no.

    So yes, my diet does differ significantly from their handy-dandy shortcut one-size-fits-all, food-demonizing recommendations. Every person is different, both in what food they like and in what foods are good for them. I see no point in eating to arbitrary standards based entirely on what the government tells me I should eat.

    Hey, look how well the school lunch program is working out.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
    Cakes, cookies, pastries, and donuts (contain both solid fat and added sugars)
    Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks (contain added sugars)
    Cheese (contains solid fat)
    Pizza (contains solid fat)
    Ice cream (contains both solid fat and added sugars)
    Sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and ribs (contain solid fat)

    Off that list above of "empty calories", the bolded ones I basically eat everyday. Is that why I feel so empty inside??????

    Possibly. Please note, however, that many of their "empty calories" contain animal products. Funny how that works, isn't it?
  • SpencersHeart
    SpencersHeart Posts: 170 Member
    I'm a senior citizen so I guess I don't count any more since the age group only went up to 30??? :laugh:

    I'm a cranky old lady so I eat and drink what I want... when I want... as long as it fits my MFP calorie goal. :bigsmile:
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
    Cakes, cookies, pastries, and donuts (contain both solid fat and added sugars)
    Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks (contain added sugars)
    Cheese (contains solid fat)
    Pizza (contains solid fat)
    Ice cream (contains both solid fat and added sugars)
    Sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and ribs (contain solid fat)

    Off that list above of "empty calories", the bolded ones I basically eat everyday. Is that why I feel so empty inside??????

    Possibly. Please note, however, that many of their "empty calories" contain animal products. Funny how that works, isn't it?

    In all fairness cheese, pizza and the sausages, ice cream and ribs do actually contain a lot of nutrition.

    Fat is not the bad guy, neither is animal fat.

    Cookies, pastries and donuts are lower in nutrition, but even they contain a bit of fiber and protein.

    Sodas, are actually void of nutrition unless you count a pinch of sodium, but I think that's giving it a bit too much credit. It actually is an empty calorie load.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member

    In all fairness cheese, pizza and the sausages, ice cream and ribs do actually contain a lot of nutrition.

    Fat is not the bad guy, neither is animal fat.

    Cookies, pastries and donuts are lower in nutrition, but even they contain a bit of fiber and protein.

    Sodas, are actually void of nutrition unless you count a pinch of sodium, but I think that's giving it a bit too much credit. It actually is an empty calorie load.

    If the sodas contain sugar, they can provide energy--yes, they are neither efficient or the "best" source of energy, but they do provide it. If the sodas contain artificial sweetener, then they provide no/negligible calories. I'm not sure how they can be considered "empty."

    Dianne, I'm 53 and "spayed." I guess I don't count either--maybe we've entered Gilead and we're now "unwomen?" (Then again Offred and the Handmaids used butter as hand cream, so maybe not . . . )
  • mkzara
    mkzara Posts: 73 Member
    I'm a senior citizen so I guess I don't count any more since the age group only went up to 30??? :laugh:

    I'm a cranky old lady so I eat and drink what I want... when I want... as long as it fits my MFP calorie goal. :bigsmile:

    Lol sorry I just shared the nutrition values that applied to me, since that was what I could remember off the top of my head. I think there are differences in values suggested for various age groups :)
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    Let's see:

    Focus on fruits, vary your veg: I could stand to do both

    Make at least half your grains whole: I wouldn't say this is something I focus on. The main grain I eat is rice, white rice. I don't really do pastas or keep bread in the house. When I order sandwiches, I do not make it a point to select whole grain bread of any kind

    Use lean protein: I think I've actually been doing this. Some examples they have were if you use a regular beef like 75-80% lean, or poultry with skin then the solid fat counts towards your empty calorie allotment. I only buy boneless skinless chicken (more to do with laziness, actually), and >85% lean beef or turkey. Probably right at 85%, actually. I went a bit leaner once and it was like eating bullets and cardboard

    Dairy: I do a little bit of the stuff. Do Blizzards from DQ count? I seldom buy milk but I've been eating boiled eggs and Greek yogurt for breakfast recently and would like to continue
  • SpencersHeart
    SpencersHeart Posts: 170 Member
    I'm a senior citizen so I guess I don't count any more since the age group only went up to 30??? :laugh:

    I'm a cranky old lady so I eat and drink what I want... when I want... as long as it fits my MFP calorie goal. :bigsmile:

    Lol sorry I just shared the nutrition values that applied to me, since that was what I could remember off the top of my head. I think there are differences in values suggested for various age groups :)

    No worries....:flowerforyou:
    At my age the only thing that concerns me is if I'm wearing my bra outside of my shirt. :laugh:
  • nancy10272004
    nancy10272004 Posts: 277 Member
    I think the USDA is controlled by whatever lobbying group has the most power at the time. It used to be the meat industry but now it's apparently the HSUS.

    I make sure I get all my fruits and vegetables in every day and then IIFYM it to heck and back for the rest of the day. In general, I don't eat dairy and I'm not that worried because I have hypercalcemia, take a Vitamin D supplement and get plenty of fat from other sources.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    I think the current model is an improvement over the pyramid ratios. I think there are too many grains and too few vegetables though, and I do think that's probably because of our agricultural practices and food aid in foreign countries. It's not a poor base to start with but most people will find areas they'd change for themselves. As for HSUS involvement, I can't imagine they'd continue to recommend dairy of all things, but I'm sure it's been influenced politically by more than a few parties.

    ^^^This^^^
    I totally disregard it. I consider myself conscientious about prioritizing protein, and I don't get (or need) what's specified. The dairy is political. Period. Twice the vegetables, half the fruit, and grains 1x/wk for me.

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