Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of Health and Human Services. Visited West Virginia On March 28th, he touted his agenda for “to bring America’s health back to health” (Maha) at an event where he cruelly criticized the weight of Governor Patrick Morrissey. Kennedy suggested that he host a public weigh-in and celebration after Morisei had 30 pounds flowed, and Kennedy had an idea of how the governor could do that.
A few weeks ago, science journalist and meat lover Nina Teicholz made a point in her work in the Wall Street Journal Opinion, titled “.Meat makes America healthy again“When the US government updates its dietary guidelines this year, it means that meat must be kept firmly at the center of the plate.
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“The Trump administration can ensure that federal dietary guidelines recognize the role of high-quality proteins in improving the health of Americans,” writes Teikoltz. (In her view, “high quality proteins” come from animals, but the proteins in plants are “inferior.”)
Meat industry groups such as National Beef Beef Association and National Pork CommitteeI made a similar plea. Luckily for them, Kennedy and the US Department of Agriculture, Brook Rollins – so far I took action With the lock step Meat industry – Responsible for publishing new federal nutrition guidelines, updated every five years.
But the driving force for Americans to feed more meat is contrary to what government’s own nutrition experts recommend. In December, a government commissioned committee of experts We recommend updating federal nutrition guidelines To encourage Americans to eat red and processed meats and more protein from plant-based sources such as beans and lentils.
And it’s unclear what the Teikolts era means to evoke when she says meat will make America healthy again. Although Americans eat more meat and other animal products than ever, we don’t seem to be healthy due to the higher rate of diet-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The separation of causes and effects of nutritional research is notoriously messy and complex, and our high levels of meat consumption alone cannot explain the high proportion of chronic diseases in America. Determine your health status, including consumption of highly processed sugar and salty foods, alcohol and tobacco intake, access to health care, and exposure to health. However, post-study studies have shown that high meat consumption can increase the risk of diet-related chronic diseases.
Many Americans may want to hear that our unusually high levels of meat consumption are actually healthy and integrity, but we have heard we need to eat more, but nutritional research mainly shows that we should do the exact opposite.
Let America eat more plants
a An important body of the study People are showing it Eat healthier plant-based foodsLike fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, they can reduce the risk of Heart disease, A specific type of cancer, Type 2 diabetesand Premature death. When are they Eat more meat – especially Red and processed meat – can Increase the risk. Two recently published studies have this.
A paper published in the journal last week Natural Medicine I found out eating more plant-based foods – Along with fewer animal products and ultra-processed foods, there is a higher chance of healthy aging, defined as reaching 70 years of age without maintaining good cognitive, mental and physical health in the suffering of major chronic diseases.
“Our findings suggest that dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods that include moderately healthy animal-based foods can promote overall healthy aging,” the researchers wrote. (There are many reasons to eat a completely plant-based diet, such as animal welfare and environmental sustainability, but there is no strong case of a need to fully seek animal products for optimal health.)
Many Maha supporters fall prey to the same mistakes of many liberal food reformers. The belief is that only things that are “natural” are good.
A paper published in the journal a few weeks ago Jama Internal Medicine I found out that the butter is consumed Plant-based seed oil consumption was associated with an increased risk of both cancer mortality and mortality, but with cancer and cardiovascular disease deaths, it was associated with a decreased overall mortality rate.
The general consensus that more plant and meat reductions can improve public health is World Health Organization, united nationsand reading Medicine institution. It also promoted the Eat-Lancet Commission, a large, global committee of nutrition and sustainability experts. I defend diet This reduces the average American’s meat consumption by about 75%.
For a while, it seemed that it might be possible to go in that direction. Americans have less meat during the Great Recession, even if it was done primarily to save money rather than to improve individual health. And throughout the 2010s, the term “flexian” was A significant share Americans’ I told the pollster The benefits of a plant-based diet were cut back on meat while it was getting outdated thanks to celebrities like Beyonce and Rizzo. By the early 2020s, startup Darling’s new and improved plant-based meat and dairy hype was inevitable for meat, oats and impossible foods.
But all this proved to be a show more than material. American meat, dairy and egg consumption has increased over the past decade.
And the proverb atmosphere has shifted from the days when we skipped bustling impossible burgers and meat on Mondays. Health halos around “plant-based” products are thinly worn – some with thin science and Mass PR Campaign Funding the Meat Industry – Meat consumption is once again culturally dominant. Yasmin Tayag of the Atlantic Ocean It was captured last week. Tayag said the signs are everywhere. The decline in plant-based meat sales, the American protein fixation, the rise of “manospheres,” and the loudest belief that masculinity needs to eat a large amount of meat.
The message of moderation in the chronicle of American nutrition research is Popularity among Carnivore Diet followers, Protein maxxingand health influencers lined up in Maha who rails cooking with seed oil, praise the tallow of butter and beef.
After decades of government hesitate to tackle the roots of America’s biggest diet-related health crisis, the Maha Coalition’s promise to challenge Kennedy and a large food company and tackle chronic illness head-on is refreshing. But the prescription is more atmosphere and anecdote than evidence. Maha Coalition doesn’t seem to question our high levels of animal products, for example, but rather wants to increase it. Raw milk Drink non-aviation milk, Butter and beef tallow On the seed oil, and Grass-fed beef On top of meaty beef.
Thus, many Maha supporters are prey to the same mistake as many liberal food reformers: their beliefs Only things that are “natural” are good. However, raw milk can make people seriously ill, so milk is pasteurized. Planets are worse and It’s almost not good for you.
Beans and lentils are less protein-rich than meat, but they are easier to digest, as Teicholz correctly points out in her manipulation. In just a few cases – They are also cholesterol-free, very low in saturated fat and are loaded with fiber. 90% There’s a shortage of Americans (and they’re still a great source of protein).
Calls to make America healthy again by eating more meat than ever before may be politically popular. Who doesn’t want to empower people to do something that makes them feel bad for a long time? However, this collective dismissal of nutrition and public health research is costly. Some studies I have it It is displayed The country will save on healthcare costs if its citizens eat more plant-rich meals.
If the Trump administration is honest about cost reductions and RFK Jr. is honest about making America healthier, the two should keep that advice in mind.
