Confessions of an R.D.

Confessions of an R.D.

In the eyes of my former teachers, classmates, and colleagues, I have sinned.

In speeches to dietitians and food-industry groups, in newspaper interviews, and in talks to consumers, I have renounced the Basic Four Food Groups. And that's not the half of it.

I have declared that "balance, variety, and moderation" are not the keys to a healthful diet, and that there are such things as "good" and "bad" foods.

These statements not only are heresy to most nutritionists and dietitians, they're shocking to just about everyone. After all, who among us doesn't occasionally worry that our diet isn't properly balanced? How many times has a hostess defended her rich dessert with a shrug of the shoulders and a casual "all things in moderation"?

But these popular nutrition myths aren't as innocent as they seem. In fact, they can actually impede healthy eating. My classmates from Dietetics 101 may never speak to me again, but it's time to come clean.

Myth #1: Balance, Variety, and Moderation. In grade school, we memorized them:

* Eat a balanced diet.

* Eat a variety of foods.

It wasn't until the late 1970s that "moderation" got tacked on. That was part of the food industry's reaction to The Dietary Goals--the first report to charge that Americans eat too much fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar.

The response of a group of Iowa food producers was typical. "MODERATION of food intake may be the key to many nutritional and health problems," said the state's Cattlemens Association, Egg Council, Sheep Producers, Turkey Federation, Pork Producers, and Dairy Council, among others.

But "balance, variety, and moderation" is a smokescreen that food manufacturers use to avoid tougher advice to cut down on fat, salt, etc. It's a favorite of the food industry because it's so vague, and it doesn't suggest that our diets need to change.

For example, who doesn't already eat a variety of foods? Only pets and infants, perhaps.

As for "balance," to most people it means eating as much of the traditional "nutritious" foods--milk, meat, fruits, vegetables, and grains--as their mothers urged them to.

And "moderation"? That means something different to everybody, which is why the food industry loves it...and why I don't.

Myth #2: There are no "good" or "bad" foods, only "good" and "bad" diets. I'll never forget it. During a speech to nutritionists and dietitians at the University of Iowa in April, I suggested that there is such a thing as a bad food. Heads whipped to attention. People nudged each other. A previously polite audience erupted in titters.

According to the "no bad food" myth, any food, no matter how junky, can fit into a good diet. So you had a Double Whopper with Cheese, with its 14 teaspoons of fat and 1,295 mg of sodium, for lunch. You can still have a salad and fresh fruit for dinner, and your overall diet won't suffer a bit.

While that kind of diet may balance out on a dietitian's ledger sheet, how many people eat that way? Let's not kid ourselves: If you have that kind of lunch, chances are you have that kind of dinner.

But the "no-bad-food" proponents worry that if we tag some foods as "bad," people might be afraid to eat them.

Hogwash. We all understand "good vs. bad." We know that a soft drink, candy bar, and popsicle don't make a good lunch. But that doesn't mean we're afraid to have one every now and then. We just eat them less often than "good" foods like yogurt, strawberries, and whole wheat bread.

And what's a "good" diet, anyway? It's one that's made up largely of "good" foods. But how can we choose a good diet if we can't identify the good foods from the bad?

The plain truth is that the food industry doesn't want to admit that some foods are better than others because many of its products are not so good.

Myth #3: Select a Diet from the Basic Four Food Groups. The lettuce and tomato are from the Fruits & Vegetables group, the cheese is from the Milk group, the bun is from the Grains group, and the hamburger is from the Meat group.

Yessiree folks. I bet you didn't know that you could get the Basic Four all in one neat little plastic container. But you can pick up a McDLT (or one of its fast-food cousins) whenever the urge to eat a "balanced" diet strikes. Of course, you'll also pick up 8 teaspoons of fat and 990 mg of sodium.

Here's what's wrong with the Basic Four: It was designed to make sure that we got enough protein, vitamins, and minerals. But most Americans suffer not from eating too little, but from eating too much--saturated fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar.

What does the Basic Four have to say about those excesses? Not a peep. Is turkey breast better than a hot dog? Is skim milk better than whole? Is whole wheat bread better than white? Not in the eyes of the Basic Four. What's more, illustrations of the Four are often lopsided. They suggest that you need to eat as much milk and meat as you do fruits, vegetables, and grains.

But old habits die hard. If you just can't put the Basic Four out of your mind, here's a little help: a "Basic Four, Revisited" to help you separate the "good" from the "bad."

Maybe we should have called it "Sin Along with Jayne."