The National Dairy Council teams up with the Salt Institute to downplay the risk of sodium in the American diet.
Dietary Guidelines: With a Grain of Big Salt
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The Salt Institute was probably the most strident in their condemnation of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, complaining that the chair of the committee was a “vocal proponent” of universal salt reduction.
Case in point: she was quoted by the American Heart Association about a CDC report about the dangers of salt. Obviously, this means she has an “unhealthy prejudice” against salt. That’s like the tobacco industry complaining that the people at the American Lung Association are biased against smoking.
Because cheese is one of the top ten contributors of sodium in the American diet, the National Dairy Council stood shoulder to shoulder with Big Salt.
Sure, reducing sodium intake would save the lives of up to 92,000 Americans a year, but you Dietary Guidelines Committee people just don’t understand; salt is needed to maintain the expected flavor, body, texture, and shelf life of cheese. It’s like trans fats: good for shelf life; bad for human life.
They all tried blaming each other for America’s dietary ills. The egg producers argued that meat was worse; the pork producers argued that chicken was worse.
Then there was a letter from the CDPB, though, the California Dried Plum Board—representing Big Prune. It must be nice to work for a food trade group, and actually be able to look at yourself in the mirror every day. Alas, though, it’s not a total slam dunk, as “in the school environment,” evidently, “peer pressure makes eating [prunes] ‘not cool’.”
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- All written public comments submitted and posted on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, as well as the written comments posted on the Advisory Committee Report. Let me know if you find any doozies.
- Bibbins-Domingo K, Chertow GM, Coxson PG, Moran A, Lightwood JM, Pletcher MJ, Goldman L. Projected effect of dietary salt reductions on future cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med. 2010 Feb 18;362(7):590-9.
Image thanks to DaGoaty / Flickr
The Salt Institute was probably the most strident in their condemnation of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, complaining that the chair of the committee was a “vocal proponent” of universal salt reduction.
Case in point: she was quoted by the American Heart Association about a CDC report about the dangers of salt. Obviously, this means she has an “unhealthy prejudice” against salt. That’s like the tobacco industry complaining that the people at the American Lung Association are biased against smoking.
Because cheese is one of the top ten contributors of sodium in the American diet, the National Dairy Council stood shoulder to shoulder with Big Salt.
Sure, reducing sodium intake would save the lives of up to 92,000 Americans a year, but you Dietary Guidelines Committee people just don’t understand; salt is needed to maintain the expected flavor, body, texture, and shelf life of cheese. It’s like trans fats: good for shelf life; bad for human life.
They all tried blaming each other for America’s dietary ills. The egg producers argued that meat was worse; the pork producers argued that chicken was worse.
Then there was a letter from the CDPB, though, the California Dried Plum Board—representing Big Prune. It must be nice to work for a food trade group, and actually be able to look at yourself in the mirror every day. Alas, though, it’s not a total slam dunk, as “in the school environment,” evidently, “peer pressure makes eating [prunes] ‘not cool’.”
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- All written public comments submitted and posted on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, as well as the written comments posted on the Advisory Committee Report. Let me know if you find any doozies.
- Bibbins-Domingo K, Chertow GM, Coxson PG, Moran A, Lightwood JM, Pletcher MJ, Goldman L. Projected effect of dietary salt reductions on future cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med. 2010 Feb 18;362(7):590-9.
Image thanks to DaGoaty / Flickr
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Dietary Guidelines: With a Grain of Big Salt
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Content URLDoctor's Note
Be sure to check out Dietary guidelines: Corporate Guidance and all my other videos on dietary guidelines.
For some context, also check out my associated blog posts: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board accused of making illegally deceptive claims, and Uric Acid From Meat and Sugar.
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