Thoughts On The New USDA My Plate Guidelines

I can't help but reflect on the new USDA "My Plate" guidelines. First: bravo for finally trashing the pyramid. It was more than greatly flawed. It remained so with its equally confusing face lift not many years ago by adding a person running up the side of its face. Now we have a plate, which is at least getting us closer to an image associated with the dining table.

My Plate has a few things going for it, mainly in its visual resemblance to something we can all relate to, but remains dangerously simplistic for the public at large.

What each model has failed to recognize is the important issue of the quality of the food we choose to eat. Rewind for a moment to early Eskimo tribes of Alaska or Eastern Siberia for example. What did their "My Plate" look like? A 75% daily intake of protein and fat consisting of caribou, polar bear, fish, seal or whale meat, perhaps cooked, perhaps shaved raw from frozen bones including the animal's rich stores of fat and organs. The remaining percentage of nutrition came from a small amount of gathered tubers, berries, grasses and seaweed when seasonally available. These cultures where healthy, producing strong, round, happy babies. They did not drink electrolyte enhanced sports drinks or nibble on rice cakes. Most importantly, their lack of a modern democratic government kept them from falling victim to its agendas.

Here is the problem with our government's suggestions on what we should eat. They need us to consume the most of what they subsidize the most, and it's gotten them into a dilemma. With obesity at record levels, especially plaguing today's youth, we have a very expensive health crisis on our hands. But, how can they tell us to eat local, buy mostly produce and grass-fed meats and still hold the hand of their most powerful constituents? They can't. So as long as agriculture is dictated and funded by the US government, we will continue to see double standards like the new My Plate guideline as a means to gloss over a major political contradiction.

The dairy industry, corn/grain industry, and meat industry need the support of the government to be the colossal superpowers they are. All you have to do is look at campaigning to see where the money lies. "Beef- It's What's For Dinner," Pork- The Other White Meat," "Milk- Does A Body Good." Or how about all the famous athletes and celebrities sporting milk mustashes or gracing the front of a box of Frosted Flakes. Are these flashy advertising efforts for our health or for a profit? If the goal was in favor of the former, we may have a very different public health reality.

The food industry does not make a profit peddling broccoli, let alone diet diversity. They want us to load our carts with sodas (corn industry), lunch meat (pork, beef, poultry industry), Oreos (corn and seed oil industry), boxed cereals (corn and grain industry), and ultra-pasteurized gallons of low-fat milk (dairy industry). A diet like this will eventually kill even the most resistant individual, yet this is where the profit is made.

Who profits from a healthy individual? Not the pharmaceutical industry. Not the industries mentioned above. Not the hospitals. Not your family doctor. You may save insurance companies a ton, but then again if you are well, you may not need them. How about your dentist? Physical therapist? Mental therapist? They would all take a financial hit if you were robustly healthy. Oooh, reality bites, and yes, it all comes back to My Plate.

I will tell you what is not on my plate:

#1: My government whispering in my ear

#2: Milk from cows which stand in their waste and eat subsidized grain morning and night without ever feeling the sun on their backs, teaming with antibiotics and chemicals to keep their milk "safe."

#3: Corn syrup laden products filled to the brim with concentrated toxic pesticide residues

#4: A big pile of white rice, stripped of its original fiber, vitamins, and minerals

#5: A boneless, skinless chicken breast tender not from my clever marinade but from the animal's forced, indoor, un-exercised life of muscular atrophy.

#6: Vegetables shipped from Latin America where we still enjoy gaining a profit by selling them our "unsafe" DDT

#7: Spinach picked by underpaid, undervalued workers

#8: A color coded chart

Now for what is on my plate:

#1: Solar nutrition taken up by the grass then taken up by the animals which graze it

#2: Small fish from deep cold waters

#3: Well prepared, intact whole grains

#4: Pungent garlic, onions and spices

#5: Freedom of choice

#6: Curries rich with coconut milk

#7: Good fat

#8: Eggs from bug-eating, sun-loving chickens

#9: Flavorful vegetables full of unadulterated vitamins and trace minerals absorbed from real garden soil

#10: The occasional slug lurking on my salad leaf. . . a special treat for my hens.

#11: Fermented foods, teeming with friendly bacteria to help restore and aid digestion

#12: Seasonal, ripe, juicy fruits

# 13: Community

# 14: A moment to say Thanks before the first bite

# 15: Real patriotism

# 16: Bold flavors

# 17: Variety

In the end, the reality is: how do we help most individuals understand the importance of choosing wisely when it comes to food?

My answer would be to view government recommendations with caution. Until industries are held accountable for their products, food products should be approached carefully. I believe it unrealistic to think that each busy mom or grade-schooler can consult a chart and know what food options are best with so many forces at work to confuse them.

Those who manufacture processed, unhealthy foods which appear cheap need to be held accountable. It shouldn't be the public's responsibility to spend hours upon hours in the grocery store reading and comparing labels to ensure they are putting a worthwhile item in their cart-but it is. Soda should be heavily taxed. Oreos should carry a warning or be pulled from the shelves. We need our choices to be more trust worthy if the government is going to "okay" them for sale. If the food industry is comfortable selling us products which have been proven to negatively impact our health, we should send them to court.

When dog food and baby formula imported from China revealed toxic levels of melamine, we did what anyone in their right mind would do and discontinued imports.

Why should it be any different with other ingredients that make us sick?

In summation, the consumer is not the only one needing a lesson in what is appropriate to put on the table. I believe the vast majority of the public is doing the very best they can to stay well despite all of the many mixed messages thrown at them. I do not know a single person who enjoys being sick or overweight.

Additionally, it is impossible to claim that food and politics are unrelated. As we try our best to make the right choices, I think it's high time to expect the same from our government. Those in charge of what gets stocked on grocery store shelves need to be held accountable. I'm sure if they put their minds to it, they can give us more than a new color coded chart.

Time to rise up!

Sauteed Nettles with Sesame, Shiitakes and Shallots

All you have to do is cruise through last spring's recipes to see what a fan I am of nettles. Nettle and potato fritters, and nettles quiche have proudly appeared here before. The health benefits of nettles are vast, they are easily (if not more so) just as satisfying as spinach, and appear without hardly any effort early on in the season.

This is my favorite time to partake, when the shoots are tender and vibrant green. After a winter full of roasted roots, eating fresh greens is nothing short of a seasonal tonic.

Spring greens help cleanse the respiratory system, improve circulation, lighten mood, purify the blood and improve liver, kidney and gull bladder function. High in minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, zinc, magnesium and iron, spring greens also contain vital vitamins such as A, C, E and K. Nettles are some of the first wild edible greens to appear, allowing them to take up additional properties from the dormant winter soil, making them a very wise choice for diversifying the diet.

Shiitakes offer a broad range of useful benefits as well. Research shows that eating shiitake mushrooms stimulates the immune system and carries antiviral as well as antibacterial properties (good news for those of us who battle with seasonal colds). Plus, shiitakes happen to be high in the precious vitamin D, which we can all desperately use more of.

Lentinan, a compound present in shiitakes, has been used as an intravenous anticancer treatment in some countries due to its antitumor properties. And they are divine sauteed in butter.

Shallots, like onions, contain a host of special properties too: vitamins A and B6, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and folate.

Bottom line: this dish is a nutritional powerhouse. If you have access to a stream bank or undisturbed, damp, semi-forrested area, most likely you can find stinging nettle. Grab some gloves and garden snips and get into it.

Sauteed Nettles with Sesame, Shiitakes and Shallots:

*3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

*about 7 medium shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, dried and sliced

*2 medium shallots

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*about 4 cups loosely packed freshly harvested nettle shoots, rinsed

*1/2 cup rich chicken broth

*1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

*1-2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shiitakes.

Allow space in between mushrooms to allow to brown. Turn occasionally until golden and tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a small dish. Set aside.

Place remaining butter in pan. Add shallots. Reduce heat to medium low. Brown shallots before adding the garlic. Saute until aromatic and tender.

Place nettles directly into pan and pour in the broth. Increase heat to medium. Stir, allowing nettles to wilt completely, about 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Return shiitakes to pan. Drizzle all contents with the sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. Gently toss. Serve warm.

Turn it into a Meal:

Serve nettles with fresh poached eggs for breakfast, or alongside grassfed steak, pastured pork or lamb for a lovely evening meal.

Caviar. . . A Closer Look

A short article appeared in this month's SAVEUR on the subject of caviar, and I have never wanted to jump right into a photo more than this one. The shiny black eggs nestled in their stylish little tin look almost as if they could jump right off the page and straight into my mouth. The article got me thinking more about this often unattainable food, and its notorious questionable practices in harvesting. The beluga, sevruga and osetra sturgeon numbers dangerously declined by overfishing and poaching due to the high price set upon their eggs. For a time, eating traditional caviar was right up there with wearing a mink or leopard fur trench. Fortunately, caviar harvesting became strictly limited, and eventually numbers rebounded. During this time, the demand for caviar remained, forcing the industry to look elsewhere for alternative sources.

Nowadays, it is common to find trout and salmon caviar, among many others in specialty stores and by mail order. This is a good thing, because large oceanic creatures such as sturgeon, need ample time and opportunity to reach maturity, while other fish reproduce much more prolifically. However, true caviar connoisseurs do not care for substitutes. This is why aquaculture is being praised for producing a more sustainable version of traditional caviar.

According to the article, a little town called Calvisano, located between Venice and Milan, is known for Agroittica Lombarda, one of the most abundant caviar farms in the world. Raising white sturgeon since the 1980's, (and now osetra and beluga) using a continuous supply of fresh groundwater, their caviar is renowned for purity and taste. Although the industry will always struggle to keep harvesting practices balanced, places like Agroittica Lombarda are setting a fine example of how alternative farming methods, when mindfully operated, can sometimes reign supreme.

While the price for true caviar still remains high, (an ounce of Calvisius white sturgeon caviar sells for $61, the osetra for $89 an ounce), there are times when indulgence also has its benefits.

An excellent source of calcium and phosphorus, caviar also contains protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, and selenium. Vitamins include: B12, B2, B6, B44, C, A and D, as well as a whole host of important amino acids and precious Omega-3 fatty acids. Another perk; all of these benefits are gained from small portions. A little bit of caviar goes a long way nutritionally speaking.

I am not one to go overboard on frivolous food items, but all things considered, I may be putting in a special request to Santa Claus this year, with perhaps a mother-of-peal spoon to go alongside.