Foods, Beverage Companies and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
You’ll never guess. AND (the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, formerly known as the ADA or American Dietetic Association) has financial backing from the companies shown in the image above.
That’s right! The very organization that we rely on for administering nutrition and health advice is endorsed by the likes of General Mills, Kellogg’s, the Dairy Board and Coca Cola, just to name a few.
Is there any wonder why we continue to be told that these things are great, healthy options?
What a disgrace.
Just today I had yet another conversation with a student who is nearly done with her degree in dietetics and has come to wonder about the ethics of what her internship will entail.
I, too, felt the same dilemma when I began a program to complete an advanced degree in nutrition and learned I’d have to counsel diabetic patients in the hospital and suggest that they follow the guidelines of the food pyramid that were in place at the time.
I simply couldn’t do it and withdrew.
The mere idea of giving advice which I feel is such a blatant lie was something I couldn’t ethically do.
Certainly, I do not intend for this piece to imply that there are not any RDs out there who are getting the Paleo word out; in fact I know of several who are doing an amazing job at that very task. In addition, you’re never going to go wrong by having more education; the tricky task is to try and find a program that at least is somewhat open minded in their teaching.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the program could begin to change and anyone who wants to become a “licensed Paleo practitioner” (how lovely does that sound?!)?
For now, however, we need to become our own advocates and always look into where the advice is really coming from.
Think about some of the companies listed above that are funding AND. Then, factor that in the next time you have a hearty bowl of flakes for breakfast, along with some fat free dairy, which will do a great job to spike your insulin levels. Do this every day and you can help Kellogg’s and GM along with the dairy board with their profits. Then, after a lifetime of doing this every day, and following the rest of the inane recommendations from AND, you can develop Type II Diabetes, and then you can help Novo Nordisk with their profits because then you’ll need some meds for the disease you created.
It’s a win win situation for the big monster companies, and a big loss for you, your family and all of us in terms of our health as an entire society which continues to get sicker and sicker.
Do your own research and think about what makes common sense to eat. A bowl of flakes or some fruit and some farm fresh eggs? A plate of pasta with cheese sauce from a box or a crisp salad with wild salmon.
Just.
Eat.
Food.
Check out a great article by Marion Nestle for more…
