How About What Not To Eat?

Image by jay d via Flickr

The USDA has come out with guidelines for Americans on what not to eat.  So guess what?  Pizza and fast food are on the “do not eat” list. 

Ok, I’m pretty sure that makes sense, although I can hear the groans of thousands of mom and pop pizza shops across the country. 

But-hold the phone-isn’t this the same USDA that subsidizes and supports the production of sugar?  Why, according to that sage of sages Wikipedia (also the USDA.gov site) it does. 

So the organization that is telling us not to eat sugar is subsidizing the production of that sugar and making it readily available? 

And what exactly was our fruits and vegetables subsidy?  Oh, zero?  Right.  So if I’m on a budget, I can afford highly processed white flour and sugar because my tax dollars have subsidized and stabilized the production of both these SAD (standard american diet) staples.  But I can’t afford to feed my family fruits and vegetables because they aren’t subsidized. 

I’m really not sure whether to laugh or cry when the same government agency is both the policeman and the criminal.  It occurs to me that farm subsidies do not NEED to destroy the health of consumers.  But that would involve altering time honored pork.  I’m not holding my breath. 

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