5 food groups or 4 food groups?
 

On the front page of section C (local) in The Daily Sun, there's a column with the following heading: "Increase your fruits, vegetables with MyPlate"

The column lists 5 food groups:

Fruit
Vegetables
Grains
Protein
Dairy

My question: Why is "dairy" listed as a separate group when it's clearly a protein?

By law, the dairy industry is not even allowed to say that dairy helps build strong bones. But the U.S.D.A gives it the status of a separate food group as though it's something special.

Milk isn't composed of only protein....there are carbs and some fat.

My question: You mean that chocolate isn't a food group? :22yikes:

You must have been reading my mind. Earlier today I had that same thought. If they are going to give special status to dairy, why not have a "dark- chocolate" food group? Or, how about a "beverage group" for people who like to drink their nutrition? That could include wine, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. :icon_wink:

Every man knows that there are only FOUR basic food groups:

Chicken
Ribs
Pizza
Beer


VG

Dairy is a protein, but it also contains calcium, some that are fortified with vitamin D. This helps with the maintenance of bones and teeth, and also helps prevent osteoporosis.

I would like to think of my cheesecake loaded with calcium, but...

Dairy contains calcium but it has not been proven to stregnthen bones or even maintain bones. And it certainly hasn't been proven to prevent osteoporosis.

If it could be proved to be good for bones, the dairy industry would make this claim on every dairy product in the supermarket. I suggest that you go to the suppermarket and see for yourself. If you can find any dairy product that says, "helps build (or maintain) strong bones", let me know.

Nope 5 groups. You forgot Snacks (chips, pretzels and salted nuts)

I can narrow it to two, beer and pizza for me

Wrongo.

There are four basic food groups, all contained in Irish Coffee. Alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat.

Be healthy today!

Yes, I'm aware of that, but classifications go by whatever the main constituent is. The main constituent of milk is water but there isn't going to be any "water" group to put it in. So you go for the next main constituent which I believe is protein.

I believe dairy also contains cheese. Dairy food group contains milk, cheese, yogurt, milk-based desserts, and soy-milk. That's a bit different than the meat/protein group.
See here What Is Dairy? - Food Groups - ChooseMyPlate.gov - USDA

"All foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the Protein Foods Group. Beans and peas are also part of the Vegetable Group."

The above paragraph is from that site. I agree it's very confusing.

How can something that tastes so good, be so bad? :wine:

That site, ChooseMyPlate.gov, was put up by the U.S.D.A. and of course they are going to justify including "dairy" as a separate group. The way groups are set up is usually based on lobbying, just like the old food pyramids were based on lobbying efforts. That's why there have been changes from time to time. If the dairy industy has a powerful lobby they can muscle their way in as a food group. And I think that's what has happened.