5/27/25: Why is MAHA Intent on Getting Kids Ready for the Military?; Making Salmonella Great Again; Is Protein Popcorn a Good Idea?; Do Culinary Classes Improve Health? & more
Nutrition News You Can Use
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📝The MAHA Report
The MAHA Report debuted on Thursday (5/22). To read the entire report go HERE. The report is 73 pages long. Given that it came out right before the Memorial Day weekend, most are just beginning to dig into this.
There are pages that are specifically about nutrition:
There are also pages that:
- trash the peer review process (pp. 62-63)
-criticize the 1992 Food Guide Pyramid for not recommending whole grains (p.32) - though the FGP hasn’t been used since 2011
-find considerable fault in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (pp. 30-32)
There’s also a lot of exaggerated, hyperbolic and seemingly biased language with words/phrases like “toxic”, “root cause” (often a hallmark of functional medicine), and “pesticides” making multiple appearances in what should be more of a scholarly document.
🤔Oddly though there’s no mention of some of the leading causes of death of in the U.S for 1–44-year-olds like unintentional injury, homicide and suicide. What about smoking/vaping…gun violence? CDC WISQARS - Injury Data Reports.
Additional comments from our followers and friends:
Catherine R. “They have set the stage to nullify past and present nutrition research by claiming bias (the food industries bought the study to influence the results). This is huge and will impact us in every aspect of the nutrition field.”
Paige C. “…it feels like they keep stating that the Dietary Guidelines don’t emphasize limiting UPFs even though they encourage limiting saturated fat, high sodium and high sugar foods, but then turns around and gives examples of other countries who encourage minimizing processed foods that contain high amounts of added fats, sugar and salt. It’s the same thing, it just doesn’t say “limit UPFs”.
Another thing they referenced was that 60% of SNAP recipients are on Medicaid and that SNAP regulations are the reason for them to have poor health. They completely ignore the fact the same people who need SNAP benefits are likely in the same socioeconomic bracket of people who need Medicaid. Not to mention that low-income populations are likely to be more at risk for health issues due to less resources and less likelihood of going to the doctor regularly. A lot of this really neglects to take into consideration the struggle of people to afford food and obtain it. It also references countries with better healthcare systems than us.
Last, it basically takes a jab at peer reviewed articles and states that they aren’t a good standard for evidence-based practice because big pharma backs them or the peer reviewers are biased.
While I’m definitely for improving our health system, this feels less helpful and realistic and more agenda-y.”
Claire B. “…strangely preoccupied with the poor health of younger people making them ineligible for military service…”.
Jessica Knurick, PhD, RD What the Hell is Going On at HHS? A Public Health Update
“…the MAHA report doesn’t reflect a scientific inquiry into the causes of childhood chronic disease. It reflects a predetermined agenda that omits key facts, erases disparities, and risks misleading the public and policymakers alike…”.
Leaving comments open to all …if you read the MAHA report (even a portion of it) and have a comment…please share!
🤢Substack: “Making Salmonella Great Again”
There’s lots happening with food safety in the U.S. ….and it’s not good.
“…For nearly 120 years, we’ve relied on the government to help keep us safe from adulterated food and medicine. But that vast system is now in jeopardy. In just four months, Donald Trump has gutted labs that tested food for suspected contaminants like bird flu, found in dairy as well as poultry, and “parasites like cyclospora in spinach and the pesticide glyphosate in barley.” Hundreds of scientists and other federal workers who hunt down and warn us about the dangerous pathogens in our food and medicine have been fired. The nation’s top food safety expert quit the FDA in disgust, commenting that “I didn’t want to spend the next six months of my career on activities that are fundamentally about dismantling an organization.”
🍿Substack: “Does the World Really Need Protein Popcorn?”
by Dietitian Brittany Raftis
We’ve seen protein added to cookies, cereal, yogurt…. even water. How about protein popcorn? Canadian RD Brittany Raftis takes a look.
Does the world really need protein popcorn?
➕Substack: How to Get More Fiber When You’re Gluten-Free
A gluten-free diet may also be low in fiber. Journalist Christina Heiser has some tips of how to get more fiber into meals when people are following a gluten-free diet.
How to Eat High Fiber Gluten-Free Foods | Christina Heiser
👩🏽🍳Research: Do Cooking Classes ⬇️ Cardiometabolic Risk Factors?
“…Culinary interventions were not associated with a significant change in cardiometabolic risk factors, but were associated with improved attitudes, self-efficacy, and a healthier dietary intake in adults and children. Interventions with additional components such as education on nutrition, gardening, or physical activity may be more effective…”.