USDA: Healthy food isn't really more expensive

USDA: Healthy food isn't really more expensive

This article was about how healthy food may not be expensive as everyone says it is.  This study is from The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (or the USDA), which took place on May 17, 2012.  The lead author for the USDA study, Andrea Carlson said that the study that showed that junk food costs less than healthy food may be a bit twisted.  She and her team analyzed 4,439 foods in three ways.  They did this to prove to people that, “there is a range of prices for any type of food you buy. You can find expensive produce and inexpensive produce, as well as expensive and inexpensive junk food.”  Many people use the excuse that healthy food cost too much as a way to escape eating nutritional food.  When the tests were done the results were; the first theory proved Andrea and her team’s theory wrong, but the last two tests proved their hypothesis correct.  Now there is one less excuse for people to use for eating healthy.

I believe that this study is a great way to motivate others to go healthy.  Many people will read this article and think, “hey, if fruits and vegetables are cheaper, might as well buy that!” I believe by doing this research we are a step up to going healthy.  On the other hand, I think that telling people nutritional food is cheaper than junk food won’t do any good because then many other excuses will be made up.  I think that people should be motivated to keep a healthy body, and that’s what will make them eat healthy, motivation.  I also really admire how people are going through such drastic measures to keep their fellow citizen Americans (or anyone who lives in America) healthy, and this should make others care about their own health.  I hope one day Americans will realize that eating healthy is very important, and by making them aware by posting articles like this one, will help tremendously!

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/17/usda-healthy-food-isnt-really-more-expensive/

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=JskcdGQtTVcSxM:&imgrefurl=http://www.elcivics.com/lifeskills/healthy-food-1.html&docid=P3UBVJXuk0E5jM&imgurl=http://www.elcivics.com/lifeskills/images/healthy-foods.jpg&w=570&h=319&ei=Z129T-mvBe-K6QGxqt1Q&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=501&vpy=204&dur=881&hovh=168&hovw=300&tx=187&ty=86&sig=107374173229916552964&page=1&tbnh=125&tbnw=223&start=0&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:145&biw=1192&bih=543

     


                                Plate Icon To Guide Americans To Healthier Eating

                This article is about how the American icon for healthy eating has changed from My Pyramid to My Plate.  The USDA has introduced the My Plate because they thought My Pyramid was too complicated and they wanted the icon o be simple, so American’s could follow it.  The USDA also wants to show Americans (especially children) how important it is to eat a healthy meal.  The My Plate consists of fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, and dairy on the side.  This change was made during June 2, 2011.  Many people in America are either overweight or obese and the USDA want to show Americans how quickly and easily you can eat a healthy meal.  Their goal for the My Plate “is to simplify nutritional information.”  

                I believe that the My Plate will really make a significant impact compared to My Pyramid.  The My Plate is so much easier to follow.  For example, if you are about to make your dinner you could just look at the My Plate and know how much of each serving size to add to your plate.  On the other hand, though the My Plate may make a significant impact on problems such as obesity and overweight it will not get rid of these problems.  I believe people need motivation to resolve issues like these.  I also think that by changing a picture or an icon shouldn’t be such a big deal and it definitely isn’t that magic potion that will change American people’s health problems.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/02/usda.new.food.plate/index.html

http://www.google.com/imgresum=1&hl=en&biw=1336&bih=600&tbm=isch&tbnid=FkkGRUCHwkqTwM:&imgrefurl=http://www.nbbcfood.info/foodmatters/consumers/healthyeating.asp&docid=oxL17za6Zc0EiM&imgurl=http://www.nbbcfood.info/foodmatters/consumers/images/healthyplate.gif&w=408&h=308&ei=p56pT67QB6b06QHU6cCMAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=573&vpy=140&dur=1170&hovh=195&hovw=258&tx=172&ty=120&sig=109410532207311789094&page=1&tbnh=121&tbnw=160&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:79