For an elderly individual who has trouble consuming enough calories, whole milk or butter might be advisable, while for an obese person seeking to lose weight they would not. An athlete in training for distance events might benefit from high-carbohydrate foods such as honey, bananas, even candy or sports 'beans,' while a sedentary office worker would not.
The authors seem to attribute the cause of obesity and poor nutritional decisions to information or lack thereof. Americans have more information about food than ever before, and are heavier than they ever have been in the nation's history. Decisions about what are the 'perfect' foods, on a grading scale, will prove controversial. Heated debate will ensue between low-fat and low-carbohydrate advocates in the media in terms of the weight placed upon certain nutrients in the grading system. Interest groups representing potentially controversial foods, including as farmers, industrial corporations, and meat processers, will only muddy the issue still further with their input. At least with straightforward nutritional information, such as ingredients and calories, slightly less controversy can...
But all food must be evaluated within the context of a diet. For example, many fruits and vegetables might rate quite highly on such a scale. But no one can get all of his or her macronutrients from fruits and vegetables alone. Similarly, eating fruits and vegetables with a small amount of fat may enhance the satiety and even nutrient absorption of such foods. But butter would 'fail' this proposed model, although consumed in small quantities it might not be very bad, and even a nutritional aid. All in all, the author's focus on nutrients seems misplaced. Instead, making physical activity easier, having a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet, and making time to treat whole foods with respect, would seem like a less confusing message for the public, rather than additional food labeling.
