http://www.westonaprice.org/caustic_comments/winter2003.html
CHANGING PATTERNS
A news item celebrating the 85th anniversary of Frigidaire's electric
refrigerator lists the contents of the fridge, then and now. In
1918—bottle of fresh whole milk, eggs, lard, cream, churned butter,
homemade lemonade, homemade cottage cheese, apple butter, homemade
jelly, fresh meat. Today: gallon of reduced-fat pasteurized (or
ultrapasteurized), homogenized milk, eggs, fat-free margarine,
flavored nondairy creamer, sports drinks, squeezable yogurt, colored
ketchup, bagged salad, ice cream, frozen dinners. In other words, in
1918 Americans ate real food including plenty of animal fats; today
Americans eat mostly processed food and the animal fats have
disappeared. The biggest change has been in milk consumption patterns.
In 1945, Americans consumed nearly 41 gallons of whole milk per year,
compared to only 8 gallons per person today. Consumption of lower fat
milks was 15 gallons in 2001, up from 4 gallons in 1945 and 6 gallons
in 1970 (Nutrition Week, 8/25/03). The change reflects more than 30
years of constant industry propaganda against animal fats as well as
greatly increased intake of soft drinks, which have largely replaced
milk in the diets of children. A recent study found that 51 percent of
the average American child's daily liquid intake is made up of
sweetened beverages, which is one of the reasons that obesity is
steadily increasing (American Journal of Public Health, September
2002). And Coca-Cola and other large beverage companies have found
ways to put the sweeteners in milk, with new flavored and carbonated
milk drinks aimed at teenagers. Some of these drinks will also contain
caffeine. Schroeder Co. has introduced caffeinated milk drinks in
three flavors—Straight Up Strawberry, Chocolate Shock and Mean Mocha
Cappuccino which will contain as much sugar and caffeine as a can of
regular Coke (Wall Street Journal, 6/9/03). Other trends: Between 2000
and 2002, consumption of soy-based foods rose over 30 percent and
consumption of candy and gum increased over 24 percent. Americans
consume 34 teaspoons of added sugars per day and 10 servings of grains
(Demographics, July/August 2003).
TC