New food guidelines don’t convince me that my cheese habit is OK

Normally I would not pay attention to anything coming from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but the new USDA dietary guidelines, released earlier this month, have some good recommendations: more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, unprocessed foods, unsweetened beverages, and adequate protein. 

However, the top of the new inverted food pyramid shows foods high in saturated fat: meat, cheese, and whole milk. Recommending them as prime sources of protein contradicts another recommendation to limit saturated fat, which clogs the arteries and leads to heart disease. (We can’t expect consistency from anyone in the Trump administration.)

Meat is off the table for me — I haven’t eaten any in more than 50 years — but the guidelines about dairy spurred me to investigate. Although I choose low-fat varieties, my bad LDL cholesterol numbers suggest that I still eat too much dairy. Besides milk in oatmeal and a yogurt snack, I eat three or four ounces a day of cheese. 

But it’s not just vegetarians like me who love cheese. Cheese is the leading source of saturated fat in American diets, according to the USDA. 

Past USDA guidelines recommended nonfat or low-fat dairy products. Kennedy, though, believes that whole milk has critical nutrients and is too often replaced with unhealthy processed beverages. As kooky as are some of his opinions, there are scientists who agree with him about dairy products. They favor full-fat dairy because it promotes fullness and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and contains ingredients that may counteract saturated fat.

The fact is, there isn’t a consensus about the effect of fat in milk, cheese, and yogurt on heart disease. Some studies have shown that the saturated fat in dairy products behaves differently from that in meat, and that full-fat dairy and lower-fat dairy have similar effects on heart disease. There haven’t been enough studies, however, so the only recommendation many nutritionists make is for more research. 

One nutritionist told NPR that we needn’t concern ourselves about the fat content of dairy if eating “a moderate amount.” His comment assumes that dairy is not one’s main source of protein as it is mine. 

I blame overconsumption of dairy, along with bad genetics, for my high total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride level. Resolving after the last blood test to substitute more nondairy sources of protein, I put a list on the refrigerator: nuts and nut butters, soy products including edamame and tofu, legumes, lentils, seeds, and quinoa. Not only do they contain little or no saturated fat, plant proteins have fiber that feeds good gut bacteria, helps to lower bad cholesterol, and keeps us feeling full longer. 

Flaxseeds now go into my oatmeal and peanut butter on toast. But my snacking still needs reform. Maybe it’s habit, maybe it’s waiting for the next blood test to see if bergamot supplements have lowered my cholesterol, but for a snack I still reach first for cheese. 

The new dietary guidelines have not reassured me that my preference for dairy is OK, but they deserve credit for drawing my attention again to how much cheese I eat. It’s not just a matter of cutting back on cheese. Substitutes are needed to supply enough protein, especially as we age. Older bodies need more protein because they are less efficient at processing it. AARP recommends 75 grams of protein a day for senior women and 90 for senior men. For a vegetarian to eat that much protein without overindulging in dairy requires attention and effort. 

Cutting out cheese snacks should be my first goal. Nuts are yummy but high in calories and should be eaten in moderation. I love baked tofu, but a chunk or two doesn’t fill me up. Combining a moderate amount of soy or nuts with a fruit or vegetables seems to be the way to go — for instance, fruit with edamame or nuts, celery with a nut butter, or carrots with hummus. I’d appreciate suggestions if anyone out there has a plant protein snack to recommend.