Healthy 4 Life by Weston A. Price

As an alternative to the USDA lowfat, high-carbohydrate dietary guidelines, the Weston A. Price Foundation proposes Healthy 4 Life, a dietary plan in the form of a colorful booklet and poster featuring four food groups: animal foods; grains, legumes and nuts; vegetables and fruits; and healthy fats.

Rather than prescribe one-size-fits-all levels of macronutrients—fats, carbohydrates and proteins—the Healthy 4 Life plan recommends nutrient-dense versions of animal and plant foods, with particular emphasis on healthy traditional fats like butter, lard, egg yolks and coconut oil. The plan does not specify specific amounts of fats or carbohydrates because the need for these macronutrients varies with the individual. Those who engage in high levels of physical activity can incorporate more carbohydrates in the diet without gaining weight; those needing to lose weight or control blood glucose levels require more healthy fats in the diet as fats provide satiety and help keep blood sugar within a normal range.

The proposed 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines perpetuate the mistakes of previous guidelines in demonizing saturated fats and animal foods rich in saturated fatty acids such as egg yolks, butter, whole milk, cheese, fatty meats like bacon and animal fats for cooking. The current obesity epidemic emerged as vegetable oils and refined carbohydrates replaced these healthy, nutrient-dense traditional fats. Animal fats supply many essential nutrients that are difficult to obtain from other sources.

By restricting healthy animal fats in school lunches and diets for pregnant women and growing children, the USDA Guidelines will accelerate the tragic epidemic of learning and behavior disorders. The nutrients found most abundantly in animal fats and organ meats—including choline, cholesterol and arachidonic acid—are critical for the development of the brain and the function of receptors that modulate thinking and behavior. The vitamins and fatty acids carried uniquely in saturated animal fats are necessary for normal reproduction. The 2010 Guidelines will increase infertility in this country, already at tragically high rates.

The colorful Healthy 4 Life booklet contains easy-to-understand explanations of the need for animal protein and saturated fats, along with basic recipes.