The US Department of Agriculture just published their 2010 dietary guidelines for Americans and according to one of Modmarket’s favorite food columnists, Mark Bittman of the New York Times, it’s a whole lot of vague don’ts and too many repetitive dos.  At the risk of harming the food producers of this country, the USDA avoids calling out specific foods that are widely sold and are  directly contributing to the “obesity epidemic” referred to in the guidelines.  Bittman points out that the current manufacturers of these SOFAs (Solid Fats and Added Sugars) can adhere to these guidelines by artificially adding fiber or reducing solid fats from their already hyper-engineered foods.  Is a Whopper that is higher in fiber better for you now?

At Modmarket we took a different approach: start simple and keep it simple.  Everything on the menu is easy to picture and more importantly, pronounce.  Our foods are high in fiber and protein because they started that way.  The whole grains in our flatbreads came out of the ground whole, we chose to skip the step where they process out all the fiber and replace it with corn byproducts.

Bittman simplifies the USDA’s overly wordy directions like “Cook and eat more meals at home . . . include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and protein foods that provide fewer calories and more nutrients.” into his own phrase: Eat Real Foods (ERF).  At Modmarket we keep the food as close to nature as we can, and it is no accident that the natural stuff tastes better.  So thank you Mr. Bittman for condensing a 95 page government document down to a three word phrase that everyone here at Modmarket can get behind.

Tags: bittman, ERF, new york times, real food, SOFAs, USDA