The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s latest report recommends moving beans, peas and lentils from the vegetable group to the protein group. While this increases the amount of recommended protein intake, this would be deceiving to Americans, as there are essential nutrients in animal protein that plant proteins do not provide, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) said on Thursday.
NPPC criticizes the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s latest report’s lack of scientific basis for recommending plant proteins as a replacement for animal proteins.
“The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has the opportunity to benefit public health by following sound science,” NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys said in a release. “While pork producers support the Committee’s recommendation to increase protein intake, their recommendation to replace animal proteins will severely compromise the American diet, as plant proteins are not nearly as nutritionally rich.”
This also puts infants, young children, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, and older adults at risk, as they require higher amounts of protein and nutrients that are provided by animal-based proteins, NPPC points out.
“Foods in the first year of life set the stage for a lifetime of good health,” says Kristen Hicks-Roof, Registered Dietitian and the Director of Human Nutrition for National Pork Board. “As a complementary food, the nutrients in pork can help your baby with the important task of growth and development. Pork is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals, making it a nutrient-rich protein choice as a first food for babies.”
Pork is able to fill the gap in protein deficiencies, as well as provide ammino acids, vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients.
As diet-related diseases rise in number, along with food insecurity, science-based nutrition is paramount, the organization says. Pork is an affordable protein for families, as well as federal nutrition program recipients, including the military and schoolchildren.
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee plans to finalize and submit its scientific report to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the USDA, allowing one more opportunity for the public to weigh in prior to releasing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, NPPC explains.
In early October, NPPC submitted comments that raised scientific concerns around replacing animal protein with plant protein.
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