Day 262- Pizza is a Vegetable??

Congress believes that pizza should be considered a vegetable since one slice of pizza contains 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Whereas the U.S Department of Agriculture believes that in order for it to be considered a vegetable it should contain one-half cup of tomato paste, which would mean that the pizza would literally be swimming in tomato paste. Making it less appetizing to children in the long run.

The campaign to make school lunches healthier by reducing french fries and adding more fruits and vegetables was denied by congress. Although even McDonalds heard the message and have worked to make their children's menu somewhat healthier (I guess a little bit of a oxymoron).

In the NPR health blog, "The Salt" Allison Aubrey wrote:

"It's a shame that Congress seems more interested in protecting industry than in protecting children's health," wrote Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest in a statement today.

"This [nutrition regulation proposed by Congress] may go down as the biggest nutritional blunder since Reagan tried to declare ketchup as a vegetable," Wootan tells The Salt. "It's ridiculous to call pizza a vegetable."

But she argues that pizza should be served with a vegetable. The nutrition standards, she argues, were intended to reinforce the2010 Dietary Guidelines that say it's important for people to eat whole fruits and vegetables.

The AFFI's Corey Henry argues that even a little tomato paste on a slice of pizza packs in a lot of the nutrients kids need.

"Tomato paste is almost unique in its ability to provide a very significant amount of critical nutrients and vitamins," says Henry. And he argues that any comparison to the 1980s ketchup-as-a-vegetable controversy is just unfair.

Here is a news report on MSNBC about the issue:

It's a little disturbing that congress is taking the side of the food industry rather than the health of the students. Hopefully they will get it together soon and realize that pizza really is not a vegetable.

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP