You are in Food and Nutrition . Food Guide Pyramid, the nation's official advice on diet, promises the key to a long and healthy life. They don't appear, of course, which is just one reason why critics have complained recently about the official guidelines. Instead of reflecting the fast-changing face of America, they charge, the pyramid remains culturally biased. Worse yet, it's out of touch with current nutrition research.
Some critics say that the pyramid places too much emphasis on dairy and meat products.
Others worry that it encourages people to eat more meat than is healthy. Most Minorities Can't Take Lactose More immediate are the severe cramps, diarrhea, and gas that millions of lactose-intolerant Americans can suffer from eating the dairy products emphasized on the pyramid. They avoid dairy products without substituting other foods that are also rich in calcium. Other good alternatives are lactose-free dairy products, available in many grocery stores, and yogurt or buttermilk. Though these last two are officially dairy foods, both contain bacteria that digest lactose.