Say it aint so! After 30 years of nannying and nagging us about our food choices, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) seems to be a bit off its game lately. Not to worry, though: in the 4 weeks since CSPI last told us what not to eat (calling a Cheesecake Factory dessert “carrot cake on steroids“), other nannies-in-training have stepped up to fill the vacuum. In a stunning one-two combination, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) made a pair of pronouncements this week that would make even the nannies at CSPI proud. A New York Times Personal Health story warned readers, at AICR’s behest, to avoid cookout-related carcinogens when we grill outdoors. The group’s recommendations include “precooking meats, poultry and fish in the oven or microwave, then grilling them briefly to get that barbecued flavor.” And, lest we forget, “You can also grill veggie burgers.” In a related MSNBC “Nutrition Notes” feature, AICR pushes what it calls “the new American plate”; this is merely the latest euphemism for joyless eating. With directives like “serve [only] water at meals” and advice on “limiting amounts of beef, poultry and seafood,” AICR is poised to give CSPI a run for its money.
