Attack on milk is food police folly
5:41 PM 5/02/04

Americans are served so many dire warnings about what's bad for our diets that most of us have learned to take it all with a grain of salt (unless our doctors have put us on a low-salt diet). But what the food police from the ironically named Center for Science in the Public Interest have cooked up simply deserves to be laughed out of the kitchen. <

The center, which periodically raises a ruckus about supposedly unhealthful foods, is now blaming the dairy industry for endangering the health of American children. <

What is this awful threat from the dairy industry? <

Milk. <

Yes, organize the demonstrations and file the lawsuits. We must save the children - from milk. <

Not all milk. Just whole milk and 2 percent. Skim milk and 1 percent are apparently OK. <

Specifically, the center is ranting against the dairy industry for supporting the wording of a bill passed by the House of Representatives to reauthorize federal child nutrition programs, including the school lunch program. The bill requires schools to offer milk in a "variety of fat contents." <

What's wrong with variety? What's wrong with giving children choices? <

The center is aghast because a variety of choices means that some of the milk offered in schools might be - dare we say it? - 2 percent or even whole milk. <

Egad! What are we to do? <

Ban 2 percent and whole milk from schools, of course, along with the flavored milk drinks that exceed the fat-free or 1 percent limit. At least that's what the Center for Science in the Public Interest wants. <

That's laughable. But the idea has serious consequences for the dairy industry and for Wisconsin, home to more dairy farmers than any other state. <

To be sure, there is some truth in the center's rant. For most people, skim milk and 1 percent are better choices than 2 percent or whole milk; same nutrition, fewer calories and less fat. But for consumers who want to enjoy a richer taste, whole milk, 2 percent and flavored milk drinks can be healthful choices, when consumed in moderation. The key word is choice. Variety benefits the consumer. <

Variety also helps the dairy industry, which is trying to encourage more children to choose milk over soda. That's good business for the industry and for Wisconsin farmers. But it's also good nutrition for children. Generally, milk - whether whole or skim or anything between - is a more healthful choice than soda. <

Banning 2 percent and whole milk from schools would prevent the dairy industry from reaching a full spectrum of students' tastes. A ban would also restrict student choices and hand an advantage to the soda industry. <

The Center for Science in the Public Interest ignores the big picture because it is in the narrow business of declaring certain foods to be bad. It's a good way to attract attention. And there is money in it: To stay in business the center must attract the attention of donors. <

But labeling foods "bad" is misleading. Foods aren't strictly good or bad. The question is how a food fits into an overall diet and exercise plan. Even Twinkies can be part of a healthful lifestyle, if consumed in moderation. <

Moderation would do the Center for Science in the Public Interest some good, too. Blaming the dairy industry for giving schoolchildren a variety of milk selections takes food police foolishness to an extreme.