America’s focus on nutritious eating began to receive national attention in
1940s when President Roosevelt introduced RDA, or Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) model. This model, which took on shape of a pyramid in 1980s (and hence now goes by term “food pyramid”), has gone through a number of iterations since its inception more than 60 years ago[i].This change and evolution of RDA model is, in many respects, a positive step. It demonstrates that, just as America’s information on diet and nutrition is advancing, so too are models that guide its eating habits. In fact, USDA itself has decided to update term and now refers to “RDI’s” (“Reference Daily Intake”) instead of RDA’s.
However, undermining some of this positive change is fact that many Americans are increasingly confused over what, how, and when to eat. A survey conducted by USDA in 1996 verified this fact when 40% of respondents agreed strongly with statement that “there are so many recommendations about healthy ways to eat, it’s hard to know what to believe”[ii].
One of most serious expressions of this growing dietary confusion has to do with a concept called Daily Value, or “DV”. Introduced by USDA in 1990s, DV is a dietary numerical reference that is supposed to allow people to make healthy eating choices[iii].
The philosophical idea behind DV, which is expressed as a percentage, is that it provides a very important piece of information. The DV informs consumers how much of a nutrient they are getting from a particular food item. For example, if DV label on a can of beans declares that it represents “10% of DV for fat”, then consumers can keep track of that number to know if, throughout day, how much fat they are eating[1].
However, one does not have to be a mathematician or a dietician to see that above idea begs a significant question: is this10% of DV for fat “good” or is it “bad”? In other words, should a consumer choose this source of fat because it represents a good source of fat, or avoid it for opposite reason?
It is this question that has caused so much confusion among health-conscious consumers. It has caused particular anxiety among those who are wisely ensuring that they eat recommended daily allowance for protein.
The importance of protein in diet cannot be understated. It is not simply an essential macronutrient for athletes, such as bodybuilders and runners. Protein is critical for life itself, regardless of mobility or athleticism. Among other essential functions, protein maintains and repairs muscle tissue, aids digestion, regulates chemicals, manages hormones, and produces enzymes[iv]. In extreme cases, a dangerous lack of protein actually leads to a condition called Kwashiorkor, where body cannibalizes itself[2].
Trying to determine right amount of protein – as expressed in terms of DV% -- has been a difficult challenge for most eaters. Unfortunately, as a result of this confusion, some consumers have not been eating high quality protein. This is because DV number is simply not enough information upon which they can make healthy protein eating decisions.
