Earlier this year, the USDA issued its replacement for the well-recognized but poorly understood food guide pyramid. Many millions of dollars will be spent to promote the new dietary guidelines. What is the cornerstone of these new recommendations? The U.S. government will focus its efforts on having people eat well-balanced diets, avoiding food fads and eating whole grains.

In April 2005, Food Arts magazine featured a “high-carb,” indulgent dessert on the cover. The May 2005 issue of Bon Appetit features a huge plate of pasta on the cover. Across America, upscale diners are ordering risotto, paella (gourmet rice dishes) and pasta entrées of all kinds. On the Food Network, Mario Batali is “Iron Chef Italian” and crushing his opponents using high-carb pasta creations. In the restaurant business, the customer is still always right. They vote with their wallets, and they are ordering rice and pasta.