Culturebox: Chocolate Milk at Every Meal

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food Chocolate Milk at Every Meal Unhealthy military mess halls are hurting our armed forces. By Kristen Hinman Posted Monday, Feb. 28, 2011, at 6:56 AM ET Two years into the Revolutionary War, a surgeon general in the Continental Army issued a pamphlet on nutrition. "The diet of soldiers should consist chiefly of vegetables," Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote in Directions for Preserving the Health of Soldiers. "The nature of their duty, as well as their former habits of life, require it." Directions' counsel sounds thoroughly modern, like advice from good-food crusaders Michael Pollan and Mark Bittman--and it probably fell on deaf ears. It was routine, in Rush's time, for soldiers to consume a "pound or two of flesh in a day." More than 200 years later, the U.S. Army is still struggling to provide a more wholesome diet to its meat-loving soldiers, if not pile their plates chiefly with vegetables. It rolled out a new food program last fall in cafeterias at Fort Jackson in South Carolina; Fort Sill in Oklahoma; Fort Knox in Kentucky; Fort Benning in Georgia, and Fort Leonard Wood, in Missouri--the five bases where the Army's 10-week basic training sessions take place. The initiative, dubbed "Soldier Athlete," bans soda, refined grains, and fried foods in favor of healthier options such as low-fat milk, whole grains, and veggie wraps. The policy also phases out the short-order grill, adds more items to the salad bar, and prohibits dessert cookies and cakes. Since some high-in-fat items are still on offer, the better-for-you fare is supposed to be reinforced through a new "Go for Green" labeling system wherein the foods that should be consumed sparingly, moderately, and daily are indicated by red, yellow, and green placards, respectively. To continue reading, click here. Kristen Hinman is a journalist based in Washington, D.C. Her Web site is www.kristenhinman.com. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Dickerson: Don't Worry About a Government Shutdown. 2011 Is Nothing Like 1995. Why Muammar Qaddafi Hates Osama Bin Laden Why So Many Loser College Guys Are Dating Hot Girls These Days	Advertisement
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