Food Pyramids – Supply and Demand
This Food Pyramid infographic has been making the rounds lately, asking the question “Why does a salad cost more than a Big Mac?”
The answer it suggests is that government funding for the meat and dairy industries makes bad foods cheap. Sound familiar?
These pyramids have been widely lambasted for engaging in bad graphic design, so Chuck Pirello at the JMP blog too it upon himself to compare the percentage of US agriculture subsidies to the percentage of servings you should eat from each food group every day.
That’s a problem!
I’d argue that there should be NO subsidies, and the higher cost of meat production would raise prices and limit demand. A hamburger would go back to being a special treat and not a dietary staple, and perhaps our national battle with obesity would be won. This, in turn, might even help to lower health care costs.
Who knew economic policy could be so vital?
Find more graphical redesigns over at FlowingData.
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