Since most of the micronutrients, fiber, water, protein, and fat have been processed out of these foods, your body gets lots of calories but still doesn’t feel nourished—so you overconsume.

Since then, the U.S. government has launched dozens of other efforts to improve our diets. For example, there was the “Five a Day” campaign, intended to encourage people to eat five fruits or vegetables, the USDA’s food pyramid, and a push for low-fat cheeses and milks. None of them adhered to the committee’s findings. None tried to camouflage thei