I still have some bad habits I could improve on but food is not one of them, except for my love of cookies and chocolate cake. One of my favorite places to shop for fruits and vegetables is Monterrey Market in Berkeley. The smell and color and variety of their market is wonderful. I love food and my kitchen is full of color - reds, yellows, oranges, dark greens, beige (crimini mushrooms!), light greens, blue, white (garlic, onions, leeks) and dark chocolate.
Some might say that dark chocolate is neither a color nor a food but I will fiercely argue against them. Dark chocolate is rich in cocoa solids that are full of flavanol compounds that a variety of studies have shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol and improve cognition. Of course, moderation is key and a good quality 72% or higher cocoa dark chocolate is best. And yes, dark chocolate is a hair color and wood stain color. I think I need to add purple to my food color choices. I don't consume much meat, maybe a small piece of fish or chicken once a week, or dairy so you won't find those colors in my kitchen.
The class discussion on MSG as a food additive just sets me on a rant. The big corporate food and beverage industries have made a science of flavor enhancers and food additives and preservatives and they are in all processed foods. Under the FDA many of them also fall under the category of "generally regarded as safe". The marketing teams then target children, single parents, college students, and families with both parents working that have little time and many stresses with the convenience of their foods. The standard American diet (SAD) has so much processed and take out foods that it is the excess of MSG, preservatives, salt, and sugar that is contributing to the obesity epidemic in this country. I personally believe these companies know all this crap is a health hazard just like the tobacco companies knew and denied cigarettes were a health hazard in the 1950's. The FDA is not protecting its citizens because many of the base products are government subsidized - wheat, soy, corn, cane sugar to name a few.
Sugar has been shown with imaging technology to trigger the same pleasure center as heroin. Although I could not find any studies to support this, I believe that some children get the "addiction switch" turned on when sugar is first introduced into their diets and will be more susceptible to alcohol and drug addiction as teens and young adults. End of rant for now.
The US FDA and food companies are the biggest contributors to the demise of this country. A side by side comparison with food laws in Europe show that other countries have much more stringent food regulations than the US. For example, GMO products are not even allowed into certain countries. The health of our country is at stake.
ReplyDeleteI think your comparison of food companies and tobacco companies is compelling. I took decades for the truth to come about regarding tobacco. Im curious how it will look for these food companies. It is interesting that the civil courts are where these battles are being fought because government regulation has failed so completely, yet the faith in a court system that monetizes human experience thrives.
ReplyDeleteWonderful read! I also agree with your rant, as it is imperative that the nation does something soon in order to make a difference in this generation and for generations to come. I am also intrigued by your defense for chocolate, as brown was not a color/hue we have touched on yet!
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