When did it become acceptable to...

[kathryn]

Kathryn, of course I could point to articles demolishing the idea that eating healthy fats leads to thick blood and artery cloggage, but what would be the point?

Why are you qualifying your statement by saying "healthy fats"?
Certainly none of the fats we're talking about (those from McDonalds) are "healthy fats."

If we were talking about people eatiing a whole avocado, or 'too many' raw walnuts or almonds, it would be a bit of a different situation.

 

[kathryn]

Whole grain, natural, free range, organic have become abused terms in the food industry.

Ain't it the truth!

Any time some new 'healthy' tendency becomes public, unscrupulous manufacturers take advantage of it to make it a buzzword to sell their products, and many people buy into it.

(remember the 'low fat" craze? I'm sure billions of dollars were made on those "Snackwells" cookies that were one of the first things to really promote "low fat." Yes, they were low fat...but full of sugar, and processed to death. I used to buy some canned chili that suddenly came out with a 'reduced fat' version. I'd never really read the label beyond seeing that it was vegan, but started to pay more attention to fat at that point. The 'reduced fat' version was about 40% fat! But they could call it "reduced fat" because it had a certain percentage less fat than the regular stuff, which was about 60%--yipes!--fat!).

"whole grain" when there's maybe a touch of whole grain in the product (and most of these new 'whole grain' cereals say "contains whole grains" rather than "100% whole grains"...geesh, you have to be an expert in textual analysis to understand this stuff! Guess that's where my training in literary criticism and analysis comes in handy, .)

"Natural" means absoultey nothing beyond "not made in a lab" (feces and rocks are natural, but I don't want them in my food!)

"Free range" just means the birds have the potential of going outside, but there may be room for only 1 or two to go out, while they normally live in a building with hundreds of other birds.

"Organic" is usually safe for now, though manufacturers keep trying to get the guidelines changed so they can include irradiated food, the use of sludge as fertilizer, etc.

I remember about 10 years ago, manufacturers were trying to do this without the knowledge of the general public, but some watchdog organizations got petitions going to block it. In any case, I don't know how much I trust 'big food' saying their stuff is organic.

Before the USDA organic standards came out, Kashi used to label some of their products "Organic"---not "organically grown," not "certified organic by Oregon Tilth" or some other reputable organization. And the ingredient list didn't mention "organic rice" etc. I figured out they meant "does not contain inorganic substances like rocks". They stopped doing it, but since then I don't want to give them my business.

 

[fit44]

(remember the 'low fat" craze? I'm sure billions of dollars were made on those "Snackwells" cookies that were one of the first things to really promote "low fat."

Yes, I remember it all too well. I ate boxes of those cookies

Another catch phrase that tricked me recently is "no sugar added". This was on applesauce. I get the stuff home thinking it's all natural, nothing but apples. No, it had splenda in it.

 

[kathryn]

Another catch phrase that tricked me recently is "no sugar added". This was on applesauce. I get the stuff home thinking it's all natural, nothing but apples. No, it had splenda in it.

That's nasty, isn't it?
A tip: "no added sugar" often means "artificial sweeteners added"
While "all natural" means "sugar added"!

(Why in the world does applesauce need to be sweetened anyway? I never understood that one. I always eat mine plain....or with cinnamon!)

 

[hiitdogs]

That's nasty, isn't it?
A tip: "no added sugar" often means "artificial sweeteners added"
While "all natural" means "sugar added"!

(Why in the world does applesauce need to be sweetened anyway? I never understood that one. I always eat mine plain....or with cinnamon!)

I don't know how many times I got tricked by this kind of stuff until I figured out it would be a good idea to read the nutrition labels before I buy something. As I found out the hard way protein powders and protein bars is also notorious for that. It is sold as health food and if you look closely at the label most of them turn out to be junk.

I am just to the point where I almost exclusively buy fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and anything else that I can recognize as whole, unprocessed food. And I buy at farmer's markets or directly from a local farmer and in season which also cuts down on how much money I spend.

 

[elliemom]

MY biggest question is "why in the world is applesauce now available in neon colors"????????????? BLUE applesauce!!!!! YUCK

ellie

 

[hiitdogs]

MY biggest question is "why in the world is applesauce now available in neon colors"????????????? BLUE applesauce!!!!! YUCK

ellie

You mean they don't grow blue apples ? I agree it is disgusting!!!

 

[fit44]

I'm reading Eat This, Not That.
Here is some eye opening information:

Kellogg's has a "Diabetes Friendly" logo on the side of the box of corn flakes. Never mind that Australian researchers have shown that cornflakes raise blood glucose faster and to a greater extent than straight table sugar. The cereal maker does provide a link to it's web site, where nutrition recommendations are provided for people with diabetes.


Quaker Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal (has more sugar as one serving of Fruit Loop cereal) proudly displays the American Heart Association checkmark on the product's box. However, in fine print next to the logo reads that the food meets the AHA's "food criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol." So it can have a pound of sugar and still qualify. Fruit Loops meets the AHA's criteria, too, only no logo is displayed.
That's because......
The food industry doesn't want you to know that companies must pay to be an AHA certified food.

 

[kryptychyck]

I see your point

5 seconds or minutes? I wish it were that easy. I've spent hours/years trying to figure this out and I'm still learning. Our family physicians are clueless and they have a medical degree!

Do you really think nutrition is that easy in a world with grocery stores with processed food falling off the shelves? All claiming to be fortified with essential vitamins and minerals.
As Kathryn pointed out, food producers spend billions of dollars on advertising.

Let's look at whole grain for a moment. How many loaves of bread claim to be whole grain? I think Lucky Charms, Trix, Cocoa Puffs claim to be whole grain..... or Wonder bread iron for kids. How many parents fall for that?

Dairy products? Do you know how many hormones are shot into the cows to mass produce milk? Same with meat. Do you have any idea how expensive it is to purchase hormone free meat?
What about the mercury scare with canned tuna? How many people stopped eating tuna for fear of mercury poisoning?

What about canned veggies and fruits?
High Fructose Corn Syrup is all natural, made from corn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEbRxTOyGf0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVsgXPt564Q

We all know that HFCS causes you to hunger more. How many people fail on diets because they can't control the hunger? How many people blame themselves not knowing the very diet food they are eating is making them hungrier?
Sugar is in everything and often in sneaky ways. How many names are there for sugar? It's mind boggling!

The latest craze on food labels are claims of "O trans fat", yet the food contains hydrogenated oils? So you think your avoiding trans fat, but you are really not. I couldn't understand how this could be?? Apparently, the government allows a certain percentage of trans fats. If the percentage is low, it can be labeled zero trans fat.
OMG, look the the salads at fast food restaurants! They are loaded with sugar, fat, and hydrogenated oils.

I have family members who are completely lost when it comes to nutrition.
I would not call them idiots. They don't know where to begin.
How many newbies come to this forum and ask what clean eating means?
How many answers are there? Really. There are many people who think they are eating healthy, but in reality they are not.

I agree there are people who do not care. I think the majority of people honestly do not know how to eat.

Hello, I see your point. I guess I take advantage of the fact that I, like many folks here, have made fitness and nutrition a priority if not a hobby. We go out and search everything we can and read everything on this stuff.

I was just making the point that the person eating Goobers - a candy - can't possibly think that is a healthy food despite what the label claims?!?! It is candy! We all were taught years ago that candy is unhealthy.

I also wanted to add that I attended an advertising seminar at one of my local universities a couple of years ago. I have a BS in Marketing and Management and work in business administration. The main point of any company is to make money. The first question any marketer asks themselves is "How can I get your (comsumer) money into my (business) pockets?" In comes the advertising person with the answer: the easiest way to get someone's money is by convincing them that this product is for the greater good. Combine those two principles with the budgets and legal team powers of a Kelloggs or a General Mills and you get two giant monsters of mass produced crap with the packaging that makes claims that are borderline criminal. They go right up to the line of what they are allowed to say without crossing it. These claims are designed by the marketing and advertising teams and then researched and verified as legal by the lawyers and compliance teams. Then they gather up a sample of the population in focus groups and ask them to pick which label convinces them that the product is healthy. It is sick.

I know how these business work. they are not interested in helping the public. They are there to make money for themselves and the shareholders. They do it under the guise of helping the consumer and his/her family. I boycot all mass produced and prepackaged food. I do not buy any products from large corporations. I work hard to give my $$ to the local guy. I have helped a couple of friends and family members lose a significant amount of weight. I told them - stay out of the aisles. Stay away from things in a box or can. Buy fresh or frozen. Buy only what is grown or raised in the USA. Buy organic where you can. Simplify your diet.

If all of the people band together and stop buying crap from these corporations, they will have no choice but to change their products to real healthy ones. Clorox and its parent ccompany already have recognized that people want chemical free plant based cleaning products. They have come out with their own version. I will not buy it though because I do not support large corporations. But, this is just one example of how comsumer behavior controls the markets - not the businesses. That is how it should be too.

I do know how much food costs at Whole Foods. I buy for one person - me. My monthly gorcery budget is $400 - $600 It is very expensive. But I made a commitment to myself a long time ago that I will always eat well if nothing else. I was laid off from work in February and I moved in with my parents. I still shop at Whole Foods. I forgo other extras in order to do that. I was very poor in college and I barely got by sometimes. I even "borrowed" my roommate's Ramen noodles for a meal once! When I started making money after I graduated, I promised myself that no matter what I would eat well and be healthy.

This is a tough topic and there are no easy answers. Many doctors are clueless. Some are good though. MY GP is an MD, but he is also into natural medicines and treatments. He believes in healthy foods and eliminating chemicals.

I think some of this comes down to common sense, but people also have to stop trusting big companies and what they read on the packaging. They need to start reading the fine print.

 

[jnka825]

my two cents

Okay. . . I had to chime in here. My very first job (at 16 years old) was Burger King. It amazed me how many regulars came in, ordering the same food. I knew some of their orders by heart, that is how often they came in. This was in the 90s, not sure if they knew how severely they were clogging their arteries, lol. What bugged me the most were the people who ordered huge meals, Whopper combo, go large, with two more burger, chicken tenders, etc. and then to top it off, a diet coke. That bugged me. why go for the diet coke, you are in over your head already, lol.

The other thing I wanted to say is that I have a sister and brother-in-law and they are both obese. We just went on a trip with them, and seeing them in bathing suits was uncomfortable b/c I know she is self-conscious and I didn't want to look at her and have her think I was disgusted or whatever. But what I did notice was that what they ate compared to what I ate, was not bad at all. We ate pretty much the same, sometimes when we ordered out, I had the T-bone and they ordered the chicken, so they were eating better than me, lol. The big difference between us. . . they didn't move! I would go running, or do my resistance band workout while they vegged on the couch. I walked to the pool area of the villa complex, they drove. If I ate a dessert, I would walk in the evening, they played cards. You all get the point I am sure. I watched something on CNN or one of those channels, and the doctor on the show said, it only takes 2000 calories a day to maintain your current weight. You have to move to get it off. I don't know what my point is. . . oh yeah, okay, so eating at fast food restaurants and over-ordering, not good, but if you are an avid exerciser, it won't hurt you as much as if you don't move at all.