Minor Food Rant

I feel as though there is a food revolution that is really ramping up as of late which I’m thrilled about, but I don’t understand why research and studies haven’t been more appreciated? It’s difficult for me to understand the priorities of our country and governing bodies when it comes to things as important as our health (reactive vs proactive). Would we really not have enough food to meet demand if we decided not to eat genetically modified, disease resistant, high yield, nutritionally depleted food (that’s a mouthful, but true, considering almost everything is today)? We literally have to eat 10 times more healthy food, to get the nutrients that our bodies need, than we did 100 years ago: Furthermore, the preservatives, artificial ingredients, etc. that are “approved” by the USDA and FDA for consumption, are often listed on the “watch-list” but not high enough priority. Take EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid) for example, which is on the FDA’s watch list for the potential to cause asthma, allergies, and rashes, among other things, but is down far enough on the list it won’t be looked at for years. Okay…so until then we keep eating it not knowing what it does to our bodies? It can be derived from Formaldehyde (YUM!), and is used in paper, clothing, all sorts of consumer goods, down to soda and food. Next time you go to buy salad dressing, take a look at the ingredient list, and look for EDTA, surprise! it’s in almost every single dressing on the shelf.

Think about it: previous generations lived so long, eating lard, bacon, meat, eggs, a fairly high cholesterol diet, but it came from right outside their front door on the farm, where the animals ate what they were supposed to eat.  We do that today, and we have heart attacks in our mid 40’s, do you think there is a correlation between all of the mass production, antibiotics, and food animals are forced to consume now?  When my great grandparents went to the store, was everything in boxes with ingredient lists a mile long that they couldn’t read or even pronounce? Why do vegetables today taste like crap than if you grow your own organically (tomatoes and cucumbers especially!)?

My philosophy on food: If it didn’t exist 100 years ago, don’t eat it. IFI need to buy something with an ingredient list and there are more than five ingredients, put it back on the shelf.

For your Health!