Changing the way we eat
The night before our Ash Wednesday mass I watched a chilling documentary that is sparking my new mission to give up industrial food, nationwide discussion, and some Academy Award buzz, Food Inc. It depicts the horrors and politicalization of our nation's food consumption. And before you start thinking that is is another sucker-turned-PETA-supporter rant against the mistreatment of animals and meat, it's not. I fully believe in eating meat. But from animals who eat what they have been eating for thousands and thousands of years and not the hormone saturated corn feed that is fed to 94 percent of our nations beef and chicken industry. Every time we make a purchase, when we scan that bar code across the sensor we are essentially casting a vote. This vote reflects what we want, what the consumer wishes to buy. And for most of us, we fall prey to smart advertising and convenience all too easily. Almost everything we find in the supermarket aisles and fast-food chains is a derivative of corn in some way. Does that even make sense? Should our most basic lunchbox additives stem from one single crop that is so heavily given government aid? The answer, really, is no. Corn should be corn. But, thanks to science it has found it's way into over sixty six percent of all of our shelf products from chips to detergent to jam and even "pure" orange juice. It's all part of the process of making things sweeter, saltier, more enticing to our reward pathway so we continue eating it and craving it. And the three big food companies know it. Pesticide company Monsanto has absolute power over all of our crops and has made it impossible for us to grow any sort of crop that isn't Monsanto approved and resistant to (you guessed it) Monsanto pesticides. Before I had even heard that these phenomenons existed, I was completely oblivious. I thought that the American farmer was an individual, respected entity. That the integrity of food was still kept in tact by different brands and the whole "organic" wave that was crazing the nation. But it isn't. When talking about how the agricultural industry really works, a farmer in Food Inc. states that it's like...
"Lady justice had the scales and you piled cash on the scales, and the one that piled the most cash on the scales and hired the most experts and the ones most willing to tell the biggest lies that was the winner. that seems to be how our justice system works right now. it's terrible."
Famous author Michael Pollan (author of An Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto) is highlighted in the film as well, sharing his views on how apparently difficult it is today to eat. He's not talking about the process of chewing and swallowing, but of making the food itself. His argument is simply "eat real food, not too much. mostly vegetables." But, the commitment to staying loyal to local vendors and staying out of fast food change is becoming harder and harder for the average American. Many poor people have to buy bad, processed food because it is so cheap. This in turn is a direct cause of obesity and many of these poor people have accumulating health problems due to weight gain and poor eating habits. Our food is a vicious cycle, run by monopolized industries that make everything faster, bigger, stronger, and more efficient. All at the expense of moral integrity and respect for the consumer and farmer.
Comments
I feel that people choose
I feel that people choose when to eat and it happens at anytime like when your bored. This causes people to become fat and overweight if all they do is plop down on the couch watching tv or playing video games. If people just become more active and exercise more we wouldn`t have so many people today overweight and obese.
Meghan, Your post really
Meghan,
Your post really caught my attention, because I try to be conscious of what I am eating and what it's doing to my body. But what I rarely think about is where the food could be coming from, or the conditions through which animals and farmers alike were put through in order for me to get hold of the food. I guess what I liked most about your post is that you looked at all the factors involved in our nation's food consumption. Obesity, overeating, and eating of chemically-treated, overly processed foods is obvious. But factors also include, a government-controlled farming industry, pestiside companies, and poorly-fed livestock. I really liked how you looked at all those factors. Your post definitely convinced me to watch the video Food Inc. and to learn more about the issue and what I can do to change my eating habits for the better. I went to the video's official website, and they have some really great information on the video and the issue's presented. They also have tools and tips to help people change the way the eat, purchase, and think about food. They gave "10 simple things you can do to change our food system", and I think everyone should be aware of them. Here they are in a nutshell:
1. Stop drinking sodas and sweetened beverages.
2. Eat at home.
3. Support the passage of laws to require calorie-postings at restaurants.
4. Tell schools to sell healthier foods.
5. "Meatless Mondays"
6. Buy organic or foods without many pesticides.
7. Support local farms.
8. READ LABELS- know where your food comes from.
9. Encourage Congress to understand food safety issues.
10. Demand work protections for agricultural workers.
(http://www.foodincmovie.com/get-involved.php)
I think each of these tips is useful and easy enough for most people to do. In changing our food system not only will we be bettering the food we eat, but we'll be changing work conditions, and encouraging healthier eating habits nationwide.
Thanks for you post Meghan. It was really intersting, and lead me to a lot of information on how I can be a better "eater" :)
-Mal
Meghan, Your post defenitely
Meghan,
Your post defenitely made me rethink what I eat. I admit I eat a lot of crap without wondering what went into it or where it came from. However, I think it's disgusting how many pesticides and artificial ingrediants are in almost every thing we put into our bodies, even fruits and vegetables which are supposed to be the healthiest, most natural food are now covered in pesticides and full of hormones meant to make them sweeter, larger and generally just more appealing.
I loved your phrase about how every time we scan something it's like casting a vote, "Every time we make a purchase, when we scan that bar code across the sensor we are essentially casting a vote. This vote reflects what we want, what the consumer wishes to buy." I'd never thought of simply buying an item as a vote but it makes complete sense and I am really going to make an effort to really look into what I'm putting into my body and invest my "vote" in a positive way.
Nice Post!
-Hannah
Meghan, I agree with your
Meghan, I agree with your idea of eating local and eating healthy but its easier said than done. The reason all the Monopoly organizations have sprung up is because our nation encourages it and has been built by it. Also don't forget that the Monopolies didn't start our rich and evil but were small farms once upon a time who decided to let business executives run their operation rather than the farmers. We need more education as you said for those consuming the food and everything in moderation. I love a twinky and pizza just as much as the next guy but I can't have it all the time. Great post keep up the good work.