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Anyone read Fast Food Nation?
I never was big on fast food anyway, but I read FFN when it first came out, and had my younger son read it as well. I think the book is far better than the movie, but either way, it does make you think about what goes into your body.
The kid stays off the McDonald's but he does like his Subway. I think we're both still haunted by the passages about the meat processing plant.
I am not a vegetarian,and doubt that I ever will be, but am certainly more of a seafood type person. I do like my occasional treats, am certainly not an ascetic in the kitchen. But I certainly eat differently from how I did growing up.
Have any of y'all checked out how often high fructose corn syrup is listed in the ingredients of the stuff you eat? It permeates our entire diet, from salad dressing to soft drinks to english muffins to yogurt. Avoiding highly processed foods can help a lot, plus it can help folks lose weight.
And I have studied all about high fructose corn syrup (I'm a vegetarian and I try to avoid it). It's nasty and creeps into even the most unsuspecting places! Yuck.
Anyone read Fast Food Nation?
Have any of y'all checked out how often high fructose corn syrup is listed in the ingredients of the stuff you eat? It permeates our entire diet, from salad dressing to soft drinks to english muffins to yogurt.
Another ingredient most consumers are unaware of is Monosodiumglutamate...aka....MSG...most people think Chinese food is the culprit. Next time anyone wants to indulge in a bag of chips even some soups...check out the label. MSG is an ingredient in a variety of canned soups and frozen foods as well as the chip/cracker aisle.
Speaking for myself I have an allergy to MSG. It was so bad that it landed me in the ER. And that was from eating a brand of frozen chicken that contained a high content of MSG.
I think it is important that labels are read and understood.
I try to eat healthily... most of the time...
But last night I had the urge to go full fat arterie clogging out! I fried up 8 strips of thick bacon, then I cut up a potato into small pieces and fried them in the bacon fat, and then when they were done, scooped them out and threw in three eggs to fry in the bacon fat.
It was greasy and delicious!
I know there are people who'd faint if they saw what I did...but darn...it was tasty and I figure what harm can there be in doing something like that maybe once or twice a year?
Now I'm hungry again!
But I agree about the High Fructose Corn Syrup. That's the biggest ingredient I think in the artificially flavored "maple" syrups you find in the supermarket too. I've used real Maple syrup for years and just a little bit goes a long way, though it's awfully expensive.
And I used to have all the major varieties of Coke in my fridge...Classic, Cherry, and Vanilla and I drank tons of the "real thang"..
I've cut soda out except for rare occasions for over a year now. I don't miss it too much and now when I have a small size cola, I really appreciate it.
I try to eat healthily... most of the time...
But last night I had the urge to go full fat arterie clogging out! I fried up 8 strips of thick bacon, then I cut up a potato into small pieces and fried them in the bacon fat, and then when they were done, scooped them out and threw in three eggs to fry in the bacon fat.
It was greasy and delicious!
I know there are people who'd faint if they saw what I did...but darn...it was tasty and I figure what harm can there be in doing something like that maybe once or twice a year?
Now I'm hungry again!
But I agree about the High Fructose Corn Syrup. That's the biggest ingredient I think in the artificially flavored "maple" syrups you find in the supermarket too. I've used real Maple syrup for years and just a little bit goes a long way, though it's awfully expensive.
And I used to have all the major varieties of Coke in my fridge...Classic, Cherry, and Vanilla and I drank tons of the "real thang"..
I've cut soda out except for rare occasions for over a year now. I don't miss it too much and now when I have a small size cola, I really appreciate it.
MoMark, I think it's ok to do that once in a while. Sometimes you just gotta have that fully leaded greasy food, because it's good Just remember moderation in all things
MoMark, I think it's ok to do that once in a while. Sometimes you just gotta have that fully leaded greasy food, because it's good Just remember moderation in all things
"Fully Leaded"... exactly the right description!!! Yeah, I love fatty food, but I don't usually go quite that far out
No, haven't read FFN, but got the gist of it from many years of reading the Nutrition Action Newsletter, put out by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) aka the Food Police.
The CSPI bi-monthly is a trove of great info, each issue has a table in the back that lists most of a certain category of food, be it Chinese or Italian or Ice Cream or Whole Wheat products or Cereals or Chips or Fast Foods or Pizza, or... The tables are a great snapshot of data that would take hours to search out in a supermarket. Great new products are highlighted as well as terrible new products.
CSPI shoots down all the myths, including all of the unproven supplements that are out there sucking billion$ out of people's wallets for stuff that does not do anything for you, despite the claims. They don't care who they shoot down, be it the giant agri-business firms pumping us full of fat, starch and high fructose corn syrup, or the supplement industry with their hippie-ish granola back to nature assortment of wierd sounding herbs and concoctions that are little more than snake oil. The only thing CSPI cares about is good science, not the junk science found on the shelves of health food stores or food industry doublespeak.
The recent article highlights the incredible calorie and fat content of many entrees found at popular chains...
We rarely eat out because of the massively bad nutrition out there. When we do, its very unfettered food, like a small filet mignon or grilled salmon, steamed veggies, plain baked potato, garden salad, no sauces, no desserts, no fried foods.
If I'm not mistaken, High Fructose Corn Syrup and Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil have been around commercially and FDA approved since the 70s. No coincidence Diabetes type II has also increased since.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (a Man-Made sweetner) - Almost all soda's and juices have it.
Causes increased LDL's (the bad lipoprotein) leading to increased risk of heart disease.
Altered Magnesium balance leading to increased osteoporosis.
Increased risk of Adult Onset Diabetes Mellitus(Diabetes type II)
It is used b/c it's cheaper. (duh)
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, or partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil is created when hydrogen molecules are added to vegetable oil, heated until they fuse together. Making a solid and a cheaper product. (Example: Margarine). Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil is not only artificial but loaded in Trans Fats.
The primary health risk identified for trans fat consumption is an elevated risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). 'nuff said.
Maybe is the healthcare provider in me, but stay away from these. And the worst part, many, MANY products are made this way. CHECK THE LABEL!!! This is no joke.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cil
Anyone read Fast Food Nation?
I never was big on fast food anyway, but I read FFN when it first came out, and had my younger son read it as well. I think the book is far better than the movie, but either way, it does make you think about what goes into your body.
The kid stays off the McDonald's but he does like his Subway. I think we're both still haunted by the passages about the meat processing plant.
I am not a vegetarian,and doubt that I ever will be, but am certainly more of a seafood type person. I do like my occasional treats, am certainly not an ascetic in the kitchen. But I certainly eat differently from how I did growing up.
Have any of y'all checked out how often high fructose corn syrup is listed in the ingredients of the stuff you eat? It permeates our entire diet, from salad dressing to soft drinks to english muffins to yogurt. Avoiding highly processed foods can help a lot, plus it can help folks lose weight.
Citybythebay
You are too right!
I had thought that MSG was mostly gone from American diets, but it's not. I moved to a more rural area and it is in a lot of products on the shelves in our funky little Piggly Wiggly market here, especially the "off" (cheaper) brands. In some ways, shopping here is like going back to the 50's. I read labels anyway, but now I have one more thing to look for. I'll never forget the MSG headache I got many years ago in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Prettyhatemachine
Thanks for sharing those stats. I try to buy the healthy peanut butter but when you go through as much of it as I do, it gets so pricey! Only a couple more months of school though. Cheaper certainly is not necessarily better for you, is it?
MoMark
Back in the old days, my favorite hangover food was greasy bacon and eggs washed down with Coke. Nothing else would satisfy. I like real maple syrup, too.
It's good to not make *everything* a constantly forbidden fruit.
Food and drink is to be savored.
It just makes sense to have an awareness of what you ingest.
There is plenty to worry about, from mercury to trans fats to all the bizarre preservatives. Ugh.
What goes into our bodies? I use this www.2000cal.com to understand it
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Just remember moderation in all things 
Yeah, I love fatty food, but I don't usually go quite that far out 
