Today’s post is a little food for thought; literally, and I felt inclined to share. See, I’m good at sharing.
Ten Things Americans Eat That Are Banned Elsewhere
Highest Calorie Menu Items at America’s Top Ten Fast Food Chains
In hindsight, I think declaring anything on either one of these lists as “food” is an inaccurate statement. You’d be way better off serving up your own fries with that.
What’s your take on these? Anything surprising?
Fran@BCDC says
July 16, 2013 at 6:36 AMBoth of these lists are pretty disturbing, Meghan. My niece (who is a vegan) recently posted a video on Facebook about some pretty disgusting food choices as far as what is in them. The more I hear these things coming out, the more I think I made a good choice becoming vegetarian. When I get settled and have time, I’m going to start making my own granola like you do to avoid the stuff in cereals. Thanks for sharing this. Very informative!
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:07 PMThat’s why I make a lot of my stuff from scratch. That way I know exactly what’s in it.
I know a lot of meat in our current food culture has some really bad stuff in it, but don’t be fooled. Some of the vegetarian options are equally as bad when it comes to chemicals, artificial ingredients, pesticides, GMO’s and the list goes on and on. I almost always bypass the nutritional information in favor of reading the ingredients. If it’s real food and only real food, you can count me in.
Tiff @ Love Sweat & Beers says
July 16, 2013 at 8:49 AMThe first link kind of reminds me of this one: http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2013/06/21/eight_toxic_foods_a_little_chemical_education.php Long but interesting. The second link is just frightening. I mean, I know it’s bad, but geeeeze
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:09 PMYep, that’s a good contrast article.
While this author may debunk some of the more noxious results of the chemicals in our food, I still don’t believe they need to play any kind of role in our food culture, much less the extremely prevalent one they do now.
Thanks for sharing.
Eating 4 Balance says
July 16, 2013 at 9:13 AMI posted a similar list of foods that are banned list a little while ago too. I’m so glad that I don’t eat most of those things anymore. A lot of people today think it’s just animal products that are being messed with, but it’s literally everything! Sadly I just bought a papaya and I wasn’t able to purchase it organic because they only had conventionally grown. Of course I’m going to peel it before eating, but that doesn’t stop it from probably being GMO 🙁 Well, at least my meat’s not doped up… As if that is much consolation.
Your statement that none of these things are “food” is exactly right. Food is supposed to be natural and not made of chemicals. It’s really as simple as that.
Those calorie counts didn’t surprise me at all. And that if anything should be the shocking part. I don’t get surprised by what’s in our food much anymore.
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:17 PMI don’t get surprised anymore about what’s in the food, although I am surprised by how few people really know about it or are concerned with it.
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
July 16, 2013 at 10:24 AMAll that I have to say is that I am SO glad that I do not eat fast food anymore…unless Subway and Chipotle count?? 😉
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:19 PMI’m a big fan of Chipolte.
I know most of their stuff is organic, although they do use GMO’s. They just came out about it recently. 🙁
Brittany says
July 16, 2013 at 10:55 AMI hope I don’t get shot for this, but sometimes I dislike Americans. They really disgust me. I know people EVERYWHERE have eating issues, but seriously..the lack of care that most Americans have when it comes to what they shove in their faces is awful! The fast food list is something I am not at all surprised about, this is why I don’t eat fast food. It’s amazing to me that people really don’t understand that some of these items are terrible for you. I don’t know, I am just ranting..I get really fired up over this shit.
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:20 PMI get fired up too so rant away. You are in a safe place here. I agree; I wish people were a little more educated about what they put into their bodies on a daily basis. Unless we start looking at food differently, I don’t know how it will change.
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
July 16, 2013 at 12:54 PMOn Saturday mornings I sit in a local Y/Community center lobby, working on blog-related stuff, while my son has 2 hrs of basketball practice. The other morning one of the other moms was having a rushed morning, and her 3 children arrived each eating a pop tart (silver foil packet, I’m assuming pop tart). The youngest was thirsty, so the mom went to the bank of vending machines and got each kid a soda of their choice (Cherry Coke and Coke were the drinks of the two kids not at basketball practice).
As I sat writing up my very CSA farm share-centric recipes, editing my vegetable-filled photos, I was struck by the contrast. My kid ate leftover radish pizza for breakfast and drank water from the drinking fountain because he “forgot” his water bottle. Never in my wildest dreams would I consider pop tarts and a soda to be an adequate breakfast for growing kids.
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:21 PMBecause it’s not an adequate breakfast. Not by a long shot.
Liz says
July 17, 2013 at 6:44 AMI am horrified by the “food” supply in this country. Most people don’t know. A lot of people don’t care to. Similar to the above story, I’ve seen diet pepsi amd cheetos be given as a lunch meal to a “picky eater”. A lot of people use corn and potatoes as their only vegetable (the former being a grain even). I read book that theorizes that human arrogance is to blame. That humans feel they should be able to eat what they like so they rationalize unhealthy diet and lifestyle to be fine. I watched a group of people eating ribs, chicken, hot dogs AND burgers with potato chips as their only side while lexturing me on how unhealthy it is to not eat meat, that I would not be able to have strength. They spent the entire afternoon sitting in chairs on the patio while weak and malnourished me played with my children and enjoyed running through sprinklers in the sunshine. But what do I know?
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:23 PMI understand. I’m often surrounded by people who don’t understand my meat free ways and of course assume it means I must be unhealthy. Quite the contrary I say.
Alex @ Brain, Body, Becuase says
July 17, 2013 at 3:43 PMGah, how crazy!
I think that Panera and Subway are the most insidious though, since they brand themselves as being so healthy :-/
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:23 PMThis is true. Marketing is a clever little bitch, ain’t she?!
Allie says
July 19, 2013 at 6:50 AMI like when you share. Even if it also scares me.
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:23 PMThanks sunshine. I like sharing with you.
yamir says
July 22, 2013 at 10:38 AMthis just makes me want to cry. I have been changing my diet for the past 5 months to clean eating. Ive also been trying to change the way my kids eat, this just makes me feel so impotent, I need to be more strict, specially with them if want to have them healthy. Im not a vegetarian but I have pretty much left meat unless I have no other choice. But I do consume milk and cheese (latter one from grass fed cows) on a daily basis. I guess we cannot let our guard down, many things taste good, like for ex. candies, but why bother with them if it will poison us??? Its really sad 🙁
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:28 PMDon’t cry. Just keep trying. Keep educating yourself and it will all work out. Rest assured, there are good foods, real foods and good restaurants that serve the same. You just need to do a little digging to find them, but once you do, it helps.
It is sad though, and I certainly wish our food climate was different, but maybe one day, we’ll see some real and for the better changes. One way to do that is to put our consumer dollars towards the right things. Keep trying.
Sara says
July 23, 2013 at 8:48 PMthis is why I make dinner at home. all the time.
Meghan says
July 24, 2013 at 9:28 PMMe too. The fact I feel significantly better as a result doesn’t hurt either.