nytimes: the extraordinary science of junk food

[tiptoe]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html

Not directly related to backpacking, but for hikers who care about what they eat in addition to how much they eat, this is scary and sobering (and long).

[Chuckie V]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html

Not directly related to backpacking, but for hikers who care about what they eat in addition to how much they eat, this is scary and sobering (and long).

Here's a better link, so you don't have to continually click through 14 pages!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=1&&pagewanted=all

[Hosaphone]

Meh, nothing new or surprising.

I'm eating some baby carrots right now :D

[Half Note]

This topic always baffles me. People pointing blame at someone else for THEIR OWN choices of what is put in THEIR OWN mouths or their children's mouths. Laziness is key here. Processed foods, fried foods, all of those are supposedly "easier" and "more convenient".

I saw a picture of myself last month and realized I had let myself go. I changed what I was eating/drinking and couldn't be happier with the results of 13.5 lbs. lost so far. Where there's a will there is a way. I have only myself to blame for my weight gain over the years. People know the consequences, they choose to ignore them.

[Rasty]

I read most of the article. The problem is us not them. Many of these companies have offered healthy alternatives and the sales are dismal. Unhealthy foods are addictive but humans have been gorging themselves from Roman times.

[FarmerChef]

Rasty and Half Note, I agree and disagree. At it's core America's problem with obesity boils down to us putting food into our bodies. That said, I fully believe that at some point in the future we will find a causal link between an addiction to certain food substances and an understanding and exploitation of this by processed food manufacturers. Additionally, though we CAN eat healthy food, for many education whether through their schooling or through their family/social traditions leaves them ill-equipped to make healthy choices at a restaurant/supermarket. This seems from my non-scientific observation of similar articles to be correlated to socio-economic status. In other words, as a group, people of lower means tend to eat less healthily than people of higher means even when there is no cost difference.

Perhaps most disturbing in this battles is food companies marketing strategy toward children and adults. They skillfully cover over the less-desirable attributes of their projects with more positive sounding ones ("toasted" instead of "fried") while the "average American" seems to pay little attention to what's actually on the food label, if they can even interpret what those words mean.

As for buying the healthy alternative, I agree. Much of the time, I believe that folks dislike the taste and texture of "real food" versus the processed food. Why? Processed food has been optimized to taste and feel great. Who would choose a whole-grain macaroni over a white, semolina noodle? But this is almost entirely an example of sensory conditioning. Many people discover that if they completely cut out sugar or salt from their diet for a short period of time then eat a less sugary or salty food that it "tastes" to them as salty or sugary as a higher sugar/salt content food did before they cut back. If they then continue to eat salty/sugary foods, they will once again return to a general state of desensitization and continually crave more salty/more sugary food. This is a chicken and the egg problem. Is is their fault for eating the saltier/more sugary food or is it the fault of the food companies for offering it? What about people who enjoy it occasionally but not to excess? These are all valid arguments. Nevertheless, our rate of obesity is out of control and still growing and as a parent, I will tell you, that I don't entirely trust my children to eat the healthy food we give them in their lunch when they have the opportunity to trade for less healthy foods. Though I have heard reports from my children, that others will regularly ask to have their healthy alternatives and we secretly pack in a little extra for certain children to share.

I don't believe we will be able to significantly change the food industry through most regulation or direct action. It's a slippery slope to regulate what kind of food they can sell or how it's made or formulated. I love the idea of requiring nutrition info to be posted in restaurants and fast food establishments. But I believe that labeling could go further (as one example of a regulatory approach). Still, I believe that through better education and the rise of a counter-culture dedicated to better understanding what we put into our bodies, we the people can change the industry with our dollars. Rasty is right on point with buying healthy alternatives. People don't often like them (as stated above). However, I believe that better education is increasing awareness of and consumption of healthier foods. Time will tell if it is successful enough to counter the meteoric rise in obesity or whether a heavy handed approach will become necessary.

As to how this relates to eating on the trail? All I can say is that I love Little Debbie treats when I'm in town on a long hike. Oh and donuts. Mmmm donuts. But I won't touch them if I'm not running a marathon or doing some other kind of heavy exercise. I want to see my great grandkids someday.

[tiptoe]

Maybe the best takeaway from the article is "Let the buyer beware." Companies look to make a profit however they can. It's up to the individual to make healthy choices.

[WingedMonkey]

The part of the story where they saddle up about the health benefits of yogurt, while adding tons of sugar to it to sell Yoplait brings to mind what I found in my mother's fridge this week.

Cabot "Greek" yogurt. She had heard so much on TV from Dr. Oz and the other telaphysicians about the health benefits of "Greek" yogurt, she just had to try it.

I use generic (Walmart) fat free plain, without paying attention she bought the full fat (10 % milk fat) so I compared the two.

Regular fat free plain, 110 calories per cup, 0 fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 16 grams sugar and 11 grams protein.
Her Greek, 290 calories, 23 grams fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 7 grams sugar and 18 grams protein.

Here's the deal folks, all this so called Greek yogurt is drained to remove more whey, and thus some of the sugar and increase the protein.

Like Tiptoe says, "Let the buyer beware". Just get out some cheesecloth and drain yourself some fat free yogurt (I've done it for years to make a soft cheese). Ignore all the TV campaigns.

[Rasty]

The part of the story where they saddle up about the health benefits of yogurt, while adding tons of sugar to it to sell Yoplait brings to mind what I found in my mother's fridge this week.

Cabot "Greek" yogurt. She had heard so much on TV from Dr. Oz and the other telaphysicians about the health benefits of "Greek" yogurt, she just had to try it.

I use generic (Walmart) fat free plain, without paying attention she bought the full fat (10 % milk fat) so I compared the two.

Regular fat free plain, 110 calories per cup, 0 fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 16 grams sugar and 11 grams protein.
Her Greek, 290 calories, 23 grams fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 7 grams sugar and 18 grams protein.

Here's the deal folks, all this so called Greek yogurt is drained to remove more whey, and thus some of the sugar and increase the protein.

Like Tiptoe says, "Let the buyer beware". Just get out some cheesecloth and drain yourself some fat free yogurt (I've done it for years to make a soft cheese). Ignore all the TV campaigns.

It would taste like yogurt then instead of tasting like puddinggurt which is what sells.

[yellowsirocco]

Cabot's isn't even real greek yogurt. Real greek yogurt is strained. Cabot adds whey protien to thicken it up since it is cheaper. They do some straining, but then they take the shortcut as well.

[Rasty]

Cabot's isn't even real greek yogurt. Real greek yogurt is strained. Cabot adds whey protien to thicken it up since it is cheaper. They do some straining, but then they take the shortcut as well.

Not many manufactured foods are "Real" as the methods are uneconomical or unsanitary on a large scale.

[yellowsirocco]

Not many manufactured foods are "Real" as the methods are uneconomical or unsanitary on a large scale.
Most of the greek yogurt manufacturers make real greek yogurt. I mean greek yogurt is a premium product to begin with so the consumers of it are more discerning than of most foods.

[bigcranky]

Make your own Greek yoghurt. It's easy and tastes a whole lot better. I take it for lunch with some fruit, homemade granola, and maybe a dab of honey. (The granola is good, too, and easy to make, and we can control exactly how much fat and sugar content it has -- i.e., very low.)

[SunnyWalker]

Tiptoe: Thanks for the article. I read the entire thing and I found it interesting. I am working at Walmart part time as a cashier to make money for my upcoming thru hike of CDT. I leave late this April. This is just a part time job on the side. My real work I am retiring end of March. Anyway, as a cashier I sure see a lot of this stuff. Mother's with kids sure buy the lunchables alright. Like 12-20 at a time! Yet, on the trail I know when I come into town I will eat all that junk. I think i will try to think of healthy alternatives and try to exercise discipline. This makes re-supply boxes more important on the CDT.

[G-FOURce]

awesome! very entertaining... i copied it into a word doc, cleaned it up, and emailed to everyone. great read.

[fertilizer]

I have some unique opinions about this article because I work in marketing and I used to work for Coke. I'm at work but will post comments later. I will say, though, that keeping in line with activist tradition, this article is very ironic.