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Why Quick, Cheap Food Is Actually More Expensive
By Mark Hyman, MD, For The Huffington Post
The odd paradox is that junk food is cheaper than healthy. I was in a grocery store yesterday. While I was squeezing avocados to pick just the right ones for my family’s dinner salad, I overheard a conversation from a couple that had also picked up an avocado.
“Oh, these avocados look good, let’s get some.”
Then looking up at the price, they said, “Two for five dollars!” Dejected, they put the live avocado back and walked away from the vegetable aisle toward the aisles full of dead, boxed, canned, packaged goods where they can buy thousands of calories of poor-quality, nutrient-poor, factory-made, processed foods filled with sugar, fat, and salt for the same five dollars. This is the scenario millions of Americans struggling to feed their families face every day.
The odd paradox is that food insecurity—not knowing where the next meal is coming from or not having enough money to adequately feed your family—leads to obesity, diabetes and chronic disease. Examining this paradox may help us advocate for policies that make producing fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole other foods cheaper, while rethinking the almost $300 billion in government subsides that support the production of cheap, processed food derived from corn and soy.
At the same time, a Food Revolution, along the lines of that advocated by Jamie Oliver, a radical chef, can help Americans take back their table and their health from a food industry that has driven us to eat more than 50 percent of our meals out of the home compared to less than 2 percent 100 years ago. And most ofthose meals eaten at home are produced in plants, not grown on plants, are from a food chemist’s lab, not a farmer’s field. Cooking and eating whole fresh foods at home, can be cheaper, more fun, and simpler than most people think.
“Oh, these avocados look good, let’s get some.”
Then looking up at the price, they said, “Two for five dollars!” Dejected, they put the live avocado back and walked away from the vegetable aisle toward the aisles full of dead, boxed, canned, packaged goods where they can buy thousands of calories of poor-quality, nutrient-poor, factory-made, processed foods filled with sugar, fat, and salt for the same five dollars. This is the scenario millions of Americans struggling to feed their families face every day.
The odd paradox is that food insecurity—not knowing where the next meal is coming from or not having enough money to adequately feed your family—leads to obesity, diabetes and chronic disease. Examining this paradox may help us advocate for policies that make producing fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole other foods cheaper, while rethinking the almost $300 billion in government subsides that support the production of cheap, processed food derived from corn and soy.
At the same time, a Food Revolution, along the lines of that advocated by Jamie Oliver, a radical chef, can help Americans take back their table and their health from a food industry that has driven us to eat more than 50 percent of our meals out of the home compared to less than 2 percent 100 years ago. And most ofthose meals eaten at home are produced in plants, not grown on plants, are from a food chemist’s lab, not a farmer’s field. Cooking and eating whole fresh foods at home, can be cheaper, more fun, and simpler than most people think.
There is enough place for producing food. I have seen Africa, Australia. Enough place. If the foodstuff is produced there, ten times of the population can be well fed. But they are: "Don't enter. Don't come here." The Africans will say to the Indians, "Don't come here. Go out." What is this? Therefore Krishna consciousness is so nice. We say, "Everything belongs to Krishna. We are all sons of Krishna. Let us live peacefully and utilize Krishna's property." This is the best philosophy. But the so-called politicians and leaders, they are saying "No, you cannot enter here," immigration. America has got enough place to produce food. But they will, although they have gone to the United Nation, UNESCO, they could not find out any solution. Although there is possibility of producing ten times of the requisites of the whole population of the world, they will not allow. They will not allow. On God's side, this unit, this planet, purnam idam purnam adah purnat purnam udacyate [Isopanisad, Invocation] -- everything is complete. You require water. They save three times water than the land. And the water is distributed over the land, parjanyad anna-sambhavah so there will be sufficient food grains. And annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14]. And if there is sufficient to eat, have sufficient eatables to the animals and to the men, then everything is prosperous. So where is that arrangement? There is enough land, enough possibility, enough water. Now utilize them and produce food grain, eat nicely and live peacefully and chant Hare Krishna and go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our philosophy. Why there should be industry? You want to eat after all. Instead of eating this flesh, killing poor animals, why don't you produce food grains, fruits, flowers, food grain, and take milk from the animals and produce milk products, all nutritious food, all nice food, and be happy and remember God for His kindness. This is civilization. What is this nonsense civilization? Now there is petrol problem. I see so many buses, and not a single man, one or two men. And for two men a big huge bus is being run, and so much petrol is consumed unnecessarily. I have seen. They are creating simply, the so-called advancement of civilization, creating problems, that's all. And that is due to these rascal leaders. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know what is the ideal of life, what is the aim of life. They are creating hodge-podge civilization and putting the mass of people in chaotic condition. This is the sum and substance. I do not know whether you'll agreed with me, but this is my study of the whole situation.
~ Srila Prabhupada (Room Conversation with Richard Webster, chairman, Societa Filosofica Italiana -- May 24, 1974, Rome)
One of the principal offenders amongst food additives is monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG. Researchers at Monash University have called for manufacturers to stop adding MSG to food. The use of this toxic chemical to artificially enhance the flavor of tinned food is so widespread that it is difficult to find any type of canned or processed food that does not contain it. It is commonly used in fast food outlets, the restaurant trade and is particularly favored by Chinese restaurants. Also it is used in the manufacture of hamburgers, pizzas and sausages. People who experience a reaction to MSG can suffer such symptoms. as tightening of the facial muscles, visual disturbances, headache, gastrointestinal pain, fainting, irritability, tiredness, dry mouth and disturbed sleep. These symptoms can be either immediate or delayed. It is now known that MSG slows learning ability, especially when given during the first few weeks of life. (Many tinned baby foods, in the past, have contained MSG). High doses can cause visible brain lesions, whilst low doses upset brain chemistry by triggering nerves which are not meant to be triggered.
Don't bring all rotten. In the market you cannot get fresh. All three hundred years old. Anything fresh, that is full of vitamin. Grow fresh, take fresh. In India there is no system to purchase three-hundred-years-old bread and eat. It must be freshly made. Wife is preparing in the simple oven, husband is eating, children are eating. You know Yasodamayi calling Krishna? "Come back! Your father is waiting!" You remember this? That is Indian system. The father and the children, they sit down, mother will bring fresh dal, rice and capati, and distribute, and they eat. We used to do that. Along with father we shall sit down for eating, separately. There was no need of table -- on the ground. And mother will distribute, cook. No servant; mother personally, wife personally.
~ Srila Prabhupada (Paris, August 3, 1976: Room Conversation at New Mayapura Farm)