Saturday, June 26

My head is spinning and I need to vent


You know that saying, ignorance is bliss?  Sometimes that’s how I feel about our food system in the US.  Maybe I should stop reading things like Michael Pollan.  Or looking at food labels in the grocery store.  Maybe I should just put my head down and eat according to that stupid food pyramid.

How have we as Americans become so disconnected from our food that we think the government should tell us how to eat?  Seriously, people!  We resist government interventions in every other arena of our lives, but we allow the FDA to tell how much and what kinds of foods to eat?

They say it will make us healthier if we follow that pyramid.  Then why are more people fatter every day?  Obesity is now an epidemic, along with diseases like type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

And at what point did we begin to think that some company should cook for us or prepare our food?  I understand the idea of convenience foods.  Yes, my kids have had their share of boxed macaroni and cheese.  But why would we serve that boxed food alongside a grocery store chicken nugget?  Have you looked at the ingredients?  It’s not chicken, bread crumbs and egg wash, I can tell you that much.  But that’s all it needs to be so what is all that other stuff in there?

Who is going to fix this system?  And does anyone else even care that it’s broken?

2 comments:

Michelle said...

I care Noelle! I didn't realize you blogged. Where does a person buy whole wheat and such to mill? Do you need a mill to do it or will a blender work? Keep up the great work:^)
Michelle another TOK mama

noelle said...

The wheat berries are pretty easy to find. I get them at Vitamin Cottage or even our Sunflower Market. They are pretty economical. And they last for a long time like dried beans. You do need a mill...they range in price from just under $300 to up to $500. My husband got one for me for Christmas a few years ago. There is an attachment for the Kitchen Aid, too.

Commercial whole wheat flours can vary a lot. And to be labeled whole wheat, it doesn't have to be the whole wheat berry in there. They can use white flour and just add enough wheat germ so it looks good. I stopped buying any whole wheat flour once I learned more about it. The nutrients in the wheat start to fade within hours of being milled so extra home milled flour needs to be stored in the fridge or freezer to help preserve its nutrients. Or you can just mill what you need. I've gotten pretty good at figuring out how much I need for a given thing and just milling that much at a time.

I also like to mill our own buckwheat flour and I've done spelt and even made corn flour.