US diet and marketing

**mek42** · 08-12-2010, 08:59 AM

(I posted this on another board and realized it would be of interest here too.)

In my town there is a mother and daughter (I think this is the relationship) that are very large and use the little scooter things at the grocery stores. I'm 6' and close to 300# with about 40% body fat and while at the grocery store last night I was behind them on the way to the produce section. I don't know them, I don't know if there's a genetic issue or lifestyle issue or both, but I found myself thankful that I have decided to start turning my life around before I wound up in a similar state. I hope this is not a bad way of thinking.

Then I went to the grocery store again this morning (today is payday) and tried looking for some nuts and dried fruit that is just nuts or dried fruit. Meaning no salt or sugar added. I first went to the nuts section and it was work to find just plain nuts. I found one source for almonds and didn't search exhaustively for other nuts, so no idea if they have a just plain other nuts there.

Then I went to the produce section to look for some dried fruit and a little fresh fruit. I completely failed to find dried banana chips that were just dried banana chips. Same with dried cherries (though I have found just dried cherries at a different store). I ended up getting some pitted prunes which were prunes and potassium sorbate.

While walking around the store looking at everything I realized again just how bombarded we in the US are with food choices that, if used as staples, are, shall we say, less than optimal no matter whether you're following mainstream, Paleo / Zone or any other science-based diet. I already knew how hard it was to find food with a nutritional label that is low in both fat and low in sodium and has a high fiber content. Given the way food is marketed to us and how little emphasis is placed on health education in our society, I'm surprised the "obesity epidemic" isn't far, far worse than it is.

**2ndGenGranola** · 08-12-2010, 09:42 AM

Good points.

I'm surprised at how many cannot factor the prices either. Initially a bag of chips and soda may look cheaper but the "fill factor" changes it. Add to that the medicine you will eventually need on a poor diet.

Even when you factor similar items - take rice for example - white vs brown. Yes, initially the white rice is cheaper but you have to eat more to get the "full factor". I've noticed that it takes at least a cup of white rice to get the same "full" that a 1/4 cup of brown rice gives. In my book I would have to be buying 4x the white rice which would change the price significantly.

**frugalwarrior2** · 08-12-2010, 10:45 AM

Mek42-we have arrived about the same place about the same time. Since I went diabetic 2 months ago I lost 22# and got my numbers back down but yes. I thought "Healthy Choices,Lean cuisine" sort of meals were healthy but the sodium is outrageous. Amys makes a few nice organic foods but I have to watch carbs too. I shop the perameters,eat much more raw or steamed veg. but it is outrageously hard. I grill everything and eat things like "Laura's lean beef" but it's so much more. Costco has been my savior. Whole foods is just so costly. I think a farm share may be my ticket next year. It is frustrating.
Kroger has their brand unslated cashews and almonds if you have one.

**ShadowMom** · 08-12-2010, 12:08 PM

If you have a Sprouts Farmers Market anywhere near, I have been able to find raw almonds there. I do eat Healthy Choice meals, but I look for ones that are lower in sodium, under 600mg, needless to say, there are limited choices.

**Libby** · 08-12-2010, 12:34 PM

I find it not only the options available to you but portion sizes as well.

Example with fast food (based on Canada where Im from):
In Canada - fast food combo is served with medium drink & fries and is labeled as regular or medium

In USA - fast food combo is served with large drink & fries but are labeled regular or medium

In China - fast food combo is served with small drink & fries and is labeled regular or medium.

I know I don't have to eat everything served to me but when I'm traveling I often have to ask to see how big a regular drink & fries are before ordering. Yes I AM that person that holds up the line.

As for wholesome dried fruit & nuts - try looking at the health food stores closest to you OR next time you hit a bigger town/city - stock up!

I finally found an organic grocery store that sells dried cranberries & other dried fruits. This is how they're labeled: "No Sugar Added Unsulphered Cranberries"

**Sara Noel** · 08-12-2010, 02:46 PM

Outrageous Vintage Ads That Show How Far We've Come (PICTURES)

Someday we'll be looking back at the ads of today.

**Libby** · 08-12-2010, 02:52 PM

OMG Sara ad's like that now would cause such an outrage!

**Russ** · 08-12-2010, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by Libby

OMG Sara ad's like that now would cause such an outrage!

I dunno... I don't see the problem with the old days.

**Libby** · 08-12-2010, 03:01 PM

Russ - where would the wife's place be? At the mall with her husbands money?

**Vanilla** · 08-12-2010, 03:20 PM

Wow, those ads... were beyond outrageous!
It's not so much about the sugar/tobacco/unhealthy food that bother me.
What's really bother me is almost all of them in one way or the other were sexist, racist & treating babies/children as objects. They contained a lot of insults & abusive behaviors & yet were acceptable ads at that time.

**JanieD** · 08-12-2010, 03:24 PM

I agree its very hard to find "plain" foods. Its also very confusing to understand which items are healthy to begin with. Some choices are obvious, some aren't. I definitely need to be more conscious of exactly what I'm are eating.

**greekislandgirl** · 08-12-2010, 04:42 PM

This is a real problem. I'm trying to get around it by budgeting for fruits and vegetables separately from the rest of the food budget and having it be the largest part of the budget. Even though every week we BARELY squeeze by in the regular food budget, we always have extra left over in the fresh fruits and vegetables category, because I am generous with that category. I think putting whole grains in that category (and maybe increasing it proportionally) would be a good move, I might do that.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-12-2010, 09:03 PM

People wanted to argue with me when I mentioned about the sodium ban in NY State. Well, here's another good example of how excess should be either limited or completely eliminated all together.

The US, as a whole, is one of the fattest nations in the world. Every other nation that has its own culinary style to it (like Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese, etc) uses pure ingredients and either clean cooking or raw foods. It's something that would never, ever pass in the US because there are so many food companies and the FDA doesn't do enough of a job to police the ones in current existence.

Look at the problem with HFCS and mercury contamination. Then there's the fructose issue with increasing the size of tumors... and the list goes on.

People have to realize that until the foods are either limited or eliminated all together, they're just poisoning themselves and as such, poisoning future generations into believing that an item filled with preservatives and additives (most of which you probably cannot pronounce) is better for you than anything else. Perhaps once pure cooking becomes more of a lifestyle instead of a trend, you'll see things like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol becoming a past.

Most people in the US will never ever turn away an item just because of what's on the side of the box until you show them the reprocussions. Even then, they'll end up killing themselves over their own stupidity.

**mek42** · 08-12-2010, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by MomToTwoBoys

People wanted to argue with me when I mentioned about the sodium ban in NY State. Well, here's another good example of how excess should be either limited or completely eliminated all together.

The US, as a whole, is one of the fattest nations in the world. Every other nation that has its own culinary style to it (like Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese, etc) uses pure ingredients and either clean cooking or raw foods. It's something that would never, ever pass in the US because there are so many food companies and the FDA doesn't do enough of a job to police the ones in current existence.

Look at the problem with HFCS and mercury contamination. Then there's the fructose issue with increasing the size of tumors... and the list goes on.

People have to realize that until the foods are either limited or eliminated all together, they're just poisoning themselves and as such, poisoning future generations into believing that an item filled with preservatives and additives (most of which you probably cannot pronounce) is better for you than anything else. Perhaps once pure cooking becomes more of a lifestyle instead of a trend, you'll see things like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol becoming a past.

Most people in the US will never ever turn away an item just because of what's on the side of the box until you show them the reprocussions. Even then, they'll end up killing themselves over their own stupidity.

I just read in the chemistry text I'm teaching from this Fall that 77 percent of US dietary sodium comes from processed foods and only 6 percent at the table. It is virtually impossible to find premade stuff low in both sodium an fat but with high fiber.

**2ndGenGranola** · 08-12-2010, 10:09 PM

Why must people have premade stuff? We need to educate them so they know that cooking doesn't have to be that hard.

A college student could survive with a rice cooker and a steamer and be the healthiest one around. We have steamed veggies, rice and beans often. It is not difficult.

Like my dr said today...don't make food the high point of your day. The high point of your day should be the hug from your loved one, the sunset...not the food. "Eat to live, don't live to eat".