Once Upon a Time

     Once upon a time, writes Sandra Folzer of Weaver's Way, of the Food Cooperative's Environment Committee, all food was real food.  But today nearly a quarter of all our grocery dolars are spent on sweetened and processed food.

     Processed foods are not found in nature.  They have been altered by the addition of chemical additives and artificial flavorings.  The longer the list of ingredients on a package, the more the food is processed.  But why go to all the trouble of doing that when we could just eat it straight?  Ms. Folzer contends that the simple answer is that there is not enough profit.  If I choose to eat a potato, I'll stop when I'm full (maybe!).  But with processed food I may not be hungry when I eat a potato chip, but once I start, I want to continue eating more.  And that's because they are filled with salt, sugar, and fat so I crave them.

     When food is processed, it loses nutrients, flavor and color, so these things are added back with chemicals.  Chemicals also extend shelf life.  Fifty years ago the feds attempted to regulate hundreds of additives and flavorings already in use, but knuckled under to the pressure of the powerful food industry lobby.  

     So now it's up to us to self-regulate and to avoid the pitfalls and dangers of processed foods.  A simple rule of thumb for consumers: when you read the list of ingredients on the box or package, if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it!!!