Quality of food - is it important?

[Chris F]

I have a major issue with processed food. I think it the root of a lot of human health problems and the fact our government seem to think cheap processed food is the answer to feeding our nation has always bothered me.

Tomorrow a major report is about to be released on the quality of the food we eat and I don't think this will just be confined to developing countries. I think we are seeing this in the UK as well. Nutritious food is not seen as important. Price is. Calories and nutrition are two very different things.

It will be published in The Lancet Global Health on August 29th, this research offers the first global estimates on the inadequacy of micronutrient consumption—an issue affecting over half the world's population. I'll add a link when it is live.

Some info....

Global Health Crisis: More than half of the global population is not consuming adequate levels of essential micronutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamins C and E. This widespread deficiency is more severe than previously understood and has serious implications for global health, especially in terms of maternal and child health, immunity, and overall human potential.

Gender-Specific Risks: The study reveals that men and women face different micronutrient inadequacies, which could guide more targeted interventions. For instance, women are more likely to have inadequate intakes of iodine, vitamin B12, iron, and selenium, while men are more prone to deficiencies in calcium, zinc, and several key vitamins.

Roadmap for Action: This research offers a crucial roadmap for policymakers and health practitioners by highlighting which populations are most at risk and which nutrients are most deficient. With this data, there is an unprecedented opportunity to address these gaps through strategic dietary interventions

 

[Paddington]

I'll stick to marmalade sandwiches.

 

[sustainable24]

Its quite important for health, it sits along exercise and sleep as the three of the most important things for overall well being and those going for the cheap and convenient option may find they eventually run into trouble if the quality isn't there I've heard there are general deficencies in magnesium in the US at least not sure about europe. Nutrition seems to be a growing field of interest as people they see what has been packaged and on offer in the supermarkets isn't always as good as could have been.

 

[Bald Rick]

Once watched a programme about 5 years ago or so that pointed the finger very much at Corn Syrup as both addictive and as a consequence led to obesity especially amongst Americans but developed countries not far behind

Avoid the Hidden Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup

Think high fructose corn syrup is no big deal? Think again. Eating too much can lead to insulin resistance, obesity and more.

health.clevelandclinic.org

Peeps can't be arsed to cook from raw (or lack the knowledge or inclination)

 

[Dry Rot]

Presumably this is the nutrition vs taste argument?

Living where I do and cooking my own food, it has always concerned me that there is so little regard to taste in our food. I realise this is not the same as nutrition. Vegetables and fruit that has to look good, have a long shelf life, but not much concern about taste. Meat, the same.

Reared and fattened in a shed or on the heather? I used to shoot a lot of rabbits which I gave away. One of my 'customers' was always able to tell me where I'd shot them after he had eaten them -- off the fields or off the heather? Apparently they taste quite different. I'd just like to have the choice.....and I would be prepared pay a premium for taste.

I generally pass the fruit and veg counters by as I know it will mostly be tasteless unripened cardboard.

 

[Chris F]

I'll stick to marmalade sandwiches.

with Proper bread?

 

[Chris F]

Presumably this is the nutrition vs taste argument?

Living where I do and cooking my own food, it has always concerned me that there is so little regard to taste in our food. I realise this is not the same as nutrition. Vegetables and fruit that has to look good, have a long shelf life, but not much concern about taste. Meat, the same.

Reared and fattened in a shed or on the heather? I used to shoot a lot of rabbits which I gave away. One of my 'customers' was always able to tell me where I'd shot them after he had eaten them -- off the fields or off the heather? Apparently they taste quite different. I'd just like to have the choice.....and I would be prepared pay a premium for taste.

I generally pass the fruit and veg counters by as I know it will mostly be tasteless unripened cardboard.

I'd say it's more nutrition vs calories. The worlds food supply is often described as having the appropriate amount of calories, as opposed to the appropriate amount of nutrients.

The @Bald Rick corn syrup example is a good one, companies have managed to extract as many calories from the plant as possible, nothing is wasted - but do those calories solve the nutrition issue?

 

[delilah]

Nutritious food is not seen as important. Margin is.

Fixed that for you. In a corporate capitalism economy, the public eats what it is offered. And what it is offered, is determined by margin.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

We grow not all but quite a lot of our own vegetables and some fruit. We buy good meat from known sources.
I worry that as we get older and gardening becomes harder that we will be beholden to eating bland supermarket rubbish.
The biggest difference is the humble tomato. How can something so delicious when home grown become so tasteless if it comes from a commercially grown environment.
I think the same can be said for everything grown on a commercial scale.
SS

 

[Chris F]

Fixed that for you. In a corporate capitalism economy, the public eats what it is offered. And what it is offered, is determined by margin.

Agreed - processed food is big business. For a reason.

 

[Paddington]

with Proper bread?

Home made marmalade and home made bread.

 

[Still Farming]

PFAS in food will be the next BIG one allegedly???

 

[Headless chicken]

Once watched a programme about 5 years ago or so that pointed the finger very much at Corn Syrup as both addictive and as a consequence led to obesity especially amongst Americans but developed countries not far behind

Avoid the Hidden Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup

Think high fructose corn syrup is no big deal? Think again. Eating too much can lead to insulin resistance, obesity and more.

health.clevelandclinic.org

Peeps can't be arsed to cook from raw (or lack the knowledge or inclination)

Some
Of the issue stems from the lack of “the housewife” they now have to work too so there isn’t the time or interest to then cook once home. If we could all live off one wage again it would start to improve things for some

 

[DrWazzock]

Nutrient and mineral depleted soils.
A couple of centuries of putting sewage out to sea.
Now we have to bolus livestock as the grass is short of many micronutrients.
U.K. grown flour can lack micronutrients present in imports and vice versa so have to be blended.
It’s not just about how things are processed but right back to where and how they are grown.

 

[Barleymow]

Home made marmalade and home made bread.

Have you many orange trees ?

 

[SilliamWhale]

I don't really buy the food is less nutritious than it used to be because of soils theory.

I do think that there is no such thing as bad foods but there is of course bad diets.

 

[Exfarmer]

I'll stick to marmalade sandwiches.

That will definitely give you scurvy, boiling the marmalade destroy the Vit C

 

[Exfarmer]

I don't really buy the food is less nutritious than it used to be because of soils theory.

I do think that there is no such thing as bad foods but there is of course bad diets.

This, this and this!

 

[willowwarbler]

That will definitely give you scurvy, boiling the marmalade destroy the Vit C

sorry, put emoji on wrong reply!

 

[yoki]

The biggest difference is the humble tomato. How can something so delicious when home grown become so tasteless if it comes from a commercially grown environment.

I would dispute that and instead offer the apple.

Once you start having even a few of your own apples it's nigh on impossible to eat a supermarket apple.