Food, Inc.

Have you ever really thought about where the food you’re eating comes from? Most of the time we just put whatever is sitting in front of us into our mouths without a second thought. The food industry knows what consumers want and is working to make a profit at the expense of our health. Have you ever noticed the way a grocery store is designed? You usually have to work harder to find healthy foods. Produce, dairy, meat, and grains are usually located on the perimeter of the grocery store. The center aisles are filled with convenience foods-chips, cookies, crackers, etc. Healthy cereals are usually located on the top shelf, which it makes them harder to find. Sugary cereals are located right at eye level for easy access. In addition, candy and chips are available at the check out counter as a last minute item. Food, Inc. set out to expose the tactics the food industry uses to control our food intake. Many issues (foodborne illness, factory farming, genetic engineering, pesticides, cloning, environment, global food crisis) were discussed in this film, but I will just touch on a few.

The Facts:

On average, there are about 47,000 products in the supermarket.

McDonald’s operates on the basis of uniformity, conformity, and cheapness.

McDonald’s is the largest purchaser of ground beef and potatoes, and they are changing the way it’s being produced.

There are a handful of companies controlling our food system.

Tyson is the biggest meatpacking company.

Birds are now being raised and slaughtered in half the time and are twice as big. Chickens are being redesigned to have larger breasts, because consumers like all white meat. The bones and internal organs cannot keep up with the chickens’ rapid growth.

The average person consumes 200 lbs. of meat per year.

The average food product travels about 1,500 miles to get to your local grocery store. This accounts for 30,800 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.

1/3 of children or adolescents are overweight or obese. Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol are now being seen in children.

The food industry is blaming the obesity epidemic on us as consumers for irresponsible eating habits.

So, what does this mean to us?

Am I telling everyone that they should never eat meat again and should only purchase organic food? Of course not. What I am saying is that we should know where our food is coming from. Be aware of how the food industry is changing the way the food we eat is produced and marketing “unhealthy foods.” I support sustainable agriculture and believe it is beneficial to eat locally grown organic food whenever possible. I suggest shopping at Farmer’s Markets in your community, because it supports the local economy and it's cheaper!  However, I realize that this is not always realistic. Organic food can be expensive and many people may have limited access depending on their location. For example, if someone had the choice between a bag of Dorito’s or a non-organic apple, would I really tell that person to not eat the apple because it isn’t organic? No way! Obviously, an apple has way more nutritional benefits than a bag of chips. It’s all about making small steps in the right direction.

I also think you should know what you are eating. In my opinion, all restaurants should be required to provide nutritional information and all food items should be labeled with nutrition facts. It’s important to know what you are putting into your body. Even seemingly healthy options can contain more calories, fat, and sodium than you would realize!

Bottom line: Stay informed! Be aware of the food industry’s marketing strategies, and don’t let them trick you into spending more money and consuming more calories. Take care of your body and eat food that is real food! Locate Farmer's Markets near you!

If you’re interested in learning more, I highly recommend In Defense of Food and The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Fascinating reads!

When I get some free time, I plan on reading Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle to learn more about the history of our food system.