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comment by sogre
sogre  ·  83 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Ultra-Processed Food Experiment: How We Got Here — and How We Fix It

    or ingredients you can’t pronounce.

That's an unnecessary, unhelpful extreme. Why I know that? Because you'll say the same about my argument. First, pronouncing something like 'pyrimidinecarboxylic acid' just means your reading age is around 15. Second, that's one of the B vitamins, so congrats on eliminating that one there.

Snappy shouldn't outweigh useful or thoughtful when it comes to writing health advice.

    Curious - what else do you think would make a big impact?

It seems like you're just milking people for article ideas, but hey, whatever, just give me attribution.

-Make (more) soups from basic ingredients instead of buying ready-made ones. Or stock of all things. Why soups specifically? Because they're more filling than solid foods; that's why they're starters in many countries or during austerity.

-Set a hard weekly limit on the number of foods in plastic packages. At worst, you keep buying the same things in larger containers, so it's less plastic waste.

-Get yourself an insulated food jar or thermos for homemade lunches.

//I try not to edit after posting, but this one was embarrassing.





usualgerman  ·  82 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I don’t think it’s horribly wrong, though I think if the median American would look at that ingredient and not know what it is or does, it’s probably not good for you. I tend to avoid it, but I’m personally realistic enough to say that if it’s 3/4 of the way down the ingredients list, it’s probably not horrible for your health.

I will say that this lidt ignores added sugars. High Fructose Corn Syrup is simply a diabetes inducer. Unless it’s a fairly rare dessert, you don’t need added sugars.

sogre  ·  82 days ago  ·  link  ·  

You're right. I agree, especially on HFCS. But neither of us is volunteering to educate people on health or nutrition, let alone as an athlete-turned-entrepreneur.

I’m no expert--just a redneck chipping away at MCAT prereqs. A literal sophomore. But I understand the need to not assume common sense on part of an average American. On health or nutrition or even basic hygiene.

usualgerman  ·  81 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Well, yeah, I think we’d mostly agree on that. But I think what I’m getting at is that if you need a background in chemistry to recognize an ingredient, it’s not a good thing. Now im realist enough not not expect a housewife in Mississippi to be able to go without storebought breads, pastas, and so on.