Saturday, February 6, 2010

Food Inc.: A Review


So, we watched Food Inc. the other night. Going in, I had a feeling that it would somewhat change my view of how and what I eat, but I was not prepared for the frustrating and reprehensible situation that we have let ourselves get into in this country. The reason I don't blame the corporations depicted in this documentary (ok, maybe you can blame them a little) is because they are giving us exactly what we want. We've never asked how they make it. We've never even asked what they put in it. All we've asked is that they make more of it than we could ever need, and make it as cheap as possible. And they have delivered in more creative ways than we ever could have imagined.


It is encouraging to see that the knowledge is starting to spread, and that people are starting to realize quality in the food they eat is infinitely more important than the car they drive, the clothes they wear, etc, etc. This country is in the midst of a healthcare war, and the only way it is ever going to be settled is for us, the consumers, to demand better quality in the food we eat. Almost 1 in 12 Americans have been diagnosed with Diabetes, and in 2007 the cost to the US healthcare system for this growing epidemic was $218 billion. That's roughly $700 per year per US citizen. That's not including the costs for heart disease, cancer, and numerous other diseases that can be directly linked to what we choose to put in our bodies.


In my house, we have decided to make food a priority. We've decided that it is necessary to pay more money for, and more attention to, the food choices we make and where that food comes from. Fortunately here in California, we have some good healthy food options as well as a lot of local growers and food suppliers. We shopped at Whole Foods this week, and found that our weekly groceries were not significantly more than the regular chain grocery stores. Not only that, but the taste was amazing…both with the meats, and with the fruits and vegetables.


I really believe that by actually caring about what we eat, and making healthy choices, we can reverse some of the alarming trends we are seeing today... but we really need to make it a priority. I highly recommend to everyone to see Food Inc. You owe it to yourself and to your children to at least have this information, so that you can make informed choices. If enough people demand better quality, the corporations will provide it. Continued apathy will only make the problems worse.

3 comments:

  1. Good luck with your blog and raising people's awareness that individually they can improve their health.

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  2. There is so many additives in processed food these days. It pays to find better food alternatives.

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  3. It really is amazing how much crap is at the grocery store. Even just shopping the perimeter helps when it comes to avoiding processed foods.

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