Additives in Food
People used to appreciate wholesome, nutritious food. These days, the American diet is comprised of primarily processed food. Is health being sacrificed for convenience? What is really in the food that Americans eat? Are all the preservatives and additives hurting consumers more than they are helping? There are definitely benefits to the modern food industry; however, consumers want to be sure that these benefits outweigh the risks associated with this new food technology. Food manufacturers seem to be doing well short term, but consumers do not want to suffer in the long run from all these unnatural additives and processes. These additional chemicals in food may be causing diseases without us realizing it. People spend so much time investigating which TV, car or even house to buy. Certainly, they should spend as much time if not more considering what to fill their shopping carts with at the grocery store. Even though additives help increase food production and food preservation, people should be careful about what they eat and try to avoid unnecessary additives because they are unnatural, unhealthy and compromise the wholesomeness of the food.
Literature Review
Laliberte (n.d.) presented the benefits and risks associated with additives in food and explained that the new food technology is so popular because it is inexpensive, effective, and convenient. People enjoy the ease of ready-made food and the advertising makes it all the more appealing
They say that in modern society, living without processed foods is not possible, as most of the mass produced foods cannot be made at home. [The quality of whole foods vary depending on a number of factors. Therefore, instead of looking at all processed foods as bad, Vega and McClements suggest sorting through the processed foods, as processing techniques vary and can affect the healthiness of the product. Obesity that is related to processed food is what the authors claim to be the effect of overeating. Any food that is eaten in excess is bad for the diet. Advances in food technology have been made to make more nutritious and healthier processed foods, which is seen in the increased life span seen in Western
1. David Freedman sets out to disprove that processed foods are inherently bad for you; counter arguing what Michael Pollan advocates. Freedman’s set out to prove to the readers that the praise wholesome, organic food receives, and the bashing that processed junk food receives, might not be entirely true. The author argues against Michael Pollan’s opinion on processed food. To do this, he uses a combination of his personal experiences, including in both Whole Foods and Trader Joe, and date he has derived from his experiences in said stores.
The food industry has been a big impact to people's lives by changing the way they feel, the way they are on weight and the appearance they show after eating the unhealthy products. In the article “When a Crop Becomes King” by Michael Pollan there is a quote that explains “To keep it well fed and safe from predators we douse it with chemicals that poison our water and deepen our dependence on foreign oil.” this means that some food products are covered with chemicals so insects won’t be be around it. Pollan let his readers know the truth behind the scenes with unhealthy food products to show that we should not eat at fast food restaurants since it is not real nutrients and healthy to your body. Most people do not know the kind of chemicals there are in the foods at any place you go because they do not research the supplements that are in them, they do not care and just eat what taste good to
A possible explanation for why food production has changed so much can be that its consumers have also evolved as a society--the commercialization of agriculture has culminated this alteration within the industry. The consumer's desire to connect back with their ancestors can be easily ascertained by going to “healthier” markets like Wholefoods, among others. Pollan compares Wholefoods to a good-quality "bookstore," filled with extensive nutritional vocabulary on their packaging. However, much of it is not
With having true genuine intentions in eating healthy people fall into the ideas advertised by cooperation’s that their products are healthy. Food corporations protect themselves through ingredient secrecy and even through the FDA because they are not required by law to disclose their ingredients; however, the chemicals used need to be considered by the FDA to be Generally Regarded As Safe (Schlosser 25). People should take responsibility in the research of the food products they consume; therefore, allowing an individual to be wise and informed of what their really consuming. Maybe, instead of cutting corners in trying to eat healthy with false idealistic advertisement consumers should consider eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and cooking ingredients. Consumers should like the author Pollan suggested in his rules of thumb: avoid food products unfamiliar, unpronounceable ingredients, and products containing more than five ingredients (Pollan
The things the American consumer eats are not what they seem to be. Much like pollution, the major food companies are treating America to unhealthy products that can cause physically damage to the human body. From motivational competition to company rivals, people aspire for greatness, to be the best at what they do. Some people desire to be the best will even go to drastic measures to get what they want. Companies like General Mills and Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Kraft, and Nabisco have more than their friendly share of competition, some could even say that they are fighting for the monopoly of the food industry.
“The Pleasures of Eating,” by Wendell Berry is an informative piece challenging us as consumer to be more aware of what we are eating. Berry points out most times we are unaware of the processes of food production which puts our health at risk. One of Berry’s strongest arguments is that most times as consumers buy food without asking critical questions that will affect the nutritional value of the product. Consumers are so passive that they buy some of the most expensive foods with very little protest. We have become so trust worthy of the food industry that we see no need to be critical of types of food products they give to the public.
Fast and processed food consumers are passive victims of food industry franchises. Such consumers usually purchase these food items, without questioning the cost or the origin. None of us ever stop to think how fresh or hygienic the food is. Does the processing procedure decrease the nutritive value of the food? Were chemicals used in the growing of it and if so is the food then dangerous? Would the food item be cheaper if the advertising, transportation, and packaging costs were excluded? ("Pleasures of Eating - Wendell Berry | Center for Ecoliteracy"). Industry consumers have no inkling the conditions under which these foods were produced; no idea of the type of farms, techniques or impediments that the
Today many of the foods we buy from the store, especially packaged foods contain food additives and food dyes and majority of the population knows chemicals that are added to foods are not healthy choices and may lead to negative health effects. In this paper I will be discussing how food additives and food dyes promote and trigger a health problem known as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According to Health Canada “a food additive is any chemical substance that is added to food during preparation or storage and either becomes a part of the food or affects its characteristics for the purpose of achieving a particular technical effect (1).” Food products containing food additives
The state of the American Health in the U.S has become an increasing concern of many Americans. An article entitled “11 Facts about American Eating Habits,” addresses the state of food in the U.S by stating, “Healthiness of the food we eat decreases by 1.7 percent for every hour that passes in the day.” Experts and scientists in the U.S has raised questions about regarding the different ways food is now being produced. While individuals are usually not aware of the ingredients that food contains, many people continue to have unhealthy eating habits. In the past few decades, food production has included numerous artificial ingredients that are said to be the cause of various health problems. Various artificial ingredients that are commonly
All across America, food manufacturers and sellers seem to be cleaning up their act. Apparently customers are demanding healthier fare at their eating establishments and from their supermarket shelves, and restaurants and food manufacturers are starting to pay attention. Tyson had announced they were going to be phasing out the use of hormones that are also used in people and McDonald’s had also said they will be phasing out the use of such chicken. Another big trend, however has been the removal of artificial ingredients such as colorings and preservatives by companies.
Too many people pick up food products off of the shelves and put it into their shopping cart without knowing what exactly it is or what the product has been through. After watching an absolutely disturbing documentary called "Food Inc." I started to feel strongly about the problems of the Food Industry. The problem is that our food is no longer being produced in an all American farm, but in dirty abusive factories. Not only is the food unhealthy for us after all of the processing, but the workers and animals are being abused. I know that I single handily cannot change all of the problems with the twisted food industry, but I know that I can do my part by making others aware so that they can make sure that they can make fully informed decisions about what they are putting into their carts at the grocery store and eventually into their bodies.
nowadays, people do not know what they are eating. The majority of most Americans would not be able to pronounce the names of the ingredients listed on the package of the last snack food they consumed. Consumers “ignore certain critical questions about the quality and the cost of what they are sold: How fresh is it? How clean or pure is it, how free of dangerous chemicals? … When the food has been manufactured or “processed” or “precooked,” how has that affected its quality or price or nutritional value?” (Berry, 24) It is of utmost importance that we understand what the food that lines the grocery store shelves is actually
The development of fast food was revolutionary; however this revolution was corrupted by big business and their desire to maximize profit. With fast food being a staple for society, due to its convenience, the consumers fail to realize what is inside that burger they are eating. These cost effective additives may be justifiable in a businessman’s perspective but what about the consumer?
Food, health and medical technologies have a large impact on individuals and communities today and in the future. Throughout this paper, discussion will involve the issues that society faces regarding food and health and how we can create a healthier and safer world for our future.