Trends in Food

I thought this article was very interesting. I remember when I was younger in the 1990s when being healthy meant eating processed foods that had the label "fat free" on the package. Of course, because people were thinking these items were fat free they ate larger portions than they would normally eat. Also, often more sugar (or corn syrup) was added to replace the fat. I remember Olestra and Snackwells, neither of which ever seemed that tasty or healthy. I am glad that according to that article people seem to be more focused on eating foods high in vitamins instead of just buying whatever has "fat free" on the label. Another problem when I was growing up seemed to be the label "reduced fat", as these items could still be relatively high in fat as long as they had less than the original version of the product.

All around this article has good news, including: "Last year, more than half (55 percent) of grocery shoppers prepared more meals at home than in 2009, approaching a 20-year high" and that "Two-thirds of consumers consider themselves knowledgeable and interested in food". This is also good news: "Whole grain was the most sought-after health claim on packages in 2010, followed by high fiber, low sodium, low fat, no trans fat, low sugar, low calorie, no chemical additives, no preservatives and low/lowers cholesterol".

I think part of good eating is making an effort, and making the decision to care about what one consumes and where those ingredients came from. It may take a bit of a commitment, but it is better to pay the grocer than the doctor.