junk food

America Beer, Starbucks National Park and Corporate Doughnuts + this day in history w/Knights Templars burned and our song of the day by Wire on your Morning Monarchy for May 11, 2016.

Californians and Russians must think alike. The U.S. state recently considered reinstating a soda tax, and now Russian government officials are thinking of adding soda, potato chips, and palm oil to a list of excisable goods. The measure would be part of a plan to promote a healthier diet for Russians as well as boost tax revenues.

Last month, the FDA ruled that trans fats are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in human food and gave manufacturers three years to remove them. Companies have been required to list trans fat content on their products since 2006, and while many consumers are happy to see “Trans fats 0 grams per serving” on food labels, that doesn’t mean the product doesn’t contain any partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs). This is one way trans fats are still lurking in your food. [1]

Healthful food choices are becoming increasingly abundant in the United States – this can be exemplified by the fact that organics are booming like crazy. But as many as 23.5 million people in this country don’t have access to this overflow of nutrition because they live in “food deserts” – areas of the country where there are no grocery stores but plenty of mini-marts offering sugar-filled snacks and artery clogging prepared foods. [1]

Food addiction is a serious health problem that has many divergent definitions, my favorite one being from the American Society of Addiction Medicine:

Consumers are leaving toxic food makers’ products behind on grocery store shelves faster than you can say ‘organic.’ Big Food lost $4 billion in sales last year alone due to their inability to answer market demand for non-GM, organic food that doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup, gluten, antibiotics, growth hormones, MSG, and other toxic additives.

Instant Ramen noodles is known by many individuals as a cheap food you can buy in bulk and can cook fast and easily. The average consumer is often drawn to products like these, which are cheap and seemingly have little downside when compared to the convenience. But this meal, as many health food advocates already know, is the complete opposite of healthy.

What happens inside your body when you eat processed junk food? We all have a vague idea, and we certainly see what it does to the exterior portion of our bodies — but most of us have never seen the actual digestion process take place. Now, thanks to a ‘smart pill’ camera setup by TEDxManhattan fellow Stefani Bardin, we can see what really goes on.
Check out the video below:

While some economists point to big-box stores like Walmart for America’s obesity epidemic, a 2014 report indicates that obesity rates are most likely to increase when fast food chains are close by. In other words, the closer you are to a fast food chain, the more likely you are to gain weight.

There is no doubt that as a nation we have embraced processed foods, with the junk food stockpiling in nearly every grocery store and restaurant. In fact, a new report reveals that a whopping 60% of the food we purchase comes in the form of processed junk. But thankfully the last few years don’t help make up the stats.