Can food be dangerous for your health?
There is now a lot of information about foods. There is good information and a lot of misinformation. There is no doubt that you have heard the warnings about food. Don’t eat junk food, drink less soft drinks, eat less sugary foods, eat less fatty foods and the list goes on. The reality is that the human race is becoming overweight and a large percentage are stepping into the obese category. It is a worldwide problem and it problem is in epidemic proportions and nobody seems to be able to do anything about it.
There are now many researchers ringing the alarm bells saying sugar is the problem. As a matter of fact we are now witnessing the beginnings of what is a sugar war. The question is what does it all mean and in the end can food really be that bad for us?
The researchers that are ringing the alarm bells in regards to sugar are doing so because of a number of issues. Firstly it is now well recognised that the overconsumption of processed sugar causes obesity. Our factory made processed foods are packed with the stuff. Just recently New York banned super sized drinks. Obvioulsy the government is recognising that this is a major issue. Holland a few years back introduced the worlds first fat tax. The idea was to tax all sugary foods as these cause people to gain weight. Interstingly the tax failed to change eating habits so it was dropped twelve months later.
The current research shows that sugar is just as addictive as cocaine. This makes the question of dangerous food a very interesting one. Sugar addiction causes sugar cravings which makes the sensation of hunger feel very different. For someone that is hooked on sugar when hunger strikes it is a case of getting a “I have to eat now otherwise I am going to die or at the very least I will be close to killing someone” feeling. For someone who does not have the addiction it is just a empty feeling that they have to fill at some stage, and if they don’t eat now or in the next hour or two or three it is all good.
Australia is one of the leading countries in the area of dealing with addictions. They have waged a war on the tobacco industry is a big way. In the year 2014 the tobacco industry had to go to plain packaging. Cigarettes are now sold in a drab pale green colour with horrific pictures of what smoking causes and large warning all over the packets. It is now illegal to smoke in public areas such a beaches or parks, in shopping street malls etc. The reason why the government has waged this war is that even though they collect huge money in tabacco tax the cost of healthcare for smokers is still much higher.
Other countries are jumping on board and are different stages of the same war. I recently spoke to a person who works for a tobacco company in Australia an their aim is to work out how to protect their markets in the rest of the world, the market in Australia is a shrinking one. The legal battles and the approaches they use are test cases so that they understand what to do in other countries that are not so far down the track. It is sad really when there is no no doubt that smoking kills.
The alcohol industry is also starting to feel this type of environment. There are now on labels with how many standard drinks the bottle contains. There are also health warnings starting to appear and companies that are producing drinks that appeal to the young people are under the spotlight. Does that sound familiar? The tobacco industry was there not long ago.
Similar issues are starting restrictions are starting to appear for the food industry. In Australia no junk food is advertised in children viewing time. The government are sending out messages about sugary foods, junks foods and processed foods. The war on sugar has truly begun.
Recently in Australia the government tried to bring in a new labelling system for foods. The idea was to have a traffic light approach. Red means unhealthy, amber means its not to good but not to bad and green means healthy. The food industry flexed its muscle and the system was changed to as star system. In 2014 the government launched a web site to explain the new labelling system. It was taken down within a day as the food industry didn’t like it. What are they trying to hide?
The sugar war will be a big one. The food industry is a very powerful industry and they spend millions in making their foods so good that you can’t stop. The foods have been shown to be responsible for a host of lifestyle diseases. This in turn makes the pharmaceutical industry very happy as they produce a whole range of pills to address chronic or lifestyle diseases. These pills don’t actually fix anything, the pharmaceutical companies just end up with a customer for life. They love it! Both the food industry and the pharmaceutical industry makes huge profits and both industries complement each other perfectly. What better business plan could they have.
The question still is can food kill you?
The Americans do things better and bigger than anyone on the face of the planet and food is no exemption As you have a look at the dishes that that cross into the insanity zone you can make up your own mind.
Warning – the consumption of processed food can kill
Baconnaise.
The Double Bacon Hamburger Fatty Melt. Three bacon-stuffed grilled cheese sandwiches four buns, cheese, bacon and two four-ounce beefs patties.
French Fry-Encased Hot Dog On A Stick.
Gregory’s 120 Ounce Steak.
In-N-Out 100×100 Burger.
Bob Evens Sausage Gravy Machine.
The Bacon Explosion.
Two pounds of bacon woven through and around two pounds of sausage and slathered in barbecue sauce.
The Hamdog.
A hot dog wrapped in a beef patty that’s deep fried, covered with chili, cheese, onions, served on a hoagie bun topped with two fistfuls of fries and a fried egg.
The Meat Ship.
Made from bacon, sausages, pastry, franks and pork mince.
Urbaconucken.
A chicken inside a duck inside a turkey, all wrapped in bacon.
Waffle Couch.
Waffle fries with gravy and mozzarella.
Tongue & Pastrami Sandwich
Bacon Donut
So do you think now that food does not kill?
