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Tonight, as I was writing an article called “Risky Business: Is Food Safe To Eat?” I had to wonder: how did we get to this point? How did we find ourselves in a time when diabetes is an epidemic, 30 percent of Americans are obese, and the simple act of obtaining nourishment become risky business?
After all, it wasn’t so long ago that we made our dining choices based on what would afford maximum pleasure. Old black and white movies portray glamourous couples in opulent restaurants, laughing over T-bone steaks and martinis while Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin croon in the background.
Then we became more evolved, and realized that food had something to do with our health. The natural products movement was thus born, promising a wholesome, chemical-free way of life. Then the organics industry appeared, offering even more hope and promise. All in all, we had quite a few years of cheery dietary optimism, enjoying both the health benefits and gustatory appeal of our meals.
But it turned out that natural and organic foods weren’t the panacea we had once hoped they would be. Organic peanuts and spinach still had salmonella. Organic chickens still didn’t roam freely, pecking at grass and bugs, as is their way. Organic cows were still fed grains--not their natural diet, and one that causes E. coli bacteria to proliferate. Organic juice was packaged in plastic bottles that contain endocrine disruptors. Meanwhile, the proliferation of organic processed foods suddenly made it seem okay to have organic toaster pastries for breakfast and organic mac-and-cheese from a box for dinner.
Nothing about the organic label makes refined white pasta and powdered cheese healthy. And I wish it weren’t so, but the organic evaporated cane juice used in toaster pastries, boxed cereals and gluten-free cookies has the same number of calories and the same deadly impact on blood sugar levels as refined, bleached white sugar.
And as for the wholly unregulated term “natural,” it has been co-opted by mainstream food mega-giants, whose abuses have rendered it nothing more than a marketing term. We can’t even say it with a straight face any more.
What’s the solution? I suppose we could all move to Polyface-type farms, raise our own happy chickens and grow our own organic lettuce. But is it possible to avoid toxins altogether? Would the rain that fell on our pristine crops be any less polluted? And how much of our fear is fueled by frequent and widespread news reports of the latest salmonella outbreak or updates on diabetes statistics?
And then, I had to wonder whether we've we created a scenario in which apathy seems the only solution. Is there so much to worry about now, that we might as well throw up our hands and have a Twinkie and a Filet-O-Fish?
Maybe not. Maybe we just do the best we can with what we have, focusing on unprocessed, organic plant foods, with the occasional bit of organic, pastured or grass-fed meat. And maybe we turn off the news, and turn on Frank Sinatra instead.
