• @disguy_ovahea
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    45 months ago

    That’s unchecked capitalism at work. There’s more money to be made by selling overpriced food that causes obesity through physical addiction than selling pharmaceuticals to reduce obesity. Fixing the issue would reduce profits in two industries.

    The First Lady typically takes on a national advocacy campaign. Michelle Obama tried to challenge the food industry in their contribution to childhood obesity. After a long fight of many years, her campaign ended up focusing primarily on exercise. There’s a great documentary called Fed Up about her attempt.

    They simply have too much power of influence due to toothless restrictions. We need Congress to create legislation to make industry more ethical. Corporations will not do it on their own.

    • @PlantJam
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      45 months ago

      One issue is that processed foods are made to be hyperpalatable. Pair that with agriculture subsidies that make meat and sugar (corn) cheaper than they should be and you have a recipe for an obesity crisis.

      I believe reallocating those subsidies to healthier foods would be a great step towards fixing the issue, but healthy foods at the grocery store being cheap doesn’t really compete with the convenience of fast food.

      • @disguy_ovahea
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        5 months ago

        Agreed. Clinton renewed the corn subsidy that led to overproduction, driving high fructose corn syrup below the cost of sugar.

        Try an Italian soda. They’re fucking delicious. Fruit juice and carbonated water. Not in America. We use corn for our soda.

        Cooking your own food aside, if healthy foods were less expensive, then “quickly prepared” food establishments would be able to reasonably compete with fast food prices. $20 for a well made salad is just unreasonable.

        • @PlantJam
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          15 months ago

          And don’t forget that salad likely has the nutrition of a big mac!

          • @disguy_ovahea
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            15 months ago

            Calories, maybe. Definitely not nutrition, unless McDonald’s gives you a free multivitamin and Ensure with every Big Mac.

            • @PlantJam
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              15 months ago

              Yes, I was mostly referencing calories, and more specifically referencing fast food salads. You’re right that even if the calories are equivalent the micronutrient value of the salad is likely better.

              • @disguy_ovahea
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                15 months ago

                Oh, yeah, their salads are trash. A fistful of iceberg and a gallon of thousand island.

                I was referring to “quickly prepared” food places, like delis, or health food quick-order restaurants. They have to charge $20 a salad because the ingredients aren’t subsidized like corn. Well, unless you get soybeans in your salad.

                • @PlantJam
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                  15 months ago

                  Coincidentally soy is one of my favorite home cooking ingredients! Tofu, TVP, and especially soy curls.

                  • @disguy_ovahea
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                    5 months ago

                    I eat it too. I love edamame. It’s just not a common salad ingredient due to its lack of stabability.