http://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-is-profiting-off-the-shifting-definition-of-healthy-2016-9
http://www.shape.com/blogs/shape-your-life/13-banned-foods-still-allowed-us
On Thursday we discussed the environment and all of the negative affects that we all have on the environment. We also discussed health issues related to the foods we consume on a daily basis. Food/health topics make me very upset/angry especially because of how many chemicals and toxins go into our bodies without our understanding/awareness/consent. It blows my mind at how many foods are still allowed in the US that are banned in other countries. It is actually very scary that the FDA approves these products knowing about the different harmful chemicals that are in these products. My sophomore year of college (so two and a half years ago) I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic Ovary Syndrome). PCOS is a hormonal imbalance disease and is also genetic. Woman with PCOS deal with so many different health issues/concerns, one major one is thyroid issues. When I found out I had PCOS my doctor told me a list of things that I needed to do in order to avoid even worse health issues. The first thing I changed was my diet. I became gluten free, only organic produce, etc. After being diagnosed with PCOS I became very aware and conscious of what goes into my body. Some people think I'm over obsessive but to me its very scary not knowing the exact ingredients in the foods you are eating, or the products you are putting on your body, such as lotion, body wash etc.
The point of all of this is that a lot of times we may think we know what we are consuming by reading a label that says "All Natural" or "Gluten Free", so a lot of consumers will immediately buy it because they think it is "healthy", but in reality it is just a way for companies and marketers to get consumers to buy their "healthy" products. The article I read this evening from Business Insider explained that companies such as McDonalds, Chick-Fil-A and Subway are trying to make a shift in their ingredients to be more "healthy"... And also the FDA is in the process of creating a new definition for the word "healthy". I thought the article was very odd but also interesting. I can't wait to see what this new definition of "healthy" is defined as by the FDA.
This is actually pretty interesting. I have seen all those labels on food at the grocery store and wondered if that was all true but thanks to this now I know it sure isn't.
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