NYT article: Weight Loss Drugs vs. Ultra-Processed Food

I've been successful with a keto diet. Unfortunately, TONS of Keto products are majorly processed. I do eat them on occasion, though, for convenience and cravings (ie, bread). It's tough not to!


ETA: I just found an afterthought interesting. I have successfully "fixed" some of my health issues by eating the way I do. I have lost a lot of weight I am more active and feel happier and better (relative) most of the time. After I posted this, I felt guilty for eating processed food. DANG! Just another problem some of us must learn to repair. I find that so common, beating ourselves up about food choices. It isn't right! Our society is broken all over the place.

Here are my thoughts.

We are owned in more ways than one by big conglomerates and it is the consumers wanting these things. Consumers are more to blame than the businesses. It is our daily habits that have changed how they serve us.

We crave more than sugar. We crave easy and fast and now.

Nothing is going to change until our habits change.

And it goes beyond what we eat. It is lifestyle and mental health and stress and the weight of everything on our shoulders and for sure social media and access to all the tech.

I was an 80s Hostess kid. Ding dongs, cupcakes, ho ho's, Twinkies. Only time I had water was outside at the hose. It was Kool aid and tea and soda. And juice.

Those foods weren't an issue then so why are those foods an issue now?

For sure ingredients changed but so have consumers lifestyles.

You can also certainly blame prices. A box of Mac n cheese will fill kids bellies. Add in some canned fruit and a vegetable or canned meat and you have a meal that is way less than whole foods.

It irks me when people say we just need to cook whole foods and from scratch.

Not everyone is privileged to be able to do that because of time or money or where they live or if they have power or a fridge or a stove.

And when people are held in the grips of capitalism, and poverty and the system that keeps them there, there will not be change for them.

Until people are taught how to shop, how to cook, how to use left overs, how to budget, are given access to food sources (esp those in food deserts), know where foods come from, how to create healthy meals, there won't be a shift.

I was blessed to be around 2 great cooks. My mom and grandma. I also choose to cook because I enjoy it. Not everyone does. Not everyone like to shop. Or prep. Then add in insecurities with food storage and gas and power.

So what do we do for them? The bare minimum unfortunately. Because the class system is there to keep them in that space to benefit jails and police and specific jobs they do.

So until the consumer changes, it will be status quo.

Exactly.

Until consumerism changes, nothing will change regarding processed food and all the meds creates by big pharm to fix the issues.

It's all just 2 big business.

Crap food offered. Makes us feel bad. Gives us health problems.

I surface is costly or non attainable. Services not offered. So lack of proper care or wait times for a year.

People having to spend money on keeping a roof over their heads which limits food money or health problems so expensive they can't afford the food.

Big pharm with limited resources and meds that cause more issues or can't be paid for as they are so costly.

People stealing to make ends meet.

End up in jail. Have to do slave labor.

It's all one big money grab and the powers that be work together.