I was going to write about exercise today, but other things in the news have superseded my need to tell you that regular, moderate exercise will make you less of a homicidal maniac during menopause. No, today I want to talk about food labeling laws.
Wake up – I’m not finished yet!
Seriously, though, there are a couple of news stories lately that have got me thinking about our need for information about the food we eat, the contradicting information we actually receive, and why the government can’t just leave well enough alone and let us make our own damn decisions about things.
Unless you’re on the lam and have been hiding among the Amish, you’ve probably seen that McDonald’s is now going to offer the calorie content of every menu item in every one of their restaurants in the country. Now, before you go and start singing hosannas to the Almighty Mickey D’s, they’re merely being pro-active: this is a mandate of Obamacare, which requires restaurants with 20+ locations list calorie content information for standard menu items on menus. Total calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, sugars, fiber and total protein have to be made available in writing upon request.
It all sounds great, but like most government mandates “for the public good,” it ignores the law of unintended consequences – if nothing else, it will severely limit your choices when eating at a chain restaurant.
Besides, IT DOESN’T WORK.
Really, think about it for a minute: if you’re eating at McDonald’s, are you really worried about how many calories you’re consuming? It’s a serious question; even if you’re eating there because it’s your only choice or because it’s the most inexpensive option (both myths, by the way, and subject for future posts), are you going to spend your money on what amounts to a big pile of lettuce with a few bits of chicken or the Quarter-Pounder with Cheese value meal that is roughly 27 cents more?
NO, the solution is NOT to force McDonald’s to stop offering value meals, although I don’t doubt for a minute that will be next once the whole “calories on the menu” proves to be a dismal failure. Which it will.
The next bit of news is related to the previous, although it may not seem that way at first. Who’s heard of Prop 37? If it passes, Proposition 37 will require genetically modified foods sold in California to be labeled.
Well….sort of.
Exempt from this requirement foods that are “certified organic; unintentionally produced with genetically engineered material; made from animals fed or injected with genetically engineered material but not genetically engineered themselves; processed with or containing only small amounts of genetically engineered ingredients; administered for treatment of medical conditions; sold for immediate consumption such as in a restaurant; or alcoholic beverages.”
Is it just me, or does that leave a LOT of room for leeway?
But all of this confuses me. Why on earth do we need a law requiring restaurants to tell us how many calories we’re consuming when we order a battered and deep-fried onion with a mayonnaise-based dipping sauce at a restaurant, but we don’t need a law that requires the industrial food system to tell us that our ear of corn has been genetically modified to make the digestive tracts of insects explode? Do the powers that be honestly believe that anything that does that isn’t going to affect human beings in an adverse way? Really?
I’m not in favor of forcing companies to label anything; most are aware of their competitive advantages, and if consumers demand products that are free of GMOs, they’ll happily provide them. But, as Beloved pointed out, if The Gumbint is going to force useless labeling – the required nutrition labeling on processed foods has done absolutely nothing to keep people from buying utter crap, much less improve the public’s general health or prevent obesity – why not just go ahead and add a mere two letters: GM?
It all comes down to money, of course. Because it’s the government, and it’s here to help…those who contribute the most to election campaigns.
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13 comments
First let me just say how much I love your website! I just “found” it from a Pinterest link and will def be following you from now on. I love your vibe and your recipe ideas.
We all know that the bottom line when it comes to losing poundage is to take in less calories than we burn. It’s fact. Do I think it’s a good idea for the government to stick their hands into every little thing? No – but, I do think that ANY movement in the direction of exposing high calorie foods is a very good step. I agree that if you’re eating at McD’s, you probably don’t care about calories to begin with. But with obesity being the problem that it is, if exposing the calories of that Quarter Pounder before it’s shoved into someone’s piehole prevent it from being purchased in the first place, that’s a step in the right direction (even if it is akin to putting a giant “DUH” sticker on it).
Don’t even get me started on Prop 37…..
You mean a battered and deep-fried onion isn’t good for me? It’s a vegetable, right? Teasing. I hear what you say and I agree in many ways, but I must say, that ever since they started showing the calorie count on McDonalds, Jude has refused to eat there. He read those calories and it sort of freaked him out. So…while it’s assumed that any adult with some braincells would know just how bad for you a Quarter Pounder is, your average 9 year old may not (despite his parents constant warnings). So…chalk one up for the labelizers. As for Prop 37…it’s my usual Californian quandry. Do I vote for the proposition which in theory is something I want, but in reality has been compromised and minimized to the point it’s not really helpful at all? This happens all the time with our Props. Do I want to know if my food is genetically altered? Yes. Is this particular Proposition going to solve that issue? No. Sigh…
BTW – I had dinner with a friend the other night who has MS, and she said that her newest doctor suggested a paleo-primal diet! I sent her to you. Just thought you’d like to hear this.
Oh, and I expect that exercise post tomorrow!
I’m with you, Jan. I am 100% AGAINST forcing any company to label their products with calories or GMO standards or whatever law or action that uses extortion, coercion, and violence to enforce an arbitrary policy. It will not change anything. What we have slipped into is a fascist society. There are no such things as free markets in this country, never have been. The more the government meddles, the worse things become for everyone. The naive and ignorant do not realize this. They keep begging our “masters” for to take away more of our freedoms. I want off of this human plantation. I’m tired of being treated like helpless livestock! If most of the population didn’t have Stockholm Syndrome, it would be easier to relate these messages to them. Unfortunately it seems most aren’t outraged until it personally affects them, and then just just want new and “improved” masters to replace the old ones. There is nothing as sobering and as frustrating as seeing the truth while you’re surrounded by the superstitious masses.
Will calorie labeling help? Probably not.
Will calorie labeling hurt? Probably not.
Will the companies label calories or GM or anything else they should be putting on their labels do this on their own because that is what consumers want? Probably not or if they do it will only be information they want to give out and they’ll forget about that other ingredient. Marking it something like “minimal amount of natural flavors” or something equally vague.
Will the government pass a law that will really give the consumers the information that they want and need to make good (as defined by the consumer) food choices? Probably not. Since the lobbyists seem to have a bigger pool of influence not to mention money than the consumers.
Am I a huge cynic? Probably yes!
I don’t believe the importance lies with foods that are battered and deep-fried. The importance comes in the “healthy” salads that are just as unhealthy as the burgers.
I know about health and wellness NOW, but when I didn’t know I was shocked at what could be found in foods. I had no idea.
I actually do like nutrition labeling at restaurants and it DOES influence my choices. Although I can’t remember the last time I ate at a McDonalds … the labeling is required for other restaurants too. Many restaurants in CA began labeling their menus long before they were required to. If I’m debating between different items I definitely look at the nutritional makeup. A lot of restaurant foods are deceptive … appearing to be healthier than they are, or disguising “empty” calories.
I like the idea of showing the salt content–that is what is most relevant to me right now, so that’s what I’m interested in.
Labeling does not really help those who need it, but will help those who want it.
Wait…our government is here to help? Labels schmabels – it would be better if they actually labeled the stuff we *need* to know about – you know, so we can avoid eating things that might make our digestive tracts explode.
It’s really the same issue with the Organic label. The only way we can know what we are eating is to know our farmers and their practices. Great post.
I agree 100%!
I think that what they are really trying to accomplish is to make people aware and educate them. Unfortunately, I do agree it will not work. YOU, my friend are in the advanced class who KNOWS that an organic ear of corn is far more nutritious and less deadly than a GM ear of corn. I am pretty certain that many people are still unaware of how much of our food is Genetically Modified and willing to bet that many people have no idea what Genetically Modified food is. I know that I, myself, am still in the learning process.
I agree, stop with the labeling mandates, except for GM labeling and one other – mandate truly valuable nutrition classes in schools. Then they might have a shot at bringing about real change.
How could anyone not want to know if their food is GMO? Are we becoming brain dead? We are already being poisoned with so much garbage in our food it’s unreal………Canada has banned BHT (preservative) in their cereals, many countries have been damaged by GMO crops! Do your children have cereal in the morning by the big K Co.?
Well they are most likely eating GMO and preservatives our FDA allows. I imagine our politicians are happily sitting down at their organic meals that most of us can’t afford. FDA……..