The more things change, the more they stay the same. It is an old saying. One my father used to tell me. In my 71 years I have seen many changes. One thing that doesn’t change is the demonization of food additives. Trans fats. In 2018 the FDA disallowed partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in processed foods. The ruling eliminated the presence of almost all trans … Continue reading Trans fats, salt and sugar reduction, ultra-processed foods and more food in the news

As we emerge from the pandemic, expect to see major changes in our food supply. Consumer choices will drive these changes. A war is breaking out between food advocates and marketers of processed foods. Two weeks ago, I presented a vision of the New Food Movement. Last week I painted a world taken over by Big Food. Both perspectives highlight extreme positions attempting to find … Continue reading Scenario #3: Processed food in “Tomorrowland”—What I’d like to see

What will the food supply look like as we seek a normal life after COVID-19? This month I pursue three possible scenarios about processed foods in “Tomorrowland.” Last week I presented the dream of the New Food Movement. In it there is a mass exodus away from packaged products and to whole foods. This week I paint their nightmare where ultra-processed foods become the norm. … Continue reading Scenario #2: Big Food sets the standards in a post-pandemic world

What will the American food supply look like as we emerge from the pandemic? This month I will present three very different scenarios of what could happen. This week I introduce the perspective of the New Food Movement. Next week, I envision a world dominated by crass commercialism with Big Food running wild. It is the Movement’s worst nightmare. The third scenario diverges from these … Continue reading Scenario #1: The New Food Movement triumphs in revolutionizing the food system

March 17, 2020 was a life-changing day for me. The pandemic was here. Sporting events cancelled. I voted in the state’s Presidential primary. I shopped at a local grocery store. I went home and severed most in-person social ties. I stopped volunteering at the food pantry and the local school. Call it sheltering in place or self-isolation. I started a daily journal of my life … Continue reading Living in a Post-Pandemic World

I: Biological. A) Nutrition-Macro. This comprises fats (oils), carbohydrates (starches and sugars), ethyl alcohol and proteins.  Some sugars and the alcohol can pass directly into the blood through the walls of the digestive system.  The others are converted by the body into smaller molecules (digested) that can then pass into the blood also.  They all are the sources of the energy we need to survive, … Continue reading The Five Reasons why we eat and drink what we do by Allan Griff

by Dr. Kalidas Shetty Professor of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102 Summary: To advance global food security and to address associated human health challenges we must understand global food systems with its ecological diversity for sustainable solutions. The world faces the most critical ecological challenge from climate change and essential urgency to reduce the carbon footprint affecting food production challenges as … Continue reading Food Diversity-Based Global Food Systems for Food Security and Health: Post-COVID19 Implications

I had never been on a diet:  ever.  I believe in eating relatively healthy and in moderation and exercising to maintain a healthy weight, but I do not believe in counting calories and restricting  my choices of food.   I’m a bit of a hedonist and tend to give into cravings.  So, if I wanted a serving of tiramisu or a bowl of Cheetos, I … Continue reading My experience with an inflammation diet by Cynthia D’Amico-Graham

In Formerly Known as Food Kristin Lawless completely rejects the current American food system. She calls for a reformation if not a revolution. She concludes her book with a 9-point New Food Movement Manifesto. The author identifies as a nutrition educator. Without a formal degree in Nutrition or related field, I conclude that she is primarily a journalist provocateur. Formerly Known as Food does not … Continue reading Formerly Known as Food (How the Industrial Food System Is Changing Our Minds, Bodies, and Culture)

All these preservations affect taste/odor and appearance (browning/oxidation). Before describing the preservation methods, some definitions:  Firstly, “edible” is personally and socially defined, but is also biologically defined as able to pass through the digestive system without serious negative effects. Some substances start out as edible–fruits off the tree, parts of other plants, and most all animals.  Cooking alters the chemistry to increase digestibility, but most … Continue reading The Thirteen Preservations by Allan Griff