Food Companies Lobby To Block Warning Labels

[davaroo]

Well said, great history recall.

Im thinking that maybe, just maybe, we should embrace cheese-doodles as our friends, instead of as the enemy.

Can I embrace a hot fudge sunday instead?

In moderation, absolutely!!!!!!

 

[vfem]

I personally have no problem with junk food, long as its labeled junk food, and not covered in pretty pictures of healthy apples and bananas when its just sugar!

 

[seedcorn]

I personally have no problem with junk food, long as its labeled junk food, and not covered in pretty pictures of healthy apples and bananas when its just sugar!

You have to be told it's junk food? I look at ingredients and make my own determination.

So are hot fudge sundaes a good food since it has calcium, proteins, etc????

 

[hoodat]

I personally have no problem with junk food, long as its labeled junk food, and not covered in pretty pictures of healthy apples and bananas when its just sugar!

You have to be told it's junk food? I look at ingredients and make my own determination.

So are hot fudge sundaes a good food since it has calcium, proteins, etc????

You think it's just an accident that our life spans increase with the increase in chocolate consumption? Pig out. It's good for you!
Hershey PA, the health capital of the world.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

You think it's just an accident that our life spans increase with the increase in chocolate consumption? Pig out. It's good for you!
Hershey PA, the health capital of the world.

Chocolate for me too!! But not Hershey I'm afraid; don't like it at all, nor our traditional British chocolate. It has to be the darkest, bitter kind I'm afraid. Now that is the stuff that keeps you happy & healthy. Luckily it is so full of goodness I don't eat so much of it.................Oh I want some now (aged 70, at 7.20am......!!) Mmmmmmm!


row Hattie row

 

[elf]

I personally have no problem with junk food, long as its labeled junk food, and not covered in pretty pictures of healthy apples and bananas when its just sugar!

You have to be told it's junk food? I look at ingredients and make my own determination.

So are hot fudge sundaes a good food since it has calcium, proteins, etc????

This reminds me of a year when I was assigned to teach a middle sch. health class because of budget cuts in the art dept. (which consisted of Me). When the kids were assigned to make a menu, they could not understand why they should not list ketchup as a vegetable. Ketchup, onions, french fries or chips= 3 servings of veggies, white bun=carbs, burger=meat, cheese=dairy. So one Happy Meal=balanced meal, assignment complete. This was the same class that after being told that alcohol depletes B vitamins, had a guy ask,seriously, "Is that why you drink orange juice with your vodka?"I remember getting nauseous from the smell of barbeque potato chips that one kid would eat around my desk during homeroom. That was breakfast...with a Coke, of course.

Everyone reading this site can read ingredients lists if /when they choose and knows something about them. If we are growing fr./veg. we already know something about health. I guess the only way the bright "bad"labels might affect me is, like mentioned, maybe guilting me into putting one box of something back if I noticed my whole cart was glowing red. I'd still keep the 3-4 boxes of ice cream, but maybe swap half for sherbert. I can see it now: folks turning the neon red tag sides down in their cart to avoid, "Look Mom, her whole cart's nothing but red tags!"

However, I'm afraid we do not represent the bulk of the population. Unfortunately, an alarmingly large percentage of the population is still illiterate. If they can read the word sodium, they don't know what it means. Would red tags make a difference in what folks eat? Maybe a little. Take the kids I taught (or at least attempted to); the ones whose art questions on their day 1 survey were "Who painted "The Dogs Playing Poker"?" and,"Why do you have to prime a car before you paint it?" Most of them would pay little heed to the labels, but maybe when their Dr. says it's about time for a triple bypass or they're just wanting to loose weight to attract a new man down at the "Night Owl", they might. Also, you know how some parents do anything to stop those offspring from bawling in the grocery store (heck, sometimes I'd even be willing to buy them candy to shut them up) Well, the guilt of the evil red label might cause some to make better parenting choices. And kids, if educated , might do less begging for the red label foods (but I wouldn't count on that) I guess a big skull and crossbones would be better there.

The labels would probably have the least effect on those at the highest and lowest rungs of the ladder of life. The professionals can read the fine print. The lower end is too distracted stealing copper and doing crack to look at labels, or the facilities are tied up with making meth., so they have to go out for fast food.

 

[elf]

What would it hurt to try the labels? I, like some others, shudder at words like regulations and certifications. My main concern would be; who's to say what's unhealthy and how unhealthy? Those views change from day to day and study to study. Remember when eggs were unhealthy; now they're not. Margarine was thought to be healthier than butter; not anymore. Most low fat foods have huge amounts of salt to replace loss of flavor. Aspartame cuts calories but explodes brain cells. Most think Splenda is a safe sugar substitute, but research it; I'll stick to sugar, just less of it. My bro. says don't take herbal meds. because they're unregulated. I'm much more afraid of the regulated stuff they take off the market after so many deaths. They outlawed ephedra but kept the synthetic form, pseudephedrine. Don't suppose it could be because major pharm. co.s make no profit off herbals.

I can imagine major co.s rallying to stay off yellow and red tag lists, to the point of a product having to be really deadly or not paying someone off in order to get a yel. or red tag. Then everyone thinks, "Hey, green tag...good for me...I'll eat tons."Remember that glorious day that they announced "Chocolate is good for you."...should have been added to calendars as a Nat. holiday. I, for one, ignore the minute serving size that they recommend.

I can't imagine the color tagging passing here, anyway. Can you imagine getting fast food, or going to most restaurants or bakeries and everything glowing with red and yellow labels...and the poor candy isles; can we do that to the smiling M&Ms or a nostalgic bag of Oreos? Even homemade jellies, pickles, and handmade candies, as delicious as they may be, might get hit for sugar or salt content. Imagine how that could effect sales.

 

[davaroo]

What would it hurt to try the labels? I, like some others, shudder at words like regulations and certifications. My main concern would be; who's to say what's unhealthy and how unhealthy?

Exactly - whose watching the watch dogs? It is the pariah complex, and its growing in strength among us.

I asked this very thing among some coworkers and each one came to the same conclusion: First labels and then persecution. Why do a bunch of holier than thou types, have to run my life?

Think about it. Once a label is in place you've been WARNED.

If you violate that warning, then you are a willing wrongdoer - the worst kind of person on earth these days. Look at the stigma around smokers, today for an inkling of this.
Ostracism, and eventual denial follows... for enjoying a cheeseburger.

In the long history of humanity, one thing comes clear:

We will always have someone to root out scapegoats and make them suffer.
Their rally call? "It wont be that bad; its just one little law, just one little label...."

"It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies.
The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for 'our
own good' will torment us without end, for they do so with the sole approval of their consciences."---C. S. Lewis

 

[vfem]

You think it's just an accident that our life spans increase with the increase in chocolate consumption? Pig out. It's good for you!
Hershey PA, the health capital of the world.

Chocolate for me too!! But not Hershey I'm afraid; don't like it at all, nor our traditional British chocolate. It has to be the darkest, bitter kind I'm afraid. Now that is the stuff that keeps you happy & healthy. Luckily it is so full of goodness I don't eat so much of it.................Oh I want some now (aged 70, at 7.20am......!!) Mmmmmmm!


row Hattie row

Congrats!!! :coolsun

 

[vfem]

I just don't get why you guys are against a label? They are not taking the food off the shelf, and as 90% of most grocery stores are processed foods... its not going to change that either unless people decide not to eat it on their own.

I sure as heck am not going to make a choice for ya... but there are really a LOT of dumb people out there! Stop giving stupid people the benefit of the doubt, because if you do, they'll end up reproducing or become a member of congress!!!

I also think people learn there healthy (or not so habits) from their parents... Then there are the kids who only want to 'chose' junk food... so again, we're around to the school debate... its all connected in one huge ignorant loop!