Thursday, October 22, 2009

Shouldn't all foods be "healthy"?

Actually, we eat for health and pleasure. But too much pleasure at the expense of our health isn't really good for us.

Why don't we take responsibility for maintaining balance in our lives? Are we being fooled or are we fooling ourselves? Do food companies give us the permission to eat whatever we want or do we choose to make unhealthy choices?

The FDA is the latest to weigh in on the issue of what constitutes a healthy food product by working on a definition of the word, "healthy", and suggestions for revising labeling on our foods.

Yet, is the reason there are so many claims and "seals of approval" on packaging because the standard label not work? If the one food label on all packages is confusing then additional claims and seals of approval on today's grocery shelf won't make it clearer until we all agree on the standards for a product to be considered "healthy".

Helping the consumer make better food choices for health with a single definition of healthy and a label that informs consumer choices is clearly an important goal. When we are all working together to clarify what constitutes a healthy food product, it will be harder for us to fool ourselves, but still likely. After all, we are human. Maintaining balance in our lives has never been a simple task. So let's head in the right direction. Government, food manufacturers and retailers, please make it as easy as possible for us all to maintain good health.


http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=7076682

No comments:

Post a Comment

ShareThis

About Me

My photo
First trained as a food chemist and nutritionist, my career began enriching a Twinkie, comparing the nutrition of a Twinkie to an apple and studying the role of sugar in the diet. With an M.B.A. and years in food and pharma understanding consumers and manufacturers, I'm back to where I started - food should taste great and serve to keep us healthy. To do so, there needs to be consumer awareness. Consumers need to vote for what they want by buying what they really want. If they buy impulsively, that's what they will see more of. They need to practice balance and responsible choices. That's when change will come. Please engage me with your conversation so that I can help you make and stick to better food choices that you enjoy. You'll gain a deeper appreciation of food not only from farm to table but farm to health. My vision is to promote solutions for healthful food and food practices you can happily embody and embrace!