I love to cook and it's one of the reasons I chose Chemical Engineering in the first place, and one of the reasons I changed field after my first degree.
This is one of the reasons I believe there is a war against the poor.
Ultra-processed foods need tobacco-style warnings, says scientist — The Guardian
“UPFs are increasing their share in and domination of global diets, despite the risk they represent to health in terms of increasing the risk of multiple chronic diseases,” Monteiro told the Guardian ahead of the conference in São Paulo.
“UPFs are displacing healthier, less processed foods all over the world, and also causing a deterioration in diet quality due to their several harmful attributes. Together, these foods are driving the pandemic of obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases, such as diabetes.”
In the UK and US, more than half the average diet now consists of ultra-processed food. For some, especially people who are younger, poorer or from disadvantaged areas, a diet comprising as much as 80% UPF is typical.
In February, the world’s largest review of its kind found UPFs were directly linked to 32 harmful effects to health, including a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, adverse mental health and early death.
It is tragic and so unnecessary. There are plenty of TV chiefs presenting how to cook great meals quickly, for example, Jamie Oliver's 15-minute meals.
You are what you eat.
Sadly it is quicker to buy garbage with a fantastic calorie per-dollar value, yet the contents of the packet make it all too clear as to why.
When you buy UPFs+ packaging, by definition, you are adding to the climate cost of food production.
Some blame the work-life balance prevents them from eating well, then my reply is the work-life balance is screwed up. A healthy workforce is a more productive one.
Some blame education, well I believe by the time they leave school everyone should have been taught how to cook in an educational setting, this is a fundamental life skill.
Supermarkets will adapt if no specialist butchers/bakers/ green grocers/markets are easily accessible. You have to make selling junk unprofitable. In the US I am always surprised by what is in a simple white sliced loaf and the calorie content is off the charts, why?
I am not going to tell people what to eat. I wish people knew what they were eating [hence school education].
I love chocolate, but I limit myself to dark chocolate [min 75% cocoa] if I want a bar otherwise I make my chocolate-based treats as I know what is in them.
Pecan and pumpkin pie anyone?
I also like to know what is in my burgers.
Leftovers, well if you know how to cook, there are none, food wastage is at crazy levels, there is no valid reason for this fact, I’ll leave that for another day.