Comments on: The Fat Diaries: Fast Food’s Dirty Little Secret http://www.frumforum.com/the-fat-diaries-fast-foods-secret-ingredient Building a conservatism that can win again Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:50:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Carney http://www.frumforum.com/the-fat-diaries-fast-foods-secret-ingredient/comment-page-1#comment-97296 Carney Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:58:13 +0000 http://www.frumforum.com/?p=28440#comment-97296 Possibly one of the worst columnists on FF. Anti-science superstition, magical thinking, anti-"chemical" hysteria substituting for rational, sound diet planning based on calories in vs. calories burned. http://fumento.com/cancer/bomis14.html I suggest she read this book: "Radar, Hula Hoops, and Pregnant Pigs: 67 Digestible Commentaries in the Fascinating Chemistry of Everyday Life" by Joe Schwarcz, Ph.D. The book rightly calls MSG "the most maligned and misunderstood of all food additives." http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/rhhpp.html Possibly one of the worst columnists on FF. Anti-science superstition, magical thinking, anti-”chemical” hysteria substituting for rational, sound diet planning based on calories in vs. calories burned.

http://fumento.com/cancer/bomis14.html

I suggest she read this book:

“Radar, Hula Hoops, and Pregnant Pigs: 67 Digestible Commentaries in the Fascinating Chemistry of Everyday Life” by Joe Schwarcz, Ph.D.

The book rightly calls MSG “the most maligned and misunderstood of all food additives.”

http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/rhhpp.html

]]> By: pre-Reaganite http://www.frumforum.com/the-fat-diaries-fast-foods-secret-ingredient/comment-page-1#comment-96927 pre-Reaganite Sun, 25 Apr 2010 07:53:19 +0000 http://www.frumforum.com/?p=28440#comment-96927 What causes obesity is too much food intake, i.e. eating. All the rest is empty verbiage. American restos offer big portions, so we eat them to feel we are getting our money's worth. What causes obesity is too much food intake, i.e. eating. All the rest is empty verbiage.

American restos offer big portions, so we eat them to feel we are getting our money’s worth.

]]> By: ktward http://www.frumforum.com/the-fat-diaries-fast-foods-secret-ingredient/comment-page-1#comment-96853 ktward Sat, 24 Apr 2010 21:30:59 +0000 http://www.frumforum.com/?p=28440#comment-96853 This column doesn't once mention the single reason for the <a href="//www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm209155.htm" rel="nofollow">FDA's scrutiny</a>: hypertension. Not obesity. <blockquote>A new report from the Institute of Medicine this week concludes that national action is imperative to reduce the sodium content of foods if we are to make significant progress toward reducing the risk of hypertension and major cardiovascular events for Americans. A story in today’s Washington Post leaves a mistaken impression that the FDA has begun the process of regulating the amount of sodium in foods. The FDA is not currently working on regulations nor has it made a decision to regulate sodium content in foods at this time. Over the coming weeks, the FDA will more thoroughly review the recommendations of the IOM report and build plans for how the FDA can continue to work with other federal agencies, public health and consumer groups, and the food industry to support the reduction of sodium levels in the food supply.</blockquote> Ms. Marier indiscriminately swaps around the terms sodium, salt & MSG with no basic chemical understanding. Sodium chloride--table salt--has a sodium level at about 40%. MSG's sodium content is about 12%. A nutrition label's 'Sodium' content includes all types of sodium-- sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate, sodium bicarbonate, whatever. Additionally, because of their high potassium levels, many salt substitutes present health risks for anyone with liver or kidney disease. As for the sodium-obesity connection Ms. Marier mistakenly thinks the FDA is looking into ... beyond label-reading it's pretty simple: if you consume a lot of prepared/processed food calories, you're likely to be consuming too much sodium in one form or another. OTOH, eat all the fresh fruits/veggies you want, and your sodium intake will not put you at risk for either hypertension or obesity. This column doesn’t once mention the single reason for the FDA’s scrutiny: hypertension. Not obesity.
A new report from the Institute of Medicine this week concludes that national action is imperative to reduce the sodium content of foods if we are to make significant progress toward reducing the risk of hypertension and major cardiovascular events for Americans.

A story in today’s Washington Post leaves a mistaken impression that the FDA has begun the process of regulating the amount of sodium in foods. The FDA is not currently working on regulations nor has it made a decision to regulate sodium content in foods at this time.

Over the coming weeks, the FDA will more thoroughly review the recommendations of the IOM report and build plans for how the FDA can continue to work with other federal agencies, public health and consumer groups, and the food industry to support the reduction of sodium levels in the food supply.

Ms. Marier indiscriminately swaps around the terms sodium, salt & MSG with no basic chemical understanding. Sodium chloride–table salt–has a sodium level at about 40%. MSG’s sodium content is about 12%. A nutrition label’s ‘Sodium’ content includes all types of sodium– sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate, sodium bicarbonate, whatever.

Additionally, because of their high potassium levels, many salt substitutes present health risks for anyone with liver or kidney disease.

As for the sodium-obesity connection Ms. Marier mistakenly thinks the FDA is looking into … beyond label-reading it’s pretty simple: if you consume a lot of prepared/processed food calories, you’re likely to be consuming too much sodium in one form or another. OTOH, eat all the fresh fruits/veggies you want, and your sodium intake will not put you at risk for either hypertension or obesity.

]]> By: Rabiner http://www.frumforum.com/the-fat-diaries-fast-foods-secret-ingredient/comment-page-1#comment-96586 Rabiner Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:19:05 +0000 http://www.frumforum.com/?p=28440#comment-96586 In agreement with Sinz54 on this. While I have no sympathies for the fast food chains (their food has scientifically been shown to be addictive) I am not sure about legislating on that food. Rather, legislatures have passed laws forcing companies to inform the public as to the contents and nutritional facts about their food which is about all they can do outside of taxing it. Taxes would reduce consumption. In agreement with Sinz54 on this. While I have no sympathies for the fast food chains (their food has scientifically been shown to be addictive) I am not sure about legislating on that food. Rather, legislatures have passed laws forcing companies to inform the public as to the contents and nutritional facts about their food which is about all they can do outside of taxing it. Taxes would reduce consumption.

]]> By: sinz54 http://www.frumforum.com/the-fat-diaries-fast-foods-secret-ingredient/comment-page-1#comment-96538 sinz54 Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:16:14 +0000 http://www.frumforum.com/?p=28440#comment-96538 The evidence that MSG causes obesity is still shaky. Some studies tend to confirm it; others do not. The fact that eating a lot of foods with MSG is correlated with obesity in America could be a case of correlation without causation. The types of foods heavily flavored with MSG tend to be the prepared foods and fast foods that are also the highest in calories and fat. A vegan who eats only fresh fruits and vegetables may avoid obesity, not because he's avoiding MSG, but because he's avoiding McDonald's! The evidence that MSG causes obesity is still shaky. Some studies tend to confirm it; others do not.

The fact that eating a lot of foods with MSG is correlated with obesity in America could be a case of correlation without causation. The types of foods heavily flavored with MSG tend to be the prepared foods and fast foods that are also the highest in calories and fat. A vegan who eats only fresh fruits and vegetables may avoid obesity, not because he’s avoiding MSG, but because he’s avoiding McDonald’s!

]]> By: JeninCT http://www.frumforum.com/the-fat-diaries-fast-foods-secret-ingredient/comment-page-1#comment-96500 JeninCT Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:35:43 +0000 http://www.frumforum.com/?p=28440#comment-96500 First of all your premise that you developed allergies when you began eating more fresh fruit and whole grains is nonsense. Odds are you developed allergies and sensitivities because you got older and gave birth, both of which will change you physiologically. I get migranes from eating too much MSG, but I am successfully able to avoid it by reading labels and asking questions, like anyone with an allergy does. In other words, I use common sense. Like salt, however, MSG is generally safe for people who don't have a sensitivity to it. First of all your premise that you developed allergies when you began eating more fresh fruit and whole grains is nonsense. Odds are you developed allergies and sensitivities because you got older and gave birth, both of which will change you physiologically.

I get migranes from eating too much MSG, but I am successfully able to avoid it by reading labels and asking questions, like anyone with an allergy does. In other words, I use common sense.

Like salt, however, MSG is generally safe for people who don’t have a sensitivity to it.

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