Last week, we covered emerging science and real-food-more-fat success stories. This week, we'll take a look at longer reads and interesting articles about food and health, as well as everyone's favorite, the Wall of Shame.
Longer Reads and Interesting Articles
Over the last month or so, these questions were addressed in the media:
- What is Chile doing to protect its children from the aggressive advertising campaigns that aim to hook kids on junk food?
- How did hippie food preferences-like vegetarianism-spread across America? Read about it in a new book. And while we are on the subject, read about how carob traumatized a generation.
- Is the obesity epidemic raging in Africa worse than the HIV epidemic of the 90s?
- If you are over 75 and healthy, why are you taking a statin?
- Does "eat less meat" ignore the important role grazing animals play in our ecosystem?
Is food medicine? Watch The Magic Pill, a new documentary and find out.
Is chocolate a healthy choice for Valentine's Day? What will food be like in the future (amusing)? Do parents make kids fat? Can artful storytelling help fight obesity and diabetes in at-risk youth? Might climate change kill off cacao... and, yes, chocolate? What is Wall Street's perspective on the obesity epidemic? Are food deserts a myth-is it really more about income and knowledge? Does fruit juice deserve its health halo? Just how much sugar do Americans consume? Should we own up and start calling breakfast what it is- dessert? Can this East Texas collaboration-foundations, public health authorities, and medical professionals-work to help reduce sugar consumption at the local level? What does the Cleveland Clinic say about keto for patients with diabetes? Can you Eat Right, Not Less, with Atkins?
From the wall of shame
- Kellogg's to launch "limited edition" Unicorn Cereal. Think pink, purple and blue rings sprinkled with white "crunchlets." Flavor: Magic Cupcake. Pictured, above, and perfect for your garbage disposal.
- Doctor-prescribed nutrition booster drinks like Ensure, ubiquitous in hospitals, are full of sugar.
- Breakfast cereals have such aggressive marketing campaigns for several interesting reasons. Buyer beware.
- Industry's SELF-ESTABLISHED criteria for "healthier" food-making a product suitable for advertising to young kids-are so loose, these products are approved: Cocoa Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cookie Crisp, Kellogg's Rice Krispies, Fruity Pebbles, Capri Sun, and Happy Meals." #facepalm
- Kellogg's, masters of truly crappy food, launch new rice crispy treats. "Birthday Cake will feature rainbow sprinkles and a cream drizzle. Cookies 'n' Cream will have chocolate cookie crumbles and a cream coating." #junk
- In Japan, government certifies a zero calorie Coke product with dextrin, "Coca-Cola Plus" as healthful, due to its laxative effects. <sigh>
- Yoplait and the Girl Scouts team up to put Girl Scout cookies in your yogurt. So you can eat dessert for breakfast. Or worse, feed dessert for breakfast to your kids.
- Big Soda scrambles as sales continue to slump. And Pepsico's flagship sports drink, Gatorade, (aka bad tasting water with sugar in it), finally sees a small fall off in sales.
Want more?
Tune in next week!
About
This news gathering is from our collaborator Jennifer Calihan, who also blogs at Eat the Butter. Feel free to sign up for her weekly newsletter.
