A few days ago, Mark Bittman – opinion writer for The New York Times – wrote a piece titled “Bad Food? Tax it and Subsidize Vegetables” [here] in which he advocates for taxing junk food. His position on taxing junk and subsidizing healthy food is nothing new – in fact, The Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) recent report on obesity made this same recommendation (along with others). That said, there’s something about Bittman’s writing that incites action, and I appreciate his research on how a tax added right into the shelf price of America’s frankenfood can make a huge difference in ameliorating the nation’s budget deficit, national health costs and disease rates. Here’s his position:

“…the food industry appears incapable of marketing healthier foods. And whether its leaders are confused or just stalling doesn’t matter, because the fixes are not really their problem. Their mission is not public health but profit, so they’ll continue to sell the health-damaging food that’s most profitable, until the market or another force skews things otherwise. That ‘other force’ should be the federal government, fulfilling its role as an agent of the public good and establishing a bold national fix.

Rather than subsidizing the production of unhealthful foods, we should turn the tables and tax things like soda, French fries, doughnuts and hyperprocessed snacks. The resulting income should be earmarked for a program that encourages a sound diet for Americans by making healthy food more affordable and widely available.”

[via the Consumerist]

If you’ve been around this blog before, you’ve probably noticed that I hate when anyone uses the words “nanny state” in an attempt to release the government from any responsibility in affecting positive change. You’ll also know then that I think it’s a cheap and pointless shot to say “it’s all about personal responsibility.” Where do I stand then? Like I’ve said before – this isn’t an either-or issue – this is a yes-and-yes issue: yes, we need government intervention. And yes, we need to encourage personal responsibility.

In short – I stand with Bittman. I think we should tax junk food (only I think we should also tax diet soda, which Bittman, for some strange reason, thinks is okay left untaxed). Neither he nor I can prescribe how the government (yes, the same government whose USDA sleeps with Monsanto, the dairy association, the meat people, etc.) should define junk food. What both Bittman and I know is that if this junk food tax works in any similar fashion to the cigarette tax, it will be successful.

Some keys from Bittman’s piece:

• “Simply put: taxes would reduce consumption of unhealthful foods and generate billions of dollars annually. That money could be used to subsidize the purchase of staple foods like seasonal greens, vegetables, whole grains, dried legumes and fruit.”
• “Some advocates for the poor say taxes like these are unfair because low-income people pay a higher percentage of their income for food and would find it more difficult to buy soda or junk. But since poor people suffer disproportionately from the cost of high-quality, fresh foods, subsidizing those foods would be particularly beneficial to them. Right now it’s harder for many people to buy fruit than Froot Loops; chips and Coke are a common breakfast. And since the rate of diabetes continues to soar — one-third of all Americans either have diabetes or are pre-diabetic, most with Type 2 diabetes, the kind associated with bad eating habits — and because our health care bills are on the verge of becoming truly insurmountable, this is urgent for economic sanity as well as national health.”
• The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale’s “…projections indicate that taxes become significant at the equivalent of about a penny an ounce, a level at which three very good things should begin to happen: the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages should decrease, as should the incidence of disease and therefore public health costs; and money could be raised for other uses. Currently, instead of taxing sodas and other unhealthful food, we subsidize them (with, I might note, tax dollars!). Direct subsidies to farmers for crops like corn (used, for example, to make now-ubiquitous high-fructose corn syrup) and soybeans (vegetable oil) keep the prices of many unhealthful foods and beverages artificially low. There are indirect subsidies as well, because prices of junk foods don’t reflect the costs of repairing our health and the environment.”
• “Putting all of those elements together could create a national program that would make progress on a half-dozen problems at once — disease, budget, health care, environment, food access and more — while paying for itself. The benefits are staggering, and though it would take a level of political will that’s rarely seen, it’s hardly a moonshot. The historic 1998 tobacco settlement, in which the states settled health-related lawsuits against tobacco companies, and the companies agreed to curtail marketing and finance antismoking efforts, was far from perfect, but consider the results. More than half of all Americans who once smoked have quit and smoking rates are about half of what they were in the 1960s.”
• And the hopeful ending that made me grin and say, yes, tax the hell out of junk food! Yes, subsidize veggies! Yes, let’s encourage community education: “First off, though the reduced costs of healthy foods obviously benefit the poor most, lower prices across the board keep things simpler and all of us, especially children whose habits are just developing, could use help in eating differently. The program would also bring much needed encouragement to farmers, including subsidies, if necessary, to grow staples instead of commodity crops.”
• “Money could be returned to communities for local spending on gyms, pools, jogging and bike trails; and for other activities at food distribution centers; for Meals on Wheels in those towns with a large elderly population, or for Head Start for those with more children; for supermarkets and farmers’ markets where needed. And more.”

My 2-cents to add to Bittman’s (because I’m bossy like that):

• Let’s consider subsidizing particular farmers, not just particular crops
• I love the bit on junk food not adequately representing its indirect costs. For instance, a burger costs the nation so much in unsustainable land use and health problems (processed meat increasingly linked to cancer). More than is certainly indicated in its “McValue” price.
• Let’s consider something like Prop 65 for junk food. You know those signs you see in parking garages and some restaurants that say “Chemicals Known by the State of CA to Cause Cancer, Birth Defects…Present Here”? I think junk food manufacturers should be required to disclose warnings on the front of food packaging. If a food has transfat in it, even if it’s below the FDA’s limit of 0.5g/serving, the package should reveal, on front and in bold text, that it has transfat. Why? Because we usually eat more than one serving of most snack foods and all that transfat adds up!
• Consider labels that indicate what calories actually mean, energy-wise. Sure, you can tell me a large fries from McDonald’s has 500 calories, but I’d be better off knowing it would take me 50 minutes of running at a 10-minute/mile pace to burn off those calories.
• Don’t allow sitdown fastfood restaurants. Require people to eat standing, or while they’re walking on a freakin’ treadmill. You think I’m crazy don’t you? Eh well!

And again, for those who think taxing is ineffectual, look at what it did for cigarettes. And, just recently – via the LA Times: “use of plastic bags fell by more than 90% at IKEA stores when the company imposed a 5-cent fee” [source]. Granted, I know that food is not the same as a plastic bag, and that food is not the same as a cigarette, but people are universally inclined to save money where they can and if junk food becomes a luxury, people will learn to live without it (they’ll have to!). For example, I recently had lunch with a good friend who introduced me to one of her nursing colleagues. He told me that he had recently lost 60+ pounds. Why? Well, he had them to lose obviously Seriously though – he had gained the extra 60 pounds in a month upon arriving to the US from the Philippines. In the Philippines, he told me, junk food is a luxury as it is much more expensive than healthier foods. Pizza is only had on birthdays and special occasions. Our portion sizes here, he remarked, would feed three back home. When he came to the the US, he was bombarded with easily-accessible and inexpensive fast food to be had easily 24 hours a day. When he noticed the cultural shift – and his expanding waistline – he decided to re-adopt his eating habits from back home. There is something to be said for this cultural difference!

Thoughts?

<3,

The Cranky One

Hey guys!

I was thrilled that amongst the usual nonsense of Health Magazine’s November issue (ya know — the how to lose 5 pounds in 5 minutes and how to have great sex even when dead crap), there was a one-page article on Alicia Silverstone’s October book release, The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet.  Even though I cringe at the title, I had been excited to try a recipe from this book ever since Lindsay of Happy Herbivore posted on the book here.  Also, I just generally have a soft-spot for Alicia as she seems filled with that idealism I lost when I went over to the cranky side (plus – not gonna lie – Clueless is one of my all-time favorite movies, don’t judge!).  So, I tried the recipe for CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS *swoon* below and I’ll tell you what I thought…

Alicia’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance natural spread (dairy free butter) — 640 calories, 72 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein
• 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (preferably natural, unsweetened, and unsalted) -*I used Kirkland Brand Organic Peanut Butter, Smooth* — 1200 calories, 90 g fat, 12 g fiber, 54 g protein
• 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares, crushed -*I used 5 Trader Joe’s Old Fashioned Cinnamon Grahams (NOT vegan b/c they have honey) — 240 calories, 8 g fat, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein Note: these MAY have honey in them!
• 1/4 cup maple sugar or other granulated sweetener -*I used Trader Joe’s Organic Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar* — 60 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein
• 1 c grain-sweetened nondairy chocolate chip or carob chips-*I used Trader Joe’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips* — 1280 calories, 64 g fat, 16 g fiber, 16 g protein
• 1/4 c soy, rice or nut milk-*I used Blue Diamond Natural Almond Breeze, Unsweetened Vanilla* — 10 calories, 0.75 g fat, 0.5 g fiber, 0.25 g protein
• 1/4 c chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts-*I used Kirkland brand Pecans* — 200 calories, 20 g fat, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein

Directions

• Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (Find out where to find unbleached liners at ifyoucare.com). Set the tin aside.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar; mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat.  Divide mixture evenly (about two tablespoons per cup) among the muffin cups.
• Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted.  Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.
• Total Nutritional Composition:  3630 calories, 254.75 g fat, 32.50 g fiber, 77.25 g protein
  
• Per 1/12: 302.50 calories, 21.23 g fat, 2.71 g fiber, 6.44 g protein

The Cranky One Cautions

I thought these peanut butter cups tasted delicious — like amazingly delicious because the graham cracker crunch mixes with the peanut butter smoothness and is then heightened by the chocolate topping and *oh-em-gee-i’m-drooling* factor; however, I will not make them again unless I severely alter the recipe. This recipe is a prime example of how the “vegan” or “vegetarian” label do not give you a free-for-all pass to gorge on the food.  One dessert portion packing over 302 calories and 21 grams of fat is a little crazy in my book unless it’s a slice of cheesecake the size of my head.  While these treats certainly are good, I would be much happier portioning them out to half their size and altering the recipe so it’s not so saturated with fat.  Seriously, if you eat two of them that’s 605 calories and 42.46 grams of fat — that’s close in calories to, and yet MORE fat than, a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and small French Fries (641 calories & 30.5 g fat for the McDonald’s combo) — granted, eating saturated meat fat is presumably worse for your health and the environment at large, but…seriously…

Suggested Alterations

• Use half a cup of Better ‘N Peanut Butter and a quarter of regular peanut butter and you’d cut a total of 400 calories and 52 g of fat! that’s better ‘n nuts! Note: Better ‘N Peanut Butter is NOT vegan.
• Use Carob Chips instead of Chocolate Chips — Based on the Sunspire brand of Carob Chips, you’d cut a total of 36 g of fat from the recipe and 720 calories! that’s insane!
• Try using crumbs of Puffin Cereal on top of the cups instead of nuts if you’re watching calories — Puffins are still vegan!
• Eliminate half the Earth’s Balance!  I think the spread might have been unnecessary for the taste, but perhaps necessary to create the consistency?  As it was, there was an oily residue coming out of each cup wrapper as there was definitely enough oil in the p.b. alone. I’d try substituting apple sauce or pureed banana for the spread if you’re vegan.  If not, I bet non-fat plain yogurt would be great.  Maybe even almond or soy milk!
• Pour into TWO 12-cup muffin tins!

My Fave Peanut Butter Dessert Alternatives

• Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Chewy Coated & Drizzled Granola Bars
• One bar — 160 calories, 8 g fat, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein; Ingredients: organic peanuts, organic brown rice syrup, peanut coating (sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, partially defatted peanut flour, salt, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], cocoa powder, whey powder [milk], vegetable monoglycerides, natural flavors, paprika extract [color]), organic oats, crisp rice (rice flour, sugar, salt, barley malt), organic invert cane juice syrup, organic evaporated cane juice, organic peanut butter (organic peanuts, salt), organic oat syrup solids, wheat flakes (rolled wheat, sugar, salt, barley malt), organic expeller pressed canola oil, sea salt, natural flavor, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), tocopherols (vitamin E) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) added for freshness. Note: Not vegan.

• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies found here
  
• One cookie — 61.98 calories, 3.75 g fat, 0.43 g fiber, 2.0 g protein; Not vegan.
  

In the News

• The New York Times‘, “A Few Cookies a Day to Keep the Pounds Away? ” (10/21/09) here
• Science Daily’s, “Phytochemicals In Plant-based Foods Could Help Battle Obesity, Disease” (10/21/09) here

Give-Away Round Up

• Win a shirt and scarf from Fluxus Brand Clothing here
• Win some Michael Season’s baked chips here
• Win three boxes of FiberOne muffins here
• Win some Nature Made vitamins here

What’s your favorite vegan treat? Peanut butter treat? Interested in Alicia’s book? What do you think about the nutritional composition of Alicia’s Peanut Butter Cups?

<3, The Cranky One

Rules to Eat By
[Source]

Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, who also contributed to the movie Food Inc., has written in the The New York Times several times and I’m finding his most recent contribution, “Rules to Eat By” here, incredibly compelling.  Pollan is writing a book called Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual (due out in Jan.) in which he surmises “for all the authority we grant to science in matters of nutrition, culture still has a lot to teach us about how to choose, prepare and eat food, and that this popular wisdom is worth preserving — perhaps today more than ever, in this era of dazzling food science, supersize portions and widespread dietary confusion.” He then asked readers of NYT to share their own “rules to eat by” — pieces of wisdom and advice they could share on how they eat the way they do — of which he chose his favorite 20 and included them in the article.  I have listed my favorite five from his list, but encourage you to read them all — they are amazing!

• Don’t eat anything that took more time to ship than grow.
• If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you are not hungry.
• Eat foods in inverse proportion to how much its lobby spends to push it.
• Don’t create arbitrary rules for eating if there only purpose is to help you feel in control.
• Never eat something that is pretending to be something else.

In the News/Blog-Land

• New Scientist‘s, “Has the Pill Changed the Rules of Sexual Attraction?” (10/7/09) here
• Science Daily‘s, “Los Angeles Fast-food Restaurant Ban Unlikely To Cut Obesity, Study Finds” (10/7/09) here
• New York Times‘, “The Calorie-Restriction Experiment” (10/7/09) here You may need to register for free to access.
• Science Daily‘s, “Exercise Improves Body Image for Fit and Unfit Alike” (10/9/09) here
• Nicole Eggert fires back to all the fools who’ve called her fat here – Loved this.
• The F Word’s “From Hollywood to Bollywood: The whittling waistlines of Indian actresses” (10/9/09) here – Does Westernization mean weight-obsession?
• Science Daily‘s, “Owners Should Count Calories For Obese Pets, Consider Several Factors For Good Health” (10/9/09) here

Give-Away Round Up

• Win a copy of the Food Inc. book and coupons for free Oikos Greek Yogurt here
• Win some Silk Soy Milk here

What are your “rules to live by” and your “rules to eat by”?  Weekend plans?!  The boyf and I are going thrift shopping and then eating sushi (vegetarian for me, of course!) tonight.  Tomorrow is writing my paper and presentation day and Sunday is band practice and  then more homework!

<3, The Cranky One

p.s. Good luck to Lauren and Morgan on their races this weekend!