Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
MWF, 11am
27 comments:
Michael Toussaint
said...
yes, I do believe that something can be done about it; in fact, a lot can be done about it. There are college nutrition courses that help students to be more aware of the food they are consuming. There should be public-community programs, that is sponsored by the people, to enlighten certain things, with nutrition being one of them. What I don't suggest is striking and boycotting. As long as these company stay within the rules and laws of a cooperation, they are free to do as they please. On the contrary the people can suggest and influence them to put healthier meals on the menu. Yes, Its a shame that cooperation milling and processing seem to be exttrating the good from the food to appeal to our taste more, and injection or pouring poison on our food, for instance pesticides. But we can also be the ones to education our friends and family members about what is going on also. because we consume so much our body tends to asks for a lot when we are hungry. Thus explaining a reason why America is so fat and why these companies will not go out of business selling their cheap foods. We should also attempt to rebuild the economy to the point that fresh-healthy foods are more accessible to the less fortunate.
I believe theres a lot that can be done. It starts with us though. We can do many things like for example try and learn not to give in to the temptation of always wanting fast/cheap food. We usually tend to want these foods when we're bored with nothing to do. We can change this by being active. Instead of grabbing a burger or some fries when theres nothing to do we should go for a jog or bike ride. But most importantly we should make a change in what we eat. We can start off by researching for ourselves where these fast food products come from and gain knowledge of why they are extremely harmful to us. We can change our eating habits also. Instead of going over to McDonald's when we're hungry we should go to Subways or Chik-Fil-A or just make our own lunch or snack. It really doesn't take long to make a nice healthy meal. We shouldn't buy into the multi billion dollar franchise trap. We are all smarter than that. It just takes that one person to make the difference and start fresh.
My opinion on this topic is what I've always believed. There can be something done about this. It ultimately starts from educating ourselves. If Americans specifically don't know what there consuming and lack the knowledge behind the history and manufacture of what they eat, how can they make a fair choice? I don't think people don't care necessarily for their health, but i do think laziness and immediate gratification is what holds us responsible for the majority of food choices we make. Most Americans are too fast for their own good. We want EVERYTHING now,now,now. Our nutritional values suffer, and the big shot companies are only supplying the demand. This leads to the harmful artificial preservatives, the improper and cruel abuse to the animals we consume to get us that mcchicken, and the harmful hydrolyzed oils our fries get drowned in. The way food is usually prepared for us as human beings to eat is unethical and dangerous. all because it is all a fast process for our "fast" paced life. It really is ignorance to miss the bigger picture and consequences when something can be done. A dynamic change can happen in our nutritional lifestyle if people would be willing to make a change, and step out of this cycle. But this will take time, and hopefully improvement is made rather sooner than later. - Leanza Altidor
Yes, I believe something can be done. Whatever is affordable is what everyone goes for especially when there's a recession and everyone is looking for an easy way out; in this fast pace world.If they really wanted us to eat healthier they would've made the healthier foods affordable for those single mothers that has five kids and a full time job. The point is I think too many people are not aware of what is going into their body and if they knew they wouldn't want to poison their self or even their children with such filth. In my perspective if we had more videos or even more publicized images of this topic it would be more effective. All people see is that it taste good and its only $1 why not buy it and save sometime on a $12 chicken that I have to take my time to make; Instead of seeing the thousands of pig that was grained into that one chicken nugget but it taste good.
Of course something can be done about the food we put in our mouths as Americans we have a tendency to gravitate toward the fast and easy solutions and then complain about the harmful results later on when the begin to present themselves as heart disease and diabetes. According to the documentary “Food Inc.” the reason why beef is so cheap is because we have changed the natural eating habits of animals such as cows which naturally graze on fields, now common practice is feeding them corn which is a cheaper alternative and it also fattens them up a lot faster. This cheap and effective technique which maximizes profits comes at a price the cows begin to develop diseases that are harmful to humans like mad cow but that’s not the only thing even if we recall that infected meat and get rid of the infected cows because of the unnatural diet of just corn more sophisticated strains of mad cow develop ones who are immune to vaccines and antibiotics. So as Americans I don’t think we will ever give up our dependency on fast food completely and buying organic seems like the exception and not the rule when it should be the other way around. All we can do is eat as healthy as we can exercise and make better choices as far as what we put in our mouths because Fast food isn’t going anywhere as long as our economy continues its downward spiral and people work 60 to 80 hour weeks the popularity of fast food will continue to rise along with our weight.
The Society we live in today is all about making money, so unfortunately for us, we are sold products that are not of the best quality,nor healthy for us, but contains an amazing and addicting taste which keeps us coming back for more. However, I believe that if we were educated on how our food is grown, raised and processed we would no longer be addicted.The truth is that the high demands for the majority of our foods don't give companies options when it comes to the way they are made. Everyone wants to blame McDonalds and fast food restaurants when in reality it's a great deal of all foods that we eat that cause obesity, and illnesses. Everything from frozen foods to produce found in your grocery stores are injected with many harsh chemicals which allow them to ripen faster, and maintain a longer shelf-life. Previously, before the huge factories and slaughter houses, animals were raised properly now because the high demand for meat we have over-populated slaughter houses. This is where the problem begins, let's take cows for example. The cows are raised in horrible conditions. They are fed corn which causes bacteria to grow in their bodies and cause E.Coli, so producers begin to inject the meat with chemicals such as ammonia to prevent e.Coli. Which is why fast-food is so cheap, the more artificial chemicals within a product the cheaper it is. There is not much that we, as consumers of fast food can really do but stop eating the product. If a majority of the people in a society stop eating fast food the demand will decline and soon enough be removed from shelfs and restaurants.
Andres Garcia 11am Intro to philosophy Cheap food High prices
Fast food maybe cheap monetary wise but in truth when we eat fast food we are paying a high price with our bodies and the check won’t be called up until our later years. Fast food maybe affordable but it’s the equivalent of putting low grade fuel in your car’s gas tank. I have noticed the difference in prices between organic food and fast food. The more organic and natural the product the more grocery stores are charging consumers for their product. Unlike organic food that’s healthy for you fast food is cheaper and more accessible to the people. I have yet to find a place that sells or advertises organic food at a cheap price or that’s easily accessible to consumers. At the end of the day the choice lies with the consumers, you either pay with your body or pay out of your pockets but one way or another you’re going to pay. We chose in a daily bases to eat foods that have been injected with steroids and other chemicals and we eat it as if it was normal, The consumers are the only ones who can change the way food is prepared.
The solution to this problem is to push nutritional education forward. As Americans we pretty much eat what is basically thrown at us. We are infatuated with heavily commercialized food brands and we are also blind as to how bad these foods are for us. But most importantly, the poor animals that suffer just for it to be made. For example, a commercial should show how farm animals are treated on a day to day basis rather than what their meat looks like when they end up as part of a Happy Meal at McDonalds. These same commercials deceive you with their perfectly handcrafted hamburgers when in reality they don’t look like that. Fast food restaurants are not the only ones to be put up for blame. Due to high demand for food harmful chemicals are injected into meats and produce to make them last longer and to be produced rapidly. -Tircia Melo
I agree with the others that something can be done. I believe that it starts with self education. The consumer has to take the time to learn more about these food products and how they are made (particularly fast food, from "restaurants" such as McDonald's). Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. There are many people who, as a result of their socioeconomic status, aren't always able to take the time to research food and see which ones are healthy and nutritious for them. If I'm a single parent with two or three kids living in a poor neighborhood, and I have to work long hours to support my children, I won't necesariy be thinking along the lines of "Hmmm, I wonder what these chicken nuggets are made out of, or I wonder how many calories this burger has?" I'm going to be more concerned with how cheap it is and how fast it can be made. And what's even worse is that the corporations know this, which is why they target certain demographics more than others. Think about how many fast food places you find in the hood versus in more suburban areas, and vice versa- how many Whole Foods or other healthy stores do you find in the hood?
I believe the strongest way of changing this system is saying no. After educating ourselves and our children on the benefits of eating healthy, we shouldn't accept fast foods. When a large group of people dislike the way things are they usually protest, now imagine if millions were fed up with all of the fast food chains. Those fast food chains would either have to change the way the do things or just completely stop running because they would just run out of business. If Americans really wanted the fast food chains to change their product and the way they do things they could, but some of us are to lazy to do such a thing. In order for this system to change we must be united in that decision. We need to put boundaries on false advertisements and understand that if we spend less on food today, we will be spending more when the hospital bills come.
Definitely, Our habits of consuming non-nutritiousness food, can be altered. Our first priority is obtaining the mind-set. If we can train ourselves to quit this habit of consuming "Cheap" food, then we'll reach that destination. Having the desire and motivation to do this is another essential aspect of reaching the goal to eat healthy rather than consuming "cheap" food, that can be detrimental to the body. But if that doesn't work , brainwashing is another option. No, I'm just kidding. We can inform one another about this problem and meticulously explain why it is to be well nutritiously fed. If no one won't inform our fellow Americans, then who will ?
I believe that we can still fix our problems with what we eat. We need to start thinking less of fast and easy access foods and more of slow foods. We eat at fast food places because they are quick and we are always in a hurry, if we focused more on sitting down and making a meal or even making something the night before to eat when you are in a hurry. The slow food movement is about cooking our meals and even growing our own ingredients. We need to focus in eating locally grown food and making our food from local sources. many fast food joints get their meet from where they will save the most so many times it is frozen food that is being shipped across the country. Meat should bleed it came from inside an animal, it shouldn't be a squishy blob or a frozen brick. In many countries that are not as developed as ours they eat locally grown foods, so money shouldn't be an excuse if we had local farms that shipped local food it will be much healthier for us and it will add more jobs for our communities. Many problems in our country can be solved by changing our eating habits, the fast food business thrives of our laziness we are fat because we rather pay for a value meal in mcdonalds rather than using that money we will have wasted in the week to buy food that we can cook and make ourselves. While everyone is not a master chef restaurants could change their frozen shipped foods for some local ones and attract many more clients. In the end we created this food chains and we have the power to change it.
It is very sad to see these animals that are being raise just to feed our addiction to fast food. However, I don't think it is a big deal because it follows the pattern of the food chain; in which a small animal get caught by a bigger animal just to satisfy its hunger. For me, it is the same picture with those animals that are raise in a pen, or in a chicken coop. These big factories raise these animals to satisfy our necessity. The reason I believe why many people around the world and not only in the United States are obsessed with fast food specially teenager is because they have parents that work overnight and don't have the space to prepare them a real food with all the nutrition that they need for a healthy life. Instead, they just give money to them so that they can buy food in their school or after school. Another issue is that teenagers might have parents that are slackers, and they don't know how to cook, and for them the easy way to solve the problem is going to a fast food restaurant. The United States is dealing with one of their major problem "obesity". I have always being a big fan of fast food even though it is not healthy, and it doesn't have the necessary conditions to fulfill.
I believe that something can be done about it, but the results will not be as profound as people may think. The raise in food prices in the country is unfortunate because it is putting more people in poverty, but not much can be done by us as individuals because food prices are market based, and changes would need to be made internationally which would require the governments intervention. As far as fast food goes, if people took the little extra time to purchase their own food rather that looking for the quick way out, america would not be so obese. Mostly because if the food is not there readily available to them, they're less likely to continuously eat it. You can tell people all day everyday that fast food is bad for them, and that they shouldn't eat it, and that people should have nutrition classes teaching them about it, but none of those things have an effect, because in the end, people will eat it because it tastes good and because people do whatever they feel like it anyways. People say how it can be fixed but no one actually takes action. Honestly they are not thinking where there food is coming from. They are just thinking "the fast food is here, i am hungry, so i'm going to eat it." The chances of this ever changing is very slim and i don't believe it will. It is possible, but i don't think it will ever happen. Most people do not like to be told what to do, and everybody has their own beliefs to what they think is right. And as long as there is these kinds of people, big fast food corporations will continue to flourish, food prices will continue to rise because of this and the cycle will never end.
Of course we can do something about the way we eat. We can start with the foundation of it all, the way the animals we are consuming are being treated before we eat their meat. It is unfortunate that now it’s all about mass production, for the high demands of meat America needs. We have forgotten that with love and care everything turns out better. Farmers who have to work for these big companies have to follow there demand on how much to produce at a certain time. So the farmers have no time to carefully look out for each and every animal that will end up in someone’s table, filled with growth hormones, antibiotics and other unhealthy and unsanitary things. Maybe we should demand more fresh, healthy and organic meats from these companies. So that they will stop convincing us that the junk they are selling us is better. Start supporting organic farmers. We can learn from nutritionists or classes in our local college on how to eat healthy. We should take the time to teach our family friends and the community to invest in eating healthier. Make our own fresh foods and enjoying cooking again. Why don’t we start our own little gardens in our backyards? I know we are busy but like you take time out for entertainment, you need to make the time to make or buy good fresh food to maintain a healthy way of eating. It’s a lifestyle and you can choose which way to go, to live healthy or die young from what you had for dinner last night.
Although almost everyone would like to make a change to our country when it comes to the way we eat, I think the process of getting this done would be a bigger challenge than it seems. There are too many hands in the pot. And not just any hands, some of the richest and most powerful hands that run our country are involved. Our county has reached a point of freedom where it doesn't know the limits of what's too much, and the people in power that control our food as well as our media are not inclined to change this without a fight. When you only have about 5 different people controlling all media and food, and these same people are feeding the government with a tasty green bill, the chances of overcoming these criminals are slim. I really do hope that we can stop people from eating badly and cheap, but people have nonstop advertisements coming their way influencing their decisions. Until we can stop these horrible rich and disgusting people, and we have more people in power willing to pass laws for the good and kit for money, obesity will continue to plague our county. Freedom has become an enemy.
In my opinion I believe that people should start eating more organic food, to stop this type of situations. Animals according to the last post were about their rights. All of what is done to this pig in Iowa brings a lot of consequences. The same treatment applies to other animals in order to produce massive food. The food is so cheap but is not healthier as the organic one. Sometimes people prefer to buy food for less so they don’t have to lose their time cooking or choosing every vegetable in a supermarket to make a burger. McDonald’s offer this type of service and people are willing to keep paying the deals and buying dollar menus that at the end it will keep us free from hunger. I don’t eat meat but I think if I start eating it again I will prefer organic stuff than to eat something that’s full antibiotics. Other effect that this has is the animals in the ocean; they are not living on the same water any more since every waste of these animals full things is going to their environment. We should start applying the habit to buy food that’s naturally produced that at the end will be better for our body and our lives.
Can we do something about our eating habits when it comes to fast food? Of course we can but people are lazy. That is why there is a McDonald’s on every corner and hence the name fast food. Most people cant take a moment of their day to cook a meal at home but rather hand over their cash to the giant food corporations, its an easier alternative. If you think about it, when you go out to eat how much do you spend? The Big Mac value meal at McDonald’s is about $6 and that is just for one person. The cost of food for the family of 5 would be at least $15-$20 minimum. With that $15, you easily could have a dinner for the night, maybe two nights. We put ourselves in this predicament. In order to avoid the temptations of fast food, we should cook and eat at home or wait until we are home, even maybe take the food along with us and if we can not wait then we should find a suitable healthier alternative.
I believe that our ways of eating can be modified and improved. In many cases people tend to go for the easy and faster way to get a meal, usually this happens at fast food restaurants such as BK, McDonalds, Wendys, etc... Advertisement such as big billboards and commercials with the food that makes it look delicious and tasty make people go buy and eat their food. By doing this people tend to get obese because instead of eating and making a healthy meal for themselves and their family they go buy "junk food" which have lots of calories and fats in them. I believe that it depends on the people that eat these products; if one wants to be healthy one can make the sacrifice and consume healthier foods. Just by stopping to eat fatty foods and saying “no” to oneself can help and improve the habits. Just by simply exercising one can become healthier and have an healthier diet.
As well aware people may be, the explanation of fast food is in the name; it is fast. America is a country that likes to be handed things right when they want it. And being a fast-paced country, sometimes the only logically sounding option at the time is a fast food restaurant. Of course, this isn’t, and shouldn’t be our only option. Healthy food habits are being presented all the time. It is only a matter of paying attention and taking action. Instead of running off to the nearest fast food joint, we can take an hour or two out of our week and go shopping at a local market. From there we can make our own meals every day. Not only are we being aware of what we are putting into our bodies by eating smart, but we are also spending our money wisely, and not supporting big corporations.
Something can be done about this. It all comes down to how much people really care about the topic and how it affects them personally. People need to educate themselves about food and food like products that are being used on a daily bases. Americans are known to be lazy and fast pace persons. Lack of proper nutrients are due to a rapid day to day lifestyle. Fast food is cheap, quick, easy, and simply makes the on-the-go life much simpler. The demand for unhealthy foods that are easy to obtain is very high and this leads to a large population of unhealthy, overweight people. If people were willing to step back and buy groceries to make a healthy meal that will keep them full longer and give them more energy throughout the day, that would be lessening the demand for fast food products. While organic foods are pricy at times, they provide a much greater range of nutrients and will keep on full longer. Educating people of the nutritional topic is key and greatly needed.
I have always believed that the reason behind the fact the our country, the United States, is so obese is due to the food processing system we go through. The amount of hormones that are injucted into the animals we consume daily, the pesticides that are poured on the plants and vegetables that then these same animals we consume are consuming, cannot be good for neither the animals nor us humans. It is a vicious circle from which only we are hurting ourselves. Now why is this poisonous meat so cheap? It is because it has lost its pure value when going through these unnecessary farming "techniques". They are treating these animals like toys in an assembly line, with a careless attitude.
I believe there is something that can be done. It all begins with educating the consumers. I think one big problem with why fast food is becoming so popular is that a lot of people don’t know the dangers of eating said products. If people barely know what they are putting in their bodies then they certainly don’t know what’s going in the bodies of the animals they are consuming. I also believe we cannot put off all the blame on these producers. There is a saying “you can lead the horse to the lake but you can’t make it drink”, no one makes us buy fast food but yet we do. If people were more educated as to the dangers of fast food, they would not thrive as much. If enough people stand against factory lot pigs and caged chickens then those industries would crumble. If the general demand for “fast food” changes then so does the supply. If instead of fried hamburgers and French fries we could demand a “home cooked” meal that contains all of the food groups then obesity and all the other problems associated with fast food will go away. I don’t believe that getting rid of fast food chains will be much of a solution, but changing what they serve can better us as a country.
There is no doubt in my mind that something can be done to change the eating habits of us Americans. We weren’t always considered fat Americans and we were never as dependent on fast, cheap food as we are now. But honestly, I really don’t think our ways of seeing fast food will change. Yes, we all agree that buying fast food and eating fatty burgers and greasy fries is bad for your health and causes us health problems but we tend to blow off that information once hunger strikes. The fast food business has become a billion dollar industry and it’s so wide spread, it’ll be a difficult task to try and get us to turn our backs on it. Who doesn’t love McDonald’s fries or a Burger King whopper with cheese? Those restaurants will always be the quickest way to feed our families when we’re too tired or busy to cook them a home cooked meal. We have no choice but to educate others and ourselves on the effects of these fast cheap food are for us and hop others will realize that it’s not always the only option we have. -Azbelly Delgadillo
Many people in this world are absolutely oblivious as to what they are really consuming. Either they really aren’t educated about the true facts, or they simply turn the other way continue eating their way to obesity. I believe one of the things we can start by doing different to decrease the obesity rates is educating the public and nutrition. Also, they should raise awareness of the mal-treatment of all these animals being brutally slaughter just for the benefit of humans. Movies like “Supersize Me” and “Food Inc” should be part of class curriculum of all high school students. They should be aware of the amount of fat and grease their body is consuming with each bite of their whoppers from Burger King. I myself, don’t eat any fast food and encourage my friends that eating at home is the more healthier choice. If students begin their education of nutrition at an early age, they will have more successful eating habits. As for the slaughtering and animal cruelty, we should devise more passive ways to kill an animal. I am not saying for everyone to become a vegetarian, because there is not enough greens in the world for every person’s consumption, but there are other ways of killing. Lets be realistic: we are carnivores. That is how our anatomy is built. This does not mean that we have to slaughter a cow as it is still breathing. Barcelona has recently banned bull fights. And someone has devised a maze to walk cows through so they will not know that they are being led to be killed. Is this not a sign that we are finally doing something about it? What we have to focus on now developing new ways to be healthy and fit. We must create more ways to cleanly kill our meat. But at least I can say that we are starting to make good changes.
Yes, I believe that people need to be more educated in what it is that they are consuming and how it was raised and the content of which it is digested. I mean that’s the best thing that we all could do at home. Or we can take it further try and talk to the government about coming up with ways to deduce all the unhealthy and unsteady influence of the fast food industry. On the other hand it all boils down to us and how we want to eat, I say show the people where their food is coming from and I guarantee they’ll think twice about eating it.
27 comments:
yes, I do believe that something can be done about it; in fact, a lot can be done about it. There are college nutrition courses that help students to be more aware of the food they are consuming. There should be public-community programs, that is sponsored by the people, to enlighten certain things, with nutrition being one of them. What I don't suggest is striking and boycotting. As long as these company stay within the rules and laws of a cooperation, they are free to do as they please. On the contrary the people can suggest and influence them to put healthier meals on the menu. Yes, Its a shame that cooperation milling and processing seem to be exttrating the good from the food to appeal to our taste more, and injection or pouring poison on our food, for instance pesticides. But we can also be the ones to education our friends and family members about what is going on also. because we consume so much our body tends to asks for a lot when we are hungry. Thus explaining a reason why America is so fat and why these companies will not go out of business selling their cheap foods. We should also attempt to rebuild the economy to the point that fresh-healthy foods are more accessible to the less fortunate.
I believe theres a lot that can be done. It starts with us though. We can do many things like for example try and learn not to give in to the temptation of always wanting fast/cheap food. We usually tend to want these foods when we're bored with nothing to do. We can change this by being active. Instead of grabbing a burger or some fries when theres nothing to do we should go for a jog or bike ride. But most importantly we should make a change in what we eat. We can start off by researching for ourselves where these fast food products come from and gain knowledge of why they are extremely harmful to us. We can change our eating habits also. Instead of going over to McDonald's when we're hungry we should go to Subways or Chik-Fil-A or just make our own lunch or snack. It really doesn't take long to make a nice healthy meal. We shouldn't buy into the multi billion dollar franchise trap. We are all smarter than that. It just takes that one person to make the difference and start fresh.
My opinion on this topic is what I've always believed. There can be something done about this. It ultimately starts from educating ourselves. If Americans specifically don't know what there consuming and lack the knowledge behind the history and manufacture of what they eat, how can they make a fair choice? I don't think people don't care necessarily for their health, but i do think laziness and immediate gratification is what holds us responsible for the majority of food choices we make. Most Americans are too fast for their own good. We want EVERYTHING now,now,now. Our nutritional values suffer, and the big shot companies are only supplying the demand. This leads to the harmful artificial preservatives, the improper and cruel abuse to the animals we consume to get us that mcchicken, and the harmful hydrolyzed oils our fries get drowned in. The way food is usually prepared for us as human beings to eat is unethical and dangerous. all because it is all a fast process for our "fast" paced life. It really is ignorance to miss the bigger picture and consequences when something can be done. A dynamic change can happen in our nutritional lifestyle if people would be willing to make a change, and step out of this cycle. But this will take time, and hopefully improvement is made rather sooner than later. - Leanza Altidor
Yes, I believe something can be done. Whatever is affordable is what everyone goes for especially when there's a recession and everyone is looking for an easy way out; in this fast pace world.If they really wanted us to eat healthier they would've made the healthier foods affordable for those single mothers that has five kids and a full time job. The point is I think too many people are not aware of what is going into their body and if they knew they wouldn't want to poison their self or even their children with such filth. In my perspective if we had more videos or even more publicized images of this topic it would be more effective. All people see is that it taste good and its only $1 why not buy it and save sometime on a $12 chicken that I have to take my time to make; Instead of seeing the thousands of pig that was grained into that one chicken nugget but it taste good.
Of course something can be done about the food we put in our mouths as Americans we have a tendency to gravitate toward the fast and easy solutions and then complain about the harmful results later on when the begin to present themselves as heart disease and diabetes. According to the documentary “Food Inc.” the reason why beef is so cheap is because we have changed the natural eating habits of animals such as cows which naturally graze on fields, now common practice is feeding them corn which is a cheaper alternative and it also fattens them up a lot faster. This cheap and effective technique which maximizes profits comes at a price the cows begin to develop diseases that are harmful to humans like mad cow but that’s not the only thing even if we recall that infected meat and get rid of the infected cows because of the unnatural diet of just corn more sophisticated strains of mad cow develop ones who are immune to vaccines and antibiotics. So as Americans I don’t think we will ever give up our dependency on fast food completely and buying organic seems like the exception and not the rule when it should be the other way around. All we can do is eat as healthy as we can exercise and make better choices as far as what we put in our mouths because Fast food isn’t going anywhere as long as our economy continues its downward spiral and people work 60 to 80 hour weeks the popularity of fast food will continue to rise along with our weight.
The Society we live in today is all about making money, so unfortunately for us, we are sold products that are not of the best quality,nor healthy for us, but contains an amazing and addicting taste which keeps us coming back for more. However, I believe that if we were educated on how our food is grown, raised and processed we would no longer be addicted.The truth is that the high demands for the majority of our foods don't give companies options when it comes to the way they are made. Everyone wants to blame McDonalds and fast food restaurants when in reality it's a great deal of all foods that we eat that cause obesity, and illnesses. Everything from frozen foods to produce found in your grocery stores are injected with many harsh chemicals which allow them to ripen faster, and maintain a longer shelf-life. Previously, before the huge factories and slaughter houses, animals were raised properly now because the high demand for meat we have over-populated slaughter houses. This is where the problem begins, let's take cows for example. The cows are raised in horrible conditions. They are fed corn which causes bacteria to grow in their bodies and cause E.Coli, so producers begin to inject the meat with chemicals such as ammonia to prevent e.Coli. Which is why fast-food is so cheap, the more artificial chemicals within a product the cheaper it is. There is not much that we, as consumers of fast food can really do but stop eating the product. If a majority of the people in a society stop eating fast food the demand will decline and soon enough be removed from shelfs and restaurants.
Andres Garcia
11am
Intro to philosophy
Cheap food High prices
Fast food maybe cheap monetary wise but in truth when we eat fast food we are paying a high price with our bodies and the check won’t be called up until our later years. Fast food maybe affordable but it’s the equivalent of putting low grade fuel in your car’s gas tank. I have noticed the difference in prices between organic food and fast food. The more organic and natural the product the more grocery stores are charging consumers for their product. Unlike organic food that’s healthy for you fast food is cheaper and more accessible to the people. I have yet to find a place that sells or advertises organic food at a cheap price or that’s easily accessible to consumers. At the end of the day the choice lies with the consumers, you either pay with your body or pay out of your pockets but one way or another you’re going to pay. We chose in a daily bases to eat foods that have been injected with steroids and other chemicals and we eat it as if it was normal, The consumers are the only ones who can change the way food is prepared.
The solution to this problem is to push nutritional education forward. As Americans we pretty much eat what is basically thrown at us. We are infatuated with heavily commercialized food brands and we are also blind as to how bad these foods are for us. But most importantly, the poor animals that suffer just for it to be made. For example, a commercial should show how farm animals are treated on a day to day basis rather than what their meat looks like when they end up as part of a Happy Meal at McDonalds. These same commercials deceive you with their perfectly handcrafted hamburgers when in reality they don’t look like that. Fast food restaurants are not the only ones to be put up for blame. Due to high demand for food harmful chemicals are injected into meats and produce to make them last longer and to be produced rapidly. -Tircia Melo
I agree with the others that something can be done. I believe that it starts with self education. The consumer has to take the time to learn more about these food products and how they are made (particularly fast food, from "restaurants" such as McDonald's). Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. There are many people who, as a result of their socioeconomic status, aren't always able to take the time to research food and see which ones are healthy and nutritious for them. If I'm a single parent with two or three kids living in a poor neighborhood, and I have to work long hours to support my children, I won't necesariy be thinking along the lines of "Hmmm, I wonder what these chicken nuggets are made out of, or I wonder how many calories this burger has?" I'm going to be more concerned with how cheap it is and how fast it can be made. And what's even worse is that the corporations know this, which is why they target certain demographics more than others. Think about how many fast food places you find in the hood versus in more suburban areas, and vice versa- how many Whole Foods or other healthy stores do you find in the hood?
I believe the strongest way of changing this system is saying no. After educating ourselves and our children on the benefits of eating healthy, we shouldn't accept fast foods. When a large group of people dislike the way things are they usually protest, now imagine if millions were fed up with all of the fast food chains. Those fast food chains would either have to change the way the do things or just completely stop running because they would just run out of business. If Americans really wanted the fast food chains to change their product and the way they do things they could, but some of us are to lazy to do such a thing. In order for this system to change we must be united in that decision. We need to put boundaries on false advertisements and understand that if we spend less on food today, we will be spending more when the hospital bills come.
Definitely, Our habits of consuming non-nutritiousness food, can be altered. Our first priority is obtaining the mind-set. If we can train ourselves to quit this habit of consuming "Cheap" food, then we'll reach that destination. Having the desire and motivation to do this is another essential aspect of reaching the goal to eat healthy rather than consuming "cheap" food, that can be detrimental to the body. But if that doesn't work , brainwashing is another option. No, I'm just kidding. We can inform one another about this problem and meticulously explain why it is to be well nutritiously fed. If no one won't inform our fellow Americans, then who will ?
I believe that we can still fix our problems with what we eat. We need to start thinking less of fast and easy access foods and more of slow foods. We eat at fast food places because they are quick and we are always in a hurry, if we focused more on sitting down and making a meal or even making something the night before to eat when you are in a hurry. The slow food movement is about cooking our meals and even growing our own ingredients. We need to focus in eating locally grown food and making our food from local sources. many fast food joints get their meet from where they will save the most so many times it is frozen food that is being shipped across the country. Meat should bleed it came from inside an animal, it shouldn't be a squishy blob or a frozen brick. In many countries that are not as developed as ours they eat locally grown foods, so money shouldn't be an excuse if we had local farms that shipped local food it will be much healthier for us and it will add more jobs for our communities. Many problems in our country can be solved by changing our eating habits, the fast food business thrives of our laziness we are fat because we rather pay for a value meal in mcdonalds rather than using that money we will have wasted in the week to buy food that we can cook and make ourselves. While everyone is not a master chef restaurants could change their frozen shipped foods for some local ones and attract many more clients. In the end we created this food chains and we have the power to change it.
It is very sad to see these animals that are being raise just to feed our addiction to fast food. However, I don't think it is a big deal because it follows the pattern of the food chain; in which a small animal get caught by a bigger animal just to satisfy its hunger. For me, it is the same picture with those animals that are raise in a pen, or in a chicken coop. These big factories raise these animals to satisfy our necessity. The reason I believe why many people around the world and not only in the United States are obsessed with fast food specially teenager is because they have parents that work overnight and don't have the space to prepare them a real food with all the nutrition that they need for a healthy life. Instead, they just give money to them so that they can buy food in their school or after school. Another issue is that teenagers might have parents that are slackers, and they don't know how to cook, and for them the easy way to solve the problem is going to a fast food restaurant. The United States is dealing with one of their major problem "obesity". I have always being a big fan of fast food even though it is not healthy, and it doesn't have the necessary conditions to fulfill.
I believe that something can be done about it, but the results will not be as profound as people may think. The raise in food prices in the country is unfortunate because it is putting more people in poverty, but not much can be done by us as individuals because food prices are market based, and changes would need to be made internationally which would require the governments intervention.
As far as fast food goes, if people took the little extra time to purchase their own food rather that looking for the quick way out, america would not be so obese. Mostly because if the food is not there readily available to them, they're less likely to continuously eat it.
You can tell people all day everyday that fast food is bad for them, and that they shouldn't eat it, and that people should have nutrition classes teaching them about it, but none of those things have an effect, because in the end, people will eat it because it tastes good and because people do whatever they feel like it anyways. People say how it can be fixed but no one actually takes action. Honestly they are not thinking where there food is coming from. They are just thinking "the fast food is here, i am hungry, so i'm going to eat it."
The chances of this ever changing is very slim and i don't believe it will. It is possible, but i don't think it will ever happen. Most people do not like to be told what to do, and everybody has their own beliefs to what they think is right. And as long as there is these kinds of people, big fast food corporations will continue to flourish, food prices will continue to rise because of this and the cycle will never end.
Of course we can do something about the way we eat. We can start with the foundation of it all, the way the animals we are consuming are being treated before we eat their meat. It is unfortunate that now it’s all about mass production, for the high demands of meat America needs. We have forgotten that with love and care everything turns out better. Farmers who have to work for these big companies have to follow there demand on how much to produce at a certain time. So the farmers have no time to carefully look out for each and every animal that will end up in someone’s table, filled with growth hormones, antibiotics and other unhealthy and unsanitary things. Maybe we should demand more fresh, healthy and organic meats from these companies. So that they will stop convincing us that the junk they are selling us is better. Start supporting organic farmers. We can learn from nutritionists or classes in our local college on how to eat healthy. We should take the time to teach our family friends and the community to invest in eating healthier. Make our own fresh foods and enjoying cooking again. Why don’t we start our own little gardens in our backyards? I know we are busy but like you take time out for entertainment, you need to make the time to make or buy good fresh food to maintain a healthy way of eating. It’s a lifestyle and you can choose which way to go, to live healthy or die young from what you had for dinner last night.
Although almost everyone would like to make a change to our country when it comes to the way we eat, I think the process of getting this done would be a bigger challenge than it seems. There are too many hands in the pot. And not just any hands, some of the richest and most powerful hands that run our country are involved. Our county has reached a point of freedom where it doesn't know the limits of what's too much, and the people in power that control our food as well as our media are not inclined to change this without a fight. When you only have about 5 different people controlling all media and food, and these same people are feeding the government with a tasty green bill, the chances of overcoming these criminals are slim. I really do hope that we can stop people from eating badly and cheap, but people have nonstop advertisements coming their way influencing their decisions. Until we can stop these horrible rich and disgusting people, and we have more people in power willing to pass laws for the good and kit for money, obesity will continue to plague our county. Freedom has become an enemy.
In my opinion I believe that people should start eating more organic food, to stop this type of situations. Animals according to the last post were about their rights. All of what is done to this pig in Iowa brings a lot of consequences. The same treatment applies to other animals in order to produce massive food. The food is so cheap but is not healthier as the organic one. Sometimes people prefer to buy food for less so they don’t have to lose their time cooking or choosing every vegetable in a supermarket to make a burger. McDonald’s offer this type of service and people are willing to keep paying the deals and buying dollar menus that at the end it will keep us free from hunger. I don’t eat meat but I think if I start eating it again I will prefer organic stuff than to eat something that’s full antibiotics. Other effect that this has is the animals in the ocean; they are not living on the same water any more since every waste of these animals full things is going to their environment. We should start applying the habit to buy food that’s naturally produced that at the end will be better for our body and our lives.
Can we do something about our eating habits when it comes to fast food? Of course we can but people are lazy. That is why there is a McDonald’s on every corner and hence the name fast food. Most people cant take a moment of their day to cook a meal at home but rather hand over their cash to the giant food corporations, its an easier alternative. If you think about it, when you go out to eat how much do you spend? The Big Mac value meal at McDonald’s is about $6 and that is just for one person. The cost of food for the family of 5 would be at least $15-$20 minimum. With that $15, you easily could have a dinner for the night, maybe two nights. We put ourselves in this predicament. In order to avoid the temptations of fast food, we should cook and eat at home or wait until we are home, even maybe take the food along with us and if we can not wait then we should find a suitable healthier alternative.
I believe that our ways of eating can be modified and improved. In many cases people tend to go for the easy and faster way to get a meal, usually this happens at fast food restaurants such as BK, McDonalds, Wendys, etc... Advertisement such as big billboards and commercials with the food that makes it look delicious and tasty make people go buy and eat their food. By doing this people tend to get obese because instead of eating and making a healthy meal for themselves and their family they go buy "junk food" which have lots of calories and fats in them. I believe that it depends on the people that eat these products; if one wants to be healthy one can make the sacrifice and consume healthier foods. Just by stopping to eat fatty foods and saying “no” to oneself can help and improve the habits. Just by simply exercising one can become healthier and have an healthier diet.
As well aware people may be, the explanation of fast food is in the name; it is fast. America is a country that likes to be handed things right when they want it. And being a fast-paced country, sometimes the only logically sounding option at the time is a fast food restaurant. Of course, this isn’t, and shouldn’t be our only option. Healthy food habits are being presented all the time. It is only a matter of paying attention and taking action. Instead of running off to the nearest fast food joint, we can take an hour or two out of our week and go shopping at a local market. From there we can make our own meals every day. Not only are we being aware of what we are putting into our bodies by eating smart, but we are also spending our money wisely, and not supporting big corporations.
Something can be done about this. It all comes down to how much people really care about the topic and how it affects them personally. People need to educate themselves about food and food like products that are being used on a daily bases. Americans are known to be lazy and fast pace persons. Lack of proper nutrients are due to a rapid day to day lifestyle. Fast food is cheap, quick, easy, and simply makes the on-the-go life much simpler. The demand for unhealthy foods that are easy to obtain is very high and this leads to a large population of unhealthy, overweight people. If people were willing to step back and buy groceries to make a healthy meal that will keep them full longer and give them more energy throughout the day, that would be lessening the demand for fast food products. While organic foods are pricy at times, they provide a much greater range of nutrients and will keep on full longer. Educating people of the nutritional topic is key and greatly needed.
I have always believed that the reason behind the fact the our country, the United States, is so obese is due to the food processing system we go through. The amount of hormones that are injucted into the animals we consume daily, the pesticides that are poured on the plants and vegetables that then these same animals we consume are consuming, cannot be good for neither the animals nor us humans. It is a vicious circle from which only we are hurting ourselves. Now why is this poisonous meat so cheap? It is because it has lost its pure value when going through these unnecessary farming "techniques". They are treating these animals like toys in an assembly line, with a careless attitude.
I believe there is something that can be done. It all begins with educating the consumers. I think one big problem with why fast food is becoming so popular is that a lot of people don’t know the dangers of eating said products. If people barely know what they are putting in their bodies then they certainly don’t know what’s going in the bodies of the animals they are consuming. I also believe we cannot put off all the blame on these producers. There is a saying “you can lead the horse to the lake but you can’t make it drink”, no one makes us buy fast food but yet we do. If people were more educated as to the dangers of fast food, they would not thrive as much. If enough people stand against factory lot pigs and caged chickens then those industries would crumble. If the general demand for “fast food” changes then so does the supply. If instead of fried hamburgers and French fries we could demand a “home cooked” meal that contains all of the food groups then obesity and all the other problems associated with fast food will go away. I don’t believe that getting rid of fast food chains will be much of a solution, but changing what they serve can better us as a country.
There is no doubt in my mind that something can be done to change the eating habits of us Americans. We weren’t always considered fat Americans and we were never as dependent on fast, cheap food as we are now. But honestly, I really don’t think our ways of seeing fast food will change. Yes, we all agree that buying fast food and eating fatty burgers and greasy fries is bad for your health and causes us health problems but we tend to blow off that information once hunger strikes. The fast food business has become a billion dollar industry and it’s so wide spread, it’ll be a difficult task to try and get us to turn our backs on it. Who doesn’t love McDonald’s fries or a Burger King whopper with cheese? Those restaurants will always be the quickest way to feed our families when we’re too tired or busy to cook them a home cooked meal. We have no choice but to educate others and ourselves on the effects of these fast cheap food are for us and hop others will realize that it’s not always the only option we have.
-Azbelly Delgadillo
Many people in this world are absolutely oblivious as to what they are really consuming. Either they really aren’t educated about the true facts, or they simply turn the other way continue eating their way to obesity. I believe one of the things we can start by doing different to decrease the obesity rates is educating the public and nutrition. Also, they should raise awareness of the mal-treatment of all these animals being brutally slaughter just for the benefit of humans. Movies like “Supersize Me” and “Food Inc” should be part of class curriculum of all high school students. They should be aware of the amount of fat and grease their body is consuming with each bite of their whoppers from Burger King. I myself, don’t eat any fast food and encourage my friends that eating at home is the more healthier choice. If students begin their education of nutrition at an early age, they will have more successful eating habits.
As for the slaughtering and animal cruelty, we should devise more passive ways to kill an animal. I am not saying for everyone to become a vegetarian, because there is not enough greens in the world for every person’s consumption, but there are other ways of killing. Lets be realistic: we are carnivores. That is how our anatomy is built. This does not mean that we have to slaughter a cow as it is still breathing. Barcelona has recently banned bull fights. And someone has devised a maze to walk cows through so they will not know that they are being led to be killed. Is this not a sign that we are finally doing something about it? What we have to focus on now developing new ways to be healthy and fit. We must create more ways to cleanly kill our meat. But at least I can say that we are starting to make good changes.
Yes, I believe that people need to be more educated in what it is that they are consuming and how it was raised and the content of which it is digested. I mean that’s the best thing that we all could do at home. Or we can take it further try and talk to the government about coming up with ways to deduce all the unhealthy and unsteady influence of the fast food industry. On the other hand it all boils down to us and how we want to eat, I say show the people where their food is coming from and I guarantee they’ll think twice about eating it.
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