Crazy Mazie, Diesel (my bad) and Our Food

Crazy Mazie, Diesel (my bad) and Our Food

The confirmation hearings thus far have featured the democrats more obsessed with sex than with how the nominees will manage their agencies and how they would address their problem areas. Hawaii’s Mazie Hirono begins every hearing with “As part of my responsibilities to ensure the fitness of nominees before any of the committees on which I sit, I ask the following two initial questions. First is, since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature?” I guess she does not want another Bill Clinton or Doug Emhoff overseeing a federal agency. But if I were a resident of Hawaii I would be embarrassed to have her as my senator.

I would like to apologize to all owners of diesel vehicles. I have noticed my entire life that I must be responsible for certain happenings. I have mentioned that if I like a product, it will be discontinued. So I apologize to everyone who used to buy them as well. Before I bought my first diesel pickup, diesel prices were 20 cents a gallon less than regular. Then I bought my truck and the following week, diesel prices went to 20 cents above regular. Every time I buy a new truck, the differential between diesel and regular prices widen. Surely, this is no coincidence.

The FDA finally got around to banning red dye #3. Now if they would ban all artificial colorings from food. I guess the red dye #3 lobby lost their clout. Weren’t they paying enough in bribes? Guess not. I read labels. I buy very few process foods. I will not buy anything with artificial colors. I will not buy anything with high fructose sugar either. When RFK, jr pointed out the difference between Canadian Fruit Loops and Froot Loops sold in the States, he may have struck a cord with the public. I know that his hearing will be particularly contentious. But it will be interesting. Sure he has some opinions that make him seem like a kook but he is right on when it comes to food. 

Why is it that Canadians and Europeans live longer than Americans? Some on the left argue that it is because of the health systems. But the Canadian and British systems suck. I think it is because of the food. American food is loaded with artificial ingredients, high fructose sugar and hydrogenated oils. Consider the following products (none of which I eat).

One real issue is that the junk version is more expensive than the more healthy version. If food were made healthier would this mean that the poor would be worse – rather than better – off? I eat cereal free from artificial colors, processed oils, high fructose sugars and it is twice as expensive as the junk food cereals. One cereal I buy is Nutrail nut granola. It is expensive – $10.29 at Sams Club for 22 ounces. Here are the ingredients

         Nutrail Cinnamon pecan granola

Ingredients: Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Coconut, Almonds, Pecans, Erythritol, Butter (Pasteurized Cream, Natural Flavor), Dried Blueberries, Cinnamon, Salt, Monk Fruit Extract.

I could have bought Quaker Simply granola which is really cheap. The name would imply a healthy cereal. Here are the ingredients.

Ingredients: Whole grain oats, whole grain wheat, sugar, dried sweetened cranberries (sugar, dried cranberries, glycerin, sunflower oil), canola oil, almonds, dried apples, inulin, whey, nonfat dry milk, molasses, whey protein concentrate, honey, sunflower oil, natural flavor, tocopherols (to preserve freshness).

While it is healthier than Froot Loops, sugar is the third ingredient and has 17 grams per serving. It also has sunflower oil which is unhealthy if cooked above a certain temperature. Why can’t they ditch the sugar and the sunflower oil? I actually tried it once and ended up tossing it in the trash.

Can we get rid of this junk out of our processed foods? Soybeans, corn sugar and other agriculture products are heavily subsidized and have powerful lobbies. These ingredients are then cheaper than more nutritious versions. You can bet that the lobbies will fight RFJ, Jr in the Congress to preserve (no pun intended) their place in the American diet.