Organic and Health Foods
First, I would like to thank those subscribers I have left (I lost two) from yesterday’s blogs. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one (I love Star Trek). I appreciate everybody’s opinion and your thoughts and expressions help me and hopefully others, grow. I believe that through knowledge, we can make the world a better place.
Howdidigetsoold wrote a blog today about…oh hell I forget…go read her. Included in her blog was a comment about how health food was so darned expensive. This reminded me of a blog I had on my list that I lost. Yes, I have a lost list of latent literary legends yet to be logged.
So, why is it organic and health foods are more expensive than the chemical laden non-health foods? Of course, since I am big on researching answers to the ever popular questions, I had to do look into it. Logic would dictate that products missing the added chemical and extra stuff would costs less.
What would you say if the car salesman told you that you can buy the 2006 Aston-Martin Vanquish S for $149,000 but if you want it without the tires and windows, it will cost you $180,000. You would probably look at him thinking he has 4 heads.
After minutes of searching through this wonderful tool known as the World Wide Web, here is what I discovered. In the real scheme of things, organic or health foods are not more expensive. I know, now you think I have 4 heads.
I know that you are in just as much amazement as I. You definitely SEE a price difference between the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese box ($1.05 per box) and the Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese box ($2.29 per box). This part is true. You see a difference between brands. But you also see a difference within a brand name of the same type of item. For example, the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese box is $1.05 and the Kraft White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese box is $1.25. The same follows suit in the Annie’s (Organic) world.
The fact is, it is volume. Kraft and Annie’s do not have the same work processes and sales volume. Kraft is a public company with plentiful funds for research massive farming groups and imports, while Annie’s is a private company using internal ideas and real, family farms.
Sure there are SOME costs associated with organic foods over non-organics such as a lower volume of return for seed. What in the world is he talking about? You see, organic food has no chemical treatments. This means, the raw product (grain, fruit, vegetable) is more likely to die, rot, or just not grow as big and as many per plant.
There are some price differences that do bewilder me. Why is it whole grain white bread is more expensive than white bread? There is a process to turn whole grain into flour. With whole grain white, part of that process has been removed, so shouldn’t it cost less? Apparently not. This must tie into that whole volume thing.
There are movements toward all products becoming healthier. Let’s take for instance the removal of trans-fats. You are now seeing on the box labels the additional field for trans-fats. Fact is, the FDA requires all food labels to list this as of January 1.
What is a trans fat? Trans fatty acids (or “trans fat”) are fats found in foods such as vegetable shortening, some margarines, crackers, candies, baked goods, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, salad dressings, and many processed foods. It’s important to know about trans fat because there is a direct, proven relationship between diets high in trans fat content and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and, therefore, an increased risk of coronary heart disease – a leading cause of death in the US. It is also good to know that restaurants do not have to list their trans-fat in their nutritional information. McDonald’s fries are cooked in trans fatty oil.
How many grams of trans fats can we have? Zero is a good number. Avoid it if at all possible. Certain companies started making the move a while back in order to avoid using trans-fatty ingredients like Pepperidge Farms. When the Goldfish crackers made the move back from trans fats, I was thrilled. I also thought they tasted like they did back when I was a kid.
What should I look for with trans fats? Very simply, the word “hydrogenated,” partially or otherwise is bad. Look through your cupboards for that Bisquick box and see if those “homemade” biscuits are increasing your risk of coronary heart disease.
This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). I should stop blogging. I feel like I am always on my Bisquick box. I know I will continue on, just as much as I can’t resist Red Lobster biscuits (160 calories per biscuits).
Did you know…
41% of Chinese people eat at least once a week at a fast food restaurant. 35% of Americans do.
Howdidigetsoold wrote a blog today about…oh hell I forget…go read her. Included in her blog was a comment about how health food was so darned expensive. This reminded me of a blog I had on my list that I lost. Yes, I have a lost list of latent literary legends yet to be logged.
So, why is it organic and health foods are more expensive than the chemical laden non-health foods? Of course, since I am big on researching answers to the ever popular questions, I had to do look into it. Logic would dictate that products missing the added chemical and extra stuff would costs less.
What would you say if the car salesman told you that you can buy the 2006 Aston-Martin Vanquish S for $149,000 but if you want it without the tires and windows, it will cost you $180,000. You would probably look at him thinking he has 4 heads.
After minutes of searching through this wonderful tool known as the World Wide Web, here is what I discovered. In the real scheme of things, organic or health foods are not more expensive. I know, now you think I have 4 heads.
I know that you are in just as much amazement as I. You definitely SEE a price difference between the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese box ($1.05 per box) and the Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese box ($2.29 per box). This part is true. You see a difference between brands. But you also see a difference within a brand name of the same type of item. For example, the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese box is $1.05 and the Kraft White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese box is $1.25. The same follows suit in the Annie’s (Organic) world.
The fact is, it is volume. Kraft and Annie’s do not have the same work processes and sales volume. Kraft is a public company with plentiful funds for research massive farming groups and imports, while Annie’s is a private company using internal ideas and real, family farms.
Sure there are SOME costs associated with organic foods over non-organics such as a lower volume of return for seed. What in the world is he talking about? You see, organic food has no chemical treatments. This means, the raw product (grain, fruit, vegetable) is more likely to die, rot, or just not grow as big and as many per plant.
There are some price differences that do bewilder me. Why is it whole grain white bread is more expensive than white bread? There is a process to turn whole grain into flour. With whole grain white, part of that process has been removed, so shouldn’t it cost less? Apparently not. This must tie into that whole volume thing.
There are movements toward all products becoming healthier. Let’s take for instance the removal of trans-fats. You are now seeing on the box labels the additional field for trans-fats. Fact is, the FDA requires all food labels to list this as of January 1.
What is a trans fat? Trans fatty acids (or “trans fat”) are fats found in foods such as vegetable shortening, some margarines, crackers, candies, baked goods, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, salad dressings, and many processed foods. It’s important to know about trans fat because there is a direct, proven relationship between diets high in trans fat content and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and, therefore, an increased risk of coronary heart disease – a leading cause of death in the US. It is also good to know that restaurants do not have to list their trans-fat in their nutritional information. McDonald’s fries are cooked in trans fatty oil.
How many grams of trans fats can we have? Zero is a good number. Avoid it if at all possible. Certain companies started making the move a while back in order to avoid using trans-fatty ingredients like Pepperidge Farms. When the Goldfish crackers made the move back from trans fats, I was thrilled. I also thought they tasted like they did back when I was a kid.
What should I look for with trans fats? Very simply, the word “hydrogenated,” partially or otherwise is bad. Look through your cupboards for that Bisquick box and see if those “homemade” biscuits are increasing your risk of coronary heart disease.
This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). I should stop blogging. I feel like I am always on my Bisquick box. I know I will continue on, just as much as I can’t resist Red Lobster biscuits (160 calories per biscuits).
Did you know…
41% of Chinese people eat at least once a week at a fast food restaurant. 35% of Americans do.
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