Food for Thought

In a recent post in the Wall Street Journal, Katherine Hobson talks about a study that suggests the more we think about our food cravings, the less we want them.

Ya…I don’t buy that.

When I crave something, say, chocolate, and I start to think about how it melts in my mouth and I can taste its sweetness. Then I start to think about other foods I like that is sweet, like frozen yogurt. Then, I begin to think about the topping I’d put on my fro-yo, which is usually something crunchy, like granola. Granola is my soymilk’s best friend. What else do I like with soymilk? How about a chocolate chip scone! Hmm…chocolate…

Well, now you see where this is going.

Somehow I just find it hard to believe that thinking about food makes the craving go away, because the more I think about food, the more I want to eat. And then usually the only way to curb the craving is by giving into the food’s calling.

So now that writing this blog has gotten me thinking about food, I'll be in the kitchen. 

Fast-Food – Chic en France

Mona Lisa in the Louvre, Louis Vuitton on Avenue des Champs-Elysées, and Monet’s Garden at Giverny – now you can add one more spécialité française to the list:

foie gras in fast-food restaurants.

The Belgian fast-food chain, Quick, will offer foie gras burgers to its customers in France between December 17 – 19. Customers will be able to purchase the burgers for €5 each only during these three days – if they can get past the herds of animal rights activists protestors.

Foie gras has long been criticized for the cruel treatment of the ducks and the geese in production of the delicacy.  It is already banned in 15 countries. Although the US is not one of them, the force-feeding of ducks and geese to make foie gras will be banned in California starting 2012. On November 16^th, animal right activists gathered outside the Providence restaurant in LA where a fundraising dinner that served a menu with foie gras was held.

But foie gras has been part of the French cuisine and culture for many, many years and should be respected. We don’t see any French protestors raging against the caged chickens and hormone injected cows here in Fast Food Nation. If it bothers you, don’t eat it, but don’t ruin other people’s appetites.

So I say – let them eat, or, laissez-les manger!

Infographic by Discountvouchers.org

Twinkie Diet?

Being the calorie-counting, organic-eating health nut that I am, imagine my anger and frustration when I heard about the Twinkie Diet.

As an experiment, Mark Haub, a human nutrition professor at Kansas State University, lived off of Twinkies, Doritos, Little Debbie Zebra Cakes, and Mountain Dew for 10 weeks and actually lost a whopping 28 pounds without changing his exercise habits. What’s even more shocking is that his bad cholesterol went down and good cholesterol went up.

Take that Weight Watchers!

But what about all the high fructose corn syrup, Trans fats, and chemicals chemicals chemicals? Were the dozens of health and nutrition books I’ve read complete BS?

Two takeaways from Haub’s experiment:

Firstly, good or bad, a calorie is a calorie. Haubs did cut down his daily calorie intake by about a half during the 10-week period, even though they all came from junk foods. A common misconception is that all healthy foods are “skinny”. But consider this example: 2/3 cup of Nature’s Path Hemp Plus Granola has 260 calories; 2/3 cup of Kellogg’s Fruit Loops only has 118 calories.

Secondly, skinny ≠ healthy. Haub may have lost weight, but it would very hard to convince any health aware person that the Twinkie diet is sustainable. And it goes back to the lesson that we learned from failed diets like Atkins, that a balanced diet is still key. 

No Thanks, No Giving

No turkey, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin pie for Angelina Jolie this Thursday.

Uh-uh.

This is not because she’s on a diet, but because she hates Thanksgiving and doesn’t believe in the “celebration of murder”. Poor Brad – if he wants turkey, he’s going to have to stuff it himself.

But is Thanksgiving really about celebrating the Pilgrims’ harvest anymore? Or has it turned into another commercial holiday that gives people an excuse to feed themselves silly and for retailers to lure sales on Black Friday? 

Holy Chicken

If you want a spicy chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A on a lazy Sunday afternoon, you’re out of luck.

This is because all Chick-fil-A stores are closed on Sundays so the employees can go to church and spend time with their families. And while the mission of its main competitor, KFC, is “to sell food in a fast, friendly environment,” Chick-fil-A’s mission is to “glorify God.”

Sounds more like a religious cult than a fast food restaurant? Here are more interesting facts:

• Chick-fil-A’s company meetings and retreats include prayers.
• The company’s founder and chairman, S Truett Cathy, teaches Sunday School classes at the First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, GA.
•  Instead of Barbies and Beanie Babies, Chick-fil-A gives out toys from the children’s Christian TV show VeggieTales and CDs from the Christian radio program Adventures in Odyssey.
• Muslim former employee, Aziz Latif, sued Chick-fil-A after he was fired for refusing to participate in company prayers.

For many, the question is much more complicated than “Chargrilled or Spicy?” – to Chick or not to Chick has become an emotional battle between hunger and moral believes.

Personally, I try to waste my time on more important decisions, and when I want Chick-fil-A, I’ll have Chick-fil-A – well, except on Sundays. How about you, would restaurants’ affiliations influence your dining decisions? 

Buzz Kill

Four Loko – better known as “Blackout in a Can” or “Cocaine in a Can” – has been banned in several states, infuriating college students across the country.

One 23.5 oz can of this alcoholic energy drink, a product of Drink Four Brewing Company, contains up to 12% ABV – equivalent to four beers, the same amount of caffeine as a tall Starbucks coffee, and costs about only $2.50. No wonder it is the go-to drink for many sober, tired, and broke college students.

However, caffeine (stimulant) + alcohol (depressant) + mindless partying = disaster. Four Loko’s fruity flavors and caffeine’s ability to diminish the perception of being drunk make it very easy to chug large amounts of the drink without realizing how much alcohol is actually going into your body.

Just last month, Four Loko sent 23 Ramapo College of New Jersey students and nine Central Washington University students to the hospital.

So whose fault is it? Is it the students’ for their lack of intelligent decision making? Or is it Drink Four Brewing Company’s for simply operating a business. States seem to think that the company is to blame – Four Loko has already been banned in Utah, Michigan, Oklahoma, New York, and Washington. More states are also likely to jump on the bandwagon. In response, the company has announced that it will remove caffeine from its products going forward.

Just like I don’t believe McDonald’s shouldn’t be punished for child obesity,  I don’t think Drink Four Brewing Company should be held responsible for irresponsible college students. There might be no more Four Loko, but as long as there are still Red Bull and Vodka, reckless party-goers will still find a way to be sent to the hospital.

How about some alcohol safety education instead?