How Smart Are Your “Smart Choices”?
It’s Wednesday! Tuesday is over!! Hooray for that!! Before I get to my day I want to tell you about my Sunday. I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by one of my favorite authors!! I read The Omnivore’s Dilemma last year and it really opened my eyes. In fact, that book sparked me to change my lifestyle. When I saw Mr. Pollan’s name on Xavier’s Event Schedule, I was ecstatic….no really, I was.
This was as close as I got since there was no book signing after the lecture 
Apparently, he had a flight to catch. I wouldn’t have stayed either if I were MP, Xavier’s sound system was acting up throughout the whole lecture. I’m proud to go to XU but, they let me down with their sound preparation.
He was every bit as charismatic and matter-of-fact as I had expected he would be. The lecture was enlightening and informative of course. I would expect nothing less.
Have you ever met a favorite author or activist?
Obviously, Mr. Pollan touched on much of the same material in his books. There were a few points that really stood out to me. Forgive me if you’ve read his work and are already well aware of this information.
If you live in the United States, you have probably seen the array of products deemed “Smart Choices”. You can read more about what qualifications a product has to meet to be a “Smart Choice” here.
See the lovely little check in the upper right corner? It obviously doesn’t take much. In fact Froot Loops was fortunate enough to wear this lovely checked label and the product just happens to be 46% sugar by weight!!!
Let’s look at the ingredients. Shall we?
Ingredients
SUGAR; WHOLE GRAIN CORN FLOUR; WHEAT FLOUR; WHOLE GRAIN OAT FLOUR; OAT FIBER; SOLUBLE CORN FIBER; PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (ONE OR MORE OF: COCONUT, SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED OILS)†; SALT; SODIUM ASCORBATE AND ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C); NIACINAMIDE; REDUCED IRON; NATURAL ORANGE, LEMON, CHERRY, RASPBERRY, BLUEBERRY, LIME AND OTHER NATURAL FLAVORS; RED #40; BLUE #2; TURMERIC COLOR; YELLOW #6; ZINC OXIDE; ANNATTO COLOR; BLUE #1; PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6); RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2); THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1); VITAMIN A PALMITATE; BHT (PRESERVATIVE); FOLIC ACID; VITAMIN D; VITAMIN B12.
Hmmm…SUGAR is the first ingredient. Yup, that has to be a smart choice for my family.
The sad part is: I know a lot of people who don’t know any better and it’s NOT their fault. These people are co-workers, classmates and other moms. Like Mr. Pollan pointed out, it can be very confusing as a consumer to make the right food choices. We want to believe the industry is leading us in the right direction….well, they’re not. I’m sorry Diet Pepsi made the Smart Choices list. Wha??? Artificial Sweetener + Artificial Coloring+ Carbonation = a smart choice? Since when? Some others include Teddy Grahams, BAGEL-FULS, Slim-Fast …really? I couldn’t even find ingredients for the Bagel-Fuls (shocking, I know). These products are made mostly of ingredients that are not even REAL FOOD. The point is that we must do our own research and not everyone has that kind of time. We want to trust the food industry, we want to trust the ADA, we want to trust the FDA. Some people may blindly trust these groups. But, you are reading a healthy living blog right now. You are the exception, right? Well, I thought about the MP philosophy, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” Guess what? A lot of my food, though made with real ingredients, comes from boxes. Amy’s Meals, Boca Burgers, Organic Cereals, Annie’s Bunnies and meals, Organic 365 soups… Yes, this is food made with real ingredients, but it’s still somewhat processed. Even my organic yogurt and cottage cheese is processed to a degree. I’m certainly going to make an effort to up my intake of unprocessed food.
However, I have learned to let Mallard make his own decisions.
and yes I have commented on the ingredient list.
This IS NOT REAL FOOD
There are so many of these processed, artificial foods that claim to be health foods. 
Sometimes, the ingredient lists do surprise me in a positive way.
But, I stick with what I know
I did have a bit of a dilemma today. I had left work and had no time to get home before my appointment at school. I had my exam immediately following my appointment. So, I knew I had better eat before arriving at school.
Do you ever crave something that you know is bad for your body? Everyone does, right?
I was seriously craving Subway.
A veggie delite with spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, green peppers, black olives, cucumbers, “all natural provalone” and light mayo on “wheat bread”
I weighed my options and I figured that cheese that came from a seroid and antibiotic -fed animal was a better choice than to eat a steroid and antibiotic-fed animal. I hate to admit this…. But, the sub was delicious! However, I had a stomach ache and crazy acid reflux after I ate it. I used to believe that Subway was a healthy choice. I didn’t know that their bread is made with artificial colors, their veggies are covered in chemicals, and so on… Then, a few years ago, I got a job at a Subway and I read the labels. The bread comes frozen and is full of artificial ingredients and colors and HFCS. The veggies even smell like chemicals. The problem is that I really do like their Veggie Delight . I have come to the conclusion that most of the yum factor comes from the bread. Though Subway’s bread does arrive at their store frozen, it is freshly baked which makes it taste and smell divine. So, I am now on a quest to find a good recipe for healthful, homemade, whole wheat bread. Who has a recipe?
Speaking of fast food, let us now take a moment to show our appreciation to KFC.
Dear KFC,
Thank you for raising your chickens in cages and feeding them cheap chicken feed, chemicals and steroids. Thank you for administering so many steroids that their breast become so large that their legs break due to stress fractures. Thank you for keeping them in such an unhealthy environment that you must pump them full of antibiotics to keep them alive. Thank you for marketing your chemical filled and grilled chicken as a healthy option to Americans who don’t know any better and are simply trying to do the best that they can. But, most of all, thank you for introducing a sandwich that boast fried chicken as the bread and a cholesterol dense cheese and bacon filling to our already obese country.
Let’s move to happier thoughts.
Cinnamon Raisin PB and Co. with Stonyfield blueberry yogurt
Now that makes me happy.
Puffins make it perfect.
and fresh blueberries
Snuffy’s sandwich
Arnold’s Whole Wheat with Organic Creamy PB (generic) and Crofter’s Asia from Julie’s giveaway.
What’s your favorite PB and J type combination?
I got a coupon in the mail for a free VS panty! I swear they give these out like candy these days. Anyway, I went to VS to gather my goods. I also wanted to see if they had gotten my size in the bra I wanted needed.
Their mirrors make it impossible to be serious. Not that trying on bras is serious business.
In other news, I got a flat tire on my way to Starbucks school today.
Mallard is out of town for a few days and neither of us have family that live in town. So, what’s a girl to do? Well, I have changed my own tire…once. But, since I have quite a drive to school and back, I opted not to risk it. I called a friend who enlisted her boyfriend to help me out. They were there in minutes. My friend’s BF was such a great sport. Unfortunately, I had already missed a test in math. I e-mailed my prof and I’m awaiting a response regarding a make-up test. I did tell my friend and her soon-to-be-baby-daddy that I owe them lunch or dinner!
Have you ever changed your own tire? It’s much harder than it looks in my opinion!
Any BL fans out there? Tracey sure let her crazy hang out tonight! I’m starting to like Jillian again. I’m still frustrated with her for pushing diet pills. But, she makes so many statements on the show that are exact words that I have spoken.
Did you forget about the giveaway? I didn’t!
The winner is…………………………………………………………
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Entry #24! Keri at Hop, Skip and A Giant Leap! Congrats, my friend!
Have a great Wednesday!
Yay for your own domain! I can’t believe I missed it…sorry! CONGRATULATIONS! And hahaha, this post made me laugh, esp your letter to KFC…I didn’t think Subway is unhealthy though…If you think of it that way, a LOT of foods are taboo!
I’ve never been to your blog before. I really like it!! That’s so cool you got to hear a lecture from your fave author! How awesome!
On the other hand that sucks you got a flat tire…dangit!
I’m so glad you posted about those Fruit Loops!!!!! I saw the commercial for the fruit loops, NOW WITH FIBER…and I went right to my computer to look up the ingredients. I saw that sugar was still the first ingredient and I was horrified. They still aren’t even close to being healthy!
I do put bad things in my body, every day I’m sure. I am just not very picky when I am picking up snacks/food. I know I eat a really healthy diet and I’m already obsessed with certain things about my diet, so if I became obsessed with making sure I put ZERO processed food in my body, I’d go crazy!! It’s just not worth it to me, as I know most of the foods I eat are very healthy, so it’s ok to eat some processed food, I don’t mind.
Flat tire? I would FAIL at changing it!
I have changed my own tire once. I didn’t really mind changing it (my dad made me learn how to do it before he’d let me buy a car). What I minded was the fact that my loser ex-boyfriend WATCHED me change it. It was in the parking lot of the mall, and everyone who walked by just shook their heads. Why did I date that guy for 4 years??!!
My fave PB is actually Costco’s brand (Kirkland Signature) organic natural PB. The only ingredients are peanuts and salt, but it stays incredibly creamy, even when it’s refrigerated. Love it!
I also just discovered MaraNatha’s dark chocolate nut butters, and they are to die for. The ingredient list is a little longer than standard nut butter, but the stuff is good, so I can make an exception. I’m going to give some away on my Jogger’s Life (www.joggerslife.com) blog next week!
And I totally forgot to answer the ONE question that I meant to answer (I’m a little long-winded at times, obv). I’ll be meeting my first famous author next month, and I’m really excited. I’m going to a lecture by Jenni Schaefer, who is the author of Goodbye ED, Hello Me. I love that book, and I’ve read it about 12 times, so this will be like meeting a rock star for me. =)
thanks for the comment! LOL. i’m not sure how old this athlete is (he’s a football player) and he is at Valley College, where i’m both taking that class on athletic training and helping out the ATCs there. =D he knows a lot of places, (he was guessing GUAM? LAOS? (sheesh!) and Korea, vietnam, philipino, chinese, japanese (but he eliminated those from the eye thing…) =D we’ll call him M for short. cute tho.
This awesome. thanks for the info and for the reviews.:)
i have seen those smart choice commercials.. but never looked into the products that have the “check” and i am appalled that fruit loops boasts the check. um, hello? worst cereal ever! nutritionally speaking, that is. bravo to this whole post. it is sad what some people think are “healthy” choices. i think everyone could use a lesson from mr pollan. anyway, sorry about the flat! my fave PB&J is on hot toast!
Great post today!
Sorry you didn’t get you book signed but at least you got to hear him speak. It really is a bummer that most of the general population doesn’t understand what “healthy” really is. I’ve tried to explain things to my co-workers and acquaintances but usually they just say they don’t like vegetables or organic is too expensive. I try my best to lead by example and show healthy alternatives.
As for the tire…. yeah…. I’d call hubby or AAA. I’m not really a changing tire kind of gal.
Hope you’re not too lonely without your Mallard there. Stay busy!
-A
Awesome post!! I too get angry that companies try to sell their “healthy” foods to people who don’t know any better. And what’s worse is it’s mainly kids who get affected because their parents think they are feeding their kids healthy food. It’s so sad!
Thanks for the subway info!! I had no idea that there was weird ingredients in their stuff.. I always wondered! What about their meats?
I agree! Labeling is SO whack sometimes! You really have to be an educated consumer to make the truly healthy choices. there’s a subway in the grocery store I go to and it smells SO good every time I go in. I have been craving a sub for a while now, but I always feel bad spending like 6 dollars on a sandwich I could probably make at home. Sometimes ya just gotta give in though
xoxo
Oh! We just read a whole bunch of those articles about the “smart choices” in one of my classes. Soooo many people were just straight idiots about the whole food situatio I couldn’t even handle it! Lovvve this post though! I wanna get my hands on some of his books when I’m not knee deep in school reading
ahhhh michael pollan…i love that man! such a good speech, right? i love his whole attitude on food. and did he mention that froot loops is 44% sugar by weight. digusting!
Great post, I actually worked in language research and marketing for a while. And it was frightening to see what food companies wanted from our service. They wanted us to tell them how to make their products SOUND healthy. They paid us hundreds of thousands of dollars to help them sell falsified products–rather than investing in creating legitimately healthy products. SO, SO scary!
This post made me laugh! hahah! the flat tire thing.. However, it is cool you’ve meet your favorite author!
Cheers! More flat tires to come..hehe!
Very cool that you got to see him speak! I would LOVE to attend one of his lectures. It is scary to look at the labels on some products at the food store. I try to shop the outside aisles as much as possible and reduce my processed foods in take. But I do think it is more than ok to have something naughty every now and again
I am so jealous! Would love love love to see MP! He may be my idol.
Mmm, puffins! Pb & J’s! Cinnamon raisin pb!! Allll my faves
I’m always up for the healthier re-makes of certain products. Like, i adore whole food’s 365 brand graham crackers….but honey maid graham crackers are filled with HFCS….sad!
I agree with you that a lot of times people make wrong decision about food because they’re misinformed. but not always! I’m reading mindless eating and I’m surprised that even the most educated people (grad students or even ph.d) they easily forget about what they’ve learned when it comes to food. there are too many other factors that induce/persuade our decisions.
I would love to hear Michael Pollan talk – I love his books!
The ingredients on ‘smart choices’ are seriously scary sometimes
Yeah it’s unfortunate that a majority of foods, even seemingly healthy foods have artificial colors flavors, HFCS, and hydrogenated oils. Sigh, that’s why it’s so hard to find “easy” or “quick” food items without eating that stuff. Things like regular bread, tortillas, or wheat thins have artificial stuff. However, I believe that it’s ok to eat those things every once in a while. A Subway treat is definitely called for sometimes
OMG I LOVE THAT MAN!! i just read In the Defense of Food and fell in love!! I bet it was a great lecture.
Wow, you have some cancer in your family, just like me. Thanks for sharing that with me. Actually similar to your aunt, my grandma had breast cancer that went to her kidneys too! I don’t know if that’s common, but it must be.
puff puff PUFFINSSSSSSSSSS
HIGH FIVE fellow puffin lover! =D
Yeah, i’m loving wordpress. i’m still getting the hang of it. should i be reading some like intro to wordpress so i know all the features? i kinda just JUMPED IN HEAD FIRST! =D
Love the new site my dear – VERY nice looking!
Just found you and am enjoying your blog!
Deb @ smittenkitchen is your woman for bread. She has great recipes for wheat bread that are simple to make, taste delicious, and are healthy to boot. Try the “bread without a timetable” or the “light wheat bread”. Both are staples in my house. I use honey or sugar in the raw instead of white sugar and it turns out.