Why why why the food today has become so poisonous?

Why do we parents not check the labels on the products that we pick up in malls especially?

Well because we trust the brands that we have been using since our own childhood. Right?

But in the olden days, there was less competition and less adulteration. I have come to believe that there is a vicious cycle that is causing great harm to our kids. Can not really blame one or two things but there are a lot of culprits who are themselves driven by materialistic gains.

Lets analyze one by one.

1. Competition 

Yup! This is the biggest culprit. Each company is fighting tooth and nail to survive or lock in profits. Bigger a company, larger is their stake in the market. To maintain this humongous stake they will leave no stone unturned. Ethics is only in the paper. So they entice consumers with taste which will hook especially children to their products. Knowing the parents psychology too well, they know its not difficult to make us buy food that is tasty and seemingly healthy. 

So they keep on adding ingredients that will make their products taste better or look better. To hell with the health!

Adding ingredient unnecessarily is not a worry to them. Add detergent in noodles to make it non sticky or extra silicon, who cares. The stupid kids won't decipher ever and the ignorant parents have no time! Yes, that's how these biggie think of you and your kids.

What should they do? To remain conscientious, they need to employ right people. People who will make the company grow in the right way towards profitability and not resort to any hook or crook.

2: MBAs

MBAs from prestigious colleges across the globe share a lot of blame too in my opinion. When they pay crores in fee, youth must join very high paying companies to pay their loans. The companies they join are biggies who can literally buy your life for the work they expect you to do. So these young kids actually work their butt off trying to prove their worth. In the bargain they have to leave their ethics and conscience at home where they reach midnight!

They have to come up with cut throat marketing strategies and business plans and ignore health of the consumer along with their own.

What can they do? Well, for the starters, do not run after such courses that make you a life long slave of a bank. 🙂 Follow your passion and chase your dreams without getting carried away by the rat race. You, can do this. Stop your child falling into this trap by teaching yourself that chasing marks never ensures happiness. 

Read about this 22 yr old MBA from Wharton School of Business how he dies and his father's guilt.

3: TV Promotional Advertisements

Our kids watch more TV than we did. Should or not is a point that needs debating else where. But, these TV promotional ads are luring the kids with flimsy toys and promises that they obviously do not understand. They show totally irrelevant acts after consuming their products. Drinks turning kids into super kids! Baah!

Ok they are kids. What about you? Parents especially moms are targeted by the food product ads. These ad make moms feel guilty when they do not buy and give the expensive drinks or readymade food that seems to make their kids healthier and stronger! 

If only you would pause the ads and try to read the tiny scrolling disclaimers in the ads, you will be shocked to know how their product advertisements claims are farce and empty.

I did this article in 2009 on health drink comparison and have been doing reviews since then to be shocked each time by claims on the ads. Read the comparison here.

Claims that their products give nutrition as good as wheat roties or milk are all empty. Check the pack disclaimers and you will read that they actually themselves say you must give balanced food along with their junk products! Why? If their food is sooooo healthy, why not claim it too.

Health drinks claim all kinds of growth in height and brain activity but if you read their disclaimers, they mention very clearly that only when taken with milk their product works! The amount protein claimed is actually of the milk! 🙂 

Claims that their product is good for all kids is also wrong! Read here why Pediasure is not good for all kids.

Aspartame added in most sweet products especially meant for kids. I had to throw away a lot that were sent from US or bought by my relatives when I had read most contain aspartame that kills brain cells and artificial color and flavors. Did you know even the chocolate has brown color added in Hershey's Chocolate Syrup! That is just one example! Go read yourself all the labels. I have stopped or minimized the consumption of these products in my house. Yes not banned totally because I also believe that things taken in moderation is necessary to keep the body used to these poisonous ingredients. 

Ajinomoto or MSG is harmful if taken in large quantity and regularly. Read here why Pringles caused serious allergy to my son.

What should they do? Again be ethical and mindful. Their kids are also consuming the same food! 

4: DINKS

Now, lets shoulder the blame too. Why point fingers only at others? They are "others". They are doing it for profitability. Why are you doing it ?

DINKS (Double Income) parents have to work really hard in these above companies so obviously, they have no time. No time to really Google about the claims on these food products. No time to read the labels. If you do have time you have no choice (?) as these are sooo convenient and easy to use products. Yes, you have no time, so these companies are taking advantage of this fact by pushing packaged food to us in the colorful packs. 

What can you do? Well, hire a cook. Trust me ever since I hired one, my kids are eating more home cooked food than ever. They are little expensive but then what is more precious than the health of our children. To make you feel better, think also that you are giving job to one more person and helping the country. 🙂

There kids are also partly to be blamed but I have decided to keep them out of this list as its again us to be blamed of their demands and behaviour. 

So Start reading the label. 

Check out each ingredient on wikipedia.

Check this site for nutrition

The best advice I can give today is to not trust any brand or Ad on TV. Check the label right in the mall before buying a product and google it on your smartphone. Remember, minimising packaged food is the need of the hour today.

Check this site to find out if the brand is harmful or not.