nosh nook #76 - monday, june 29, 2009

'bliss' foods devised to create snack junkies (link)
06.29.09 - the australian - by jonathan leake

are you a junkie? do you run out to the corner at every opportunity & grab yourself some smack? how about some snack? if you're like me and millions of americans, you're a total junkie, always fiending for some snack. who says we're junkies? former FDA chairman david kessler, the guy who got standardized nutrition facts on labels & took on big tobacco, that's who...& he said it in an actual book (the end of overeating) from an actual publisher (rodale), so you know it's true.

last night, i came across an article about kessler's book in today's edition of the australian, since australia's from the future & all. in it, there's an article about the findings in kessler's book, findings that say that "manufacturers have discovered optimum levels of fat, sugar and salt that make [foods] highly addictive." heinz & starbucks are just two of the companies "seeking to trigger a 'bliss point'" in eaters, a point where more neurons fire in the brain & the eaters become snack junkies.

not having read kessler's book, here's my judgment (of the snap variety) about his findings: he says "it is time to stop blaming individuals for being overweight or obese." um, no it's not. even if manufacturers have some devious plan to create foods that turn people into snack junkies, just like with any junkie, individuals aren't entirely blameless. we get addicted to shit, but last i checked, we humans have free will & aren't entirely puppets.

having read this article by the australian, here's my judgment (of the non-snap variety) about it: um, this book came out two months ago. peeps have already covered it. i guess you just got the press release the other day or something & figured, "you know what? junk food hatred is a hot topic down under these days. let's let jonathan run with it." your article might be from the future & the book might be from the past, but your topic is SO NOW!