Whole Foods: the Temple of Pseudoscience.
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IN for reading later. I enjoy shopping at Whole Foods so this should be interesting...0
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Yup. End of story.
also that is a terribly written article. It repeatedly uses the phrase "pseudoscience" and then uses anecdotal evidence to prove his claim.Whole Foods: America’s Temple of Pseudoscience
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/23/whole-foods-america-s-temple-of-pseudoscience.html
This is a really great article that nails down what makes me so uncomfortable with the place.
"Still: a significant portion of what Whole Foods sells is based on simple pseudoscience. And sometimes that can spill over into outright anti-science (think What Doctors Don’t Tell You, or Whole Foods’ overblown GMO campaign, which could merit its own article)."
um.
ironic article is ironic.
For great success!0 -
Wait, am I reading this right? People think Whole Foods is a small company? $10 billion a year in sales, publicly traded company with hundreds of locations is "small?" They're a pretty large corporation.0
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Wait, am I reading this right? People think Whole Foods is a small company? $10 billion a year in sales, publicly traded company with hundreds of locations is "small?" They're a pretty large corporation.
No, I don't think they are a "small" company. I think that other companies influence a bigger and more varied market.0 -
Whole Foods: America’s Temple of Pseudoscience
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/23/whole-foods-america-s-temple-of-pseudoscience.html
This is a really great article that nails down what makes me so uncomfortable with the place.
"Still: a significant portion of what Whole Foods sells is based on simple pseudoscience. And sometimes that can spill over into outright anti-science (think What Doctors Don’t Tell You, or Whole Foods’ overblown GMO campaign, which could merit its own article)."
also that is a terribly written article. It repeatedly uses the phrase "pseudoscience" and then uses anecdotal evidence to prove his claim.
um.
ironic article is ironic.
Example?
Here ya go:
"I invited a biologist friend who studies human gut bacteria to come take a look with me. She read the healing claims printed on a handful of bottles and frowned. “This is bull****,” she said, and went off to buy some vegetables."
^^ That's when I quit reading too.
We don't have a Whole Foods where we live anyway, but this is something else that I find amusing: people who are self-righteous about shopping there.0 -
We don't have a Whole Foods where we live anyway, but this is something else that I find amusing: people who are self-righteous about shopping there.
The closest grocery to me is a Whole Foods and I shop there all the time because I don't want to drive another 20min to get to the next closest. Plus, they have Bell and Evans chicken that I think is the bomb.
Anywho, what I find amusing (and annoying) is the self-righteous attitude of 50% of the checkout staff. When my cart is full of meat and produce, everyone is all smiles and they're chatty Kathies. Get to the front of the line with a basket full of frozen meals and ice cream and it's pulling teeth to get them to talk to you. Ridiculous.0 -
I think it's quite right to take issue with a retailer based on one of their products - here in the UK i no longer shop at Tesco due to them refusing to engage in any meaningful dialogue with skeptics regarding stocking of 'What Doctors Don't Tell You' magazine. However, sadly, so many shops have their dark side - I would have boycotted Boots pharmacy due to their selling homeopathic products, were they not unfortunately sold in every other pharmacy I went into. So as much as it bothers me, you just have to hope that if you boycott the products themselves the retailer will make the decision not to stock them anymore.0
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We don't have a Whole Foods where we live anyway, but this is something else that I find amusing: people who are self-righteous about shopping there.
The closest grocery to me is a Whole Foods and I shop there all the time because I don't want to drive another 20min to get to the next closest. Plus, they have Bell and Evans chicken that I think is the bomb.
Anywho, what I find amusing (and annoying) is the self-righteous attitude of 50% of the checkout staff. When my cart is full of meat and produce, everyone is all smiles and they're chatty Kathies. Get to the front of the line with a basket full of frozen meals and ice cream and it's pulling teeth to get them to talk to you. Ridiculous.
How funny! They have a store called "Nature's Pantry" in our city, but it's 20 minutes or more from us, so I know what you mean. I shop at a store called "Sav-A-Lot," which is uber cheap for staple items.0 -
I don't agree with everything that Whole Foods sells or does, but they have the best (freshest) produce, largest bulk bin selection, and the only milk bottled in glass bottles (grass fed and local too) of any grocery store in my area. I spend a little more than I would at the Kroger (not much more though), and since I'm blessed enough to be able to afford to spend a little more, I do.
Also, their take and bake pizzas are better and cheaper than any of my local pizza places, so that's a win.0 -
A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"0 -
A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"
Show me the research that shows homeopathic remedies and healing crystals hurt people.0 -
A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"
Show me the research that shows homeopathic remedies and healing crystals hurt people.
Well, I personally know people who have been seriously hurt by trusting homeopathic remedies to cure their ills, and delaying actual medical treatment. It was really sad and frustrating to see, actually.
But that's not the point of the quote, I think. Not to me, anyway. It's that if Whole Foods positions itself as having certain standards for the products they sell, what does it say when they peddle snake oil?0 -
A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"
Haha, what a joke. Clearly it's all about consumer demand and little else.
We don't have Wholefoods in my country. I've been to them overseas and spent some time wandering the aisles looking at the various potions that promise enhanced health. I can see how people can get caught up in the hype. The stores have an interesting 'ambiance' about them.
I was impressed with the prepared foods section. I remember that they had red velvet cakes, full of delicious processed carbs, which I thought was rather ironic considering their theme. We had lunch there, including red velvet cake, and it cost a bomb.0 -
A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"
Show me the research that shows homeopathic remedies and healing crystals hurt people.
Well, I personally know people who have been seriously hurt by trusting homeopathic remedies to cure their ills, and delaying actual medical treatment. It was really sad and frustrating to see, actually.
But that's not the point of the quote, I think. Not to me, anyway. It's that if Whole Foods positions itself as having certain standards for the products they sell, what does it say when they peddle snake oil?
that doesn't mean the homeopathic remedy HURT that person, their decision-making did.
but I see what you're saying and it's a valid point. but color me not-so-shocked that a megacompany would be hypocritical...0 -
A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"
Haha, what a joke. Clearly it's all about consumer demand and little else.
We don't have Wholefoods in my country. I've been to them overseas and spent some time wandering the aisles looking at the various potions that promise enhanced health. I can see how people can get caught up in the hype. The stores have an interesting 'ambiance' about them.
I was impressed with the prepared foods section. I remember that they had red velvet cakes, full of delicious processed carbs, which I thought was rather ironic considering their theme. We had lunch there, including red velvet cake, and it cost a bomb.
Yes, it's not necessarily about actually providing superior products. It's about having an image of superior products/ethics/smarts/whatever. Yes, they provide many high quality products but they also peddle many products that are bunk but that people believe are great. To people who understand what's going on, it significantly undermines their positioning and branding.0 -
They may not hurt directly, but I think that it's a problem when people turn to ineffective CAMs and shun treatment with proven efficacy. In some circumstances it might be fine, but in others it can be deadly.A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"
Show me the research that shows homeopathic remedies and healing crystals hurt people.0 -
They may not hurt directly, but I think that it's a problem when people turn to ineffective CAMs and shun treatment with proven efficacy. In some circumstances it might be fine, but in others it can be deadly.A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"
Show me the research that shows homeopathic remedies and healing crystals hurt people.
My grandfather chose experimental cancer treatment instead of traditional therapies and gained years of his life that he probably wouldn't have had otherwise.
Risk/reward game.0 -
They may not hurt directly, but I think that it's a problem when people turn to ineffective CAMs and shun treatment with proven efficacy. In some circumstances it might be fine, but in others it can be deadly.A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"
Show me the research that shows homeopathic remedies and healing crystals hurt people.
My grandfather chose experimental cancer treatment instead of traditional therapies and gained years of his life that he probably wouldn't have had otherwise.
Risk/reward game.
The experimental cancer treatment probably didn't consist purely of sugar pills.
Experimental treatments and magic crystals are not quite the same thing.0 -
So did my father-in-law.
They may not hurt directly, but I think that it's a problem when people turn to ineffective CAMs and shun treatment with proven efficacy. In some circumstances it might be fine, but in others it can be deadly.A little food for thought, in the form of a quote from a friend:
"They have these "standards" for foods that they won't allow in their store, like anything with hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup. But they're fine with selling homeopathic remedies, and healing crystals"
Show me the research that shows homeopathic remedies and healing crystals hurt people.
My grandfather chose experimental cancer treatment instead of traditional therapies and gained years of his life that he probably wouldn't have had otherwise.
Risk/reward game.
It wasn't CAM though. That's quite different.0 -
To people who understand what's going on, it significantly undermines their positioning and branding.
The only thing that has undermined them in my book is the significant decrease in varieties of vegan ice cream that they carry. Fewer brands, way fewer flavors of the brands they do have. I am displeased about this. You can't provide a huge selection of a novelty product like that and then take it all away.
I mean, you can. But you shouldn't.0 -
The experimental cancer treatment probably didn't consist purely of sugar pills.
Experimental treatments and magic crystals are not quite the same thing.
If Whole Foods ever markets homeopathic or crystal treatments for cancer and doesn't include information that these products have no substantiation in the meaningful treatment of cancer, I would be convinced to stop shopping there. The day they sell Chemo Crystals and Chemopathy is the day I would take my business 100% elsewhere. (In truth, I actually can't remember the last time I was there, as another chain opened much closer to home and they have a comparable selection. The grocery store near me has also gotten much better in that way.)0 -
um... so that clean eating thread was actually really insightful and constructive... weird... of all the threads to disappear.0
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um... so that clean eating thread was actually really insightful and constructive... weird... of all the threads to disappear.
I was just thinking that! But I realized I may have turned into an MFP bully because I was surprised to see the paleo threads get deleted. There was a lot of disagreement, but I didn't think there was any over the top disrespect.0 -
um... so that clean eating thread was actually really insightful and constructive... weird... of all the threads to disappear.
I said something similar on my wall. It appeared to be becoming more civil and a middle ground was emerging.0 -
um... so that clean eating thread was actually really insightful and constructive... weird... of all the threads to disappear.
I was just thinking that! But I realized I may have turned into an MFP bully because I was surprised to see the paleo threads get deleted. There was a lot of disagreement, but I didn't think there was any over the top disrespect.
Yup. And I think disagreement is a good thing.0 -
Yup. And I think disagreement is a good thing.
Yes, and I until I am cleared to get out of bed, it's fulfilling some really valuable functions in my otherwise boring life. Yep, I heard it.0 -
gotta be honest I don't get the whole "making a thread disappear" game.
if the mods don't like it... just lock it. but don't pretend like it never happened - especially when it wasn't bad to begin with in MFP terms. so silly.0 -
gotta be honest I don't get the whole "making a thread disappear" game.
if the mods don't like it... just lock it. but don't pretend like it never happened - especially when it wasn't bad to begin with in MFP terms. so silly.
Being home from work has made me realize how much I miss during the day. But I am not questioning mod decisions. I just like being here during the day.0 -
gotta be honest I don't get the whole "making a thread disappear" game.
if the mods don't like it... just lock it. but don't pretend like it never happened - especially when it wasn't bad to begin with in MFP terms. so silly.
Being home from work has made me realize how much I miss during the day. But I am not questioning mod decisions. I just like being here during the day.
oh i like playing with fire
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Clean eating has gone? Oh well, at least I might get some work done now. I'm 'working from home' and it's not working. :laugh:0
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