Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us

Brian_VA

Have been reading this book by a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative reporter at The New York Times named Michael Moss. The food industry takes the cheapest ingredients, and through meticulous food science blends with salt, sugar, and fat, and then does extensive taste testing of different formulations in their target markets to determine the "bliss point" (the point at which the product is the most irresistible). This art was fine tuned on kids and breakfast cereals, which are not cereal at all, but “breakfast dessert” no better than candy. But we’re not just talking about breakfast cereal, there at 60,000 items in an average grocery store. How many of them are all natural? From tomato sauce to salad dressing, the vast majority are being altered to suck us in. The food industry understands taste, mouth feel, and the various ways to use sugar, salt, and fat can be made to overcome the bitter, nasty taste of preservatives and other ingredients to produce optimal appeal. They know how to make that appeal overcome a sense of being full so we eat more. And then use marketing to drive the product home. I learned that Coke has found marketing to new customers in the US not nearly as profitable as targeting their existing customers to get them to drink more. The description of the psychology of food is really interesting. If you give a person a glass of Coke (without telling them the brand) and ask them to rate the taste, the result is good. But tell them it is Coke and the enjoyment factor goes through the roof. The advertising actually improves the taste – 100% reproducible. So if a competing product tastes identical or even better, people will like the taste of the Coke better. Is this an accident? Oh, and Coke recently reformulated a little to reduce the amount of “secret formula” in the Coke to add more corn syrup, still maintaining the “bliss point”, saving $$$$s. Brilliant! Someone earned a huge bonus. I wasn’t when I started, but am now firmly convinced that many of the obese didn’t fall into obesity, they were deliberately pushed. I definitely think a read of this book would help bolster any dieter's willpower to see the effort the food industry goes to to help them fail.

And why? If the public demanded fresh organic broccoli, free range chicken, and whole grain cereal – wouldn’t the food industry just move over to supplying these foods instead. No. These foods are much more expensive to produce, much shorter shelf life, and people won’t eat them in endless quantity. How much would they have to charge for a bunch of broccoli to make the same profit they make on a can of Coke? The food industry survives on the high profit margins only supplied by selling the cheapest food at a premium price.

I searched and found an inactive thread on this book in another sub-forum. People seem to think that the consumer demand provides the incentive for companies to produce these foods. No one if forcing people to eat these foods, right? I agree to a point. But the food industry advertises the sugariest arguably worst for you foods to young kids. And they are constantly tinkering with the recipes of the products. Ketchup – they learned that by taking out some of the tomato and adding sugar the amount of consumption goes up and the cost goes down. I am not saying that strong willed MFPers can’t use will-power and nutrition knowledge to battle this, but don’t fool yourselves – as a population we are being driven to obesity – on purpose – by a food industry intent on making the cheapest most appealing products, using advertising to make them sound healthy, and advertising them to those least capable of resisting.

What if the food industry actually created “addictive sugar” – a sugar molecule that was physically addictive? Would that be ok to market to kids? Haven’t they come pretty close already?

FredDoyle

There is too much Nanny-Statism already. Just teach your kids how to eat properly just like how you teach them to look both ways before crossing the road, addictive substances etc. We don't need the government doing it. Do it yourself parents.

besaro

nanny statism. lol. well, I for one, love stop signs.

Hearts_2015

Thanks! I'd heard about the author/book and have been wanting to check the library. Thanks for the reminder!! :flowerforyou: :happy:

cmriverside

In for the poo storm.



Kids eat what you let them eat. Sure, they will have opportunities to eat sugary stuff - just like we do. It's not going to kill them in moderation. Don't have it in your house and you cut a lot of that temptation out.

Sugar already IS addictive. No additives or engineering needed.

olDave

I seriously doubt that companies sit around contemplating ways to destroy it's customers by making them obese. They are out to make a profit...plain and simple.

When I read things like the OP, it's just another example of people looking for something to fear. The producers of books and "documentaries" that promote mass hysteria are guilty of playing on the natural tendency of people to find something to worry about.

Sigh.

dbmata

This gunna be good.
I can't wait for the fast food defenders to get here.

ohheyitssteve

Food companies want to make food that customers enjoy and want to consume?! *Better call the press, this is big stuff!*

MudRunLvr

Oh thank heavens. All this time I worried that my being fat had something to do with me. Nice to know someone else is to blame for what I purchase and consume. That's a load off.

EatClean_WashUrNuts

Your belief that the "Food Giants" hooked us is false. You willingly CHOSE to eat the food

marypatmccue

This is going to be fun!
wheeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!

iAMsmiling

I for one am shocked that any company would do things to make their products more appealing to consumers while keeping production costs down!
I mean really! I thought they were all out there working hard every day to figure out how to be sure we only ate food that is good for us.

Wait, do you mean my mommy isn't CEO of General Mills?

Be responsible for yourself.

No_Finish_Line

sugar is added to pretty much any packaged product in america

i've always said they put something in there that makes you want more of it.

always thought it was odd that things like apples taste a lot better the longer its been since you've had a candy bar or slice of cake or the like.

iwillwearshorts

People ate healthier before television, right? Advertising works; otherwise, they wouldn't spend millions on it.

I like your attitude of taking control and ignoring the advertisers. And, I respect how much you've lost and am trying to get there myself.

ThickMcRunFast

I am conflicted.

On the one hand, I am shocked...SHOCKED that a corporation would choose profits over what is best for the health of consumers.

On the other hand, I am so relieved to have someone else to blame for my problems.

No_Finish_Line

maybe its not really news, but i think there is a very large number of people that think that if they buy a bag of chicken wings out of the freezer in the grocery store that this is somehow much better then going to KFC. they are both really fast food, one you just have to heat up yourself.

honestly think a lot of people have the mentality that as long as you avoid candy and snack food at the grocery store then your eating 100% healthy and thats not the case.

Alderaic

come on guys, one thing is still true. so many people gave in this that today it is hard to find food without sugar and stuff in it.

Trust me I buy only food without added sugar etc.. but even roasted pepper in glass containers have added sugars for some reason!

I stick to a one ingredient grocery list, but I find it shamefull that in 2013 I cannot buy a basic tomato sauce without added sugar and salt. I can do it myself, I often doo, but groceries should be an option when buying these things, not an enemy trying to "hide" everything (ok not hidden but still a pain in the *kitten* to look for every single time).

efirkey

Another reason why the food industry pushes crap over whole foods is because whole foods take a lot of time to produce/grow. They only need a bunch of man made chemicals to produce a lot of the crap food like coke, so they are limited to the amount of whole foods that can be produced.

cmriverside

Wait. KFC has wings?? What kind? Like Buffalo style? *goes to look up KFC locations*

efirkey

But the foods are addictive like any drug and you can not avoid eating as easily as you can avoid using recreational drugs.

efirkey

Is the book good? I almost bought it a couple of weeks ago.

timpicks

There once was a thread that asked what our bad eating habits were, and after thinking about it for a while, the answer for me was all of them. I'm not a purist, but have come to realize that there is very little produced by processed food manufacturers that helps me attain reasonable health and fitness goals. I read an article by the author (though not the book) and he makes a compelling case that this is not an accident--foods are engineered for profit maximization rather than public health benefits.

We can disagree about politics, but a primary role of the government is to represent the public interest. The epidemic of obesity in the US and other first world countries is at least partly (and I would contend significantly) due to an ethically abhorrent manipulation of the food supply by corporate interests that is contrary to the public interest. We as consumers should be demanding changes from food manufacturers and the government should assist in this effort by sponsoring and publicizing solid scientific and medical research. I believe in individual freedom and am not in favor of government mandating a reduction in choices, but it is important for us both as individuals and as a society that we are able to make informed choices.

Brian_VA

I seriously doubt that companies sit around contemplating ways to destroy it's customers by making them obese. They are out to make a profit...plain and simple.

When I read things like the OP, it's just another example of people looking for something to fear. The producers of books and "documentaries" that promote mass hysteria are guilty of playing on the natural tendency of people to find something to worry about.

Sigh.

Really?

Clearly the food industry makes a profit by selling more food. And they sell more food by making the nation fat. The too are too closely linked.

I DO think they sit around all day trying to figure out a way to get us to buy more of their product because I can't resist it.

The nation is getting fat at an alarming rate. The food industry acknowledged their contribution in 1999 and portions tried to self-regulate, but failed due to the huge profit motive on the other side. Read the first chapter.

No one that has commented has even addressed the fact that it is the kids that are targeted first - it is hard to preach a healthy lifestyle to them. And to anyone that says that parents can dictate what their kids eat, especially once they go into school, is being overly idealistic.

FredDoyle

But the foods are addictive like any drug and you can not avoid eating as easily as you can avoid using recreational drugs.

Sure you can. Every couple of days I go to one of the 5 or 6 grocery stores by my house and buy real food. How is that hard?

efirkey

come on guys, one thing is still true. so many people gave in this that today it is hard to find food without sugar and stuff in it.

Trust me I buy only food without added sugar etc.. but even roasted pepper in glass containers have added sugars for some reason!

I stick to a one ingredient grocery list, but I find it shamefull that in 2013 I cannot buy a basic tomato sauce without added sugar and salt. I can do it myself, I often doo, but groceries should be an option when buying these things, not an enemy trying to "hide" everything (ok not hidden but still a pain in the *kitten* to look for every single time).

When I make my own pasta sauce I add salt and sugar to it, but at least I can control how much is being added or whether or not I add it.

olDave

I seriously doubt that companies sit around contemplating ways to destroy it's customers by making them obese. They are out to make a profit...plain and simple.

When I read things like the OP, it's just another example of people looking for something to fear. The producers of books and "documentaries" that promote mass hysteria are guilty of playing on the natural tendency of people to find something to worry about.

Sigh.

Really?

Clearly the food industry makes a profit by selling more food. And they sell more food by making the nation fat. The too are too closely linked.

I DO think they sit around all day trying to figure out a way to get us to buy more of their product because I can't resist it.

The nation is getting fat at an alarming rate. The food industry acknowledged their contribution in 1999 and portions tried to self-regulate, but failed due to the huge profit motive on the other side. Read the first chapter.

No one that has commented has even addressed the fact that it is the kids that are targeted first - it is hard to preach a healthy lifestyle to them. And to anyone that says that parents can dictate what their kids eat, especially once they go into school, is being overly idealistic.

Yes...really.

Oh...by the way...the sky is falling.

drcherokee

Agreed. Fast food companies want to maximize profit, so how can they maximize profit if they're getting horribly bad press? It's not in their interest to "make people obese," it's in their interest to make a profit. Too much bad press about unhealthy foods, then they offer healthier ones. Luckily, with the internet and places like Myfitnesspal it's much easier to track and make healthier decisions.

Much like fighting free speech with free speech, how do you fight bad food? With the knowledge of how bad it is and the alternatives. Not directly demonizing companies trying to make a profit. If they're evil, don't buy anything from them. Exercise your right to vote with your pocketbook.

Do I want a nanny state telling me what I can eat? No. The government isn't my daddy.

cmriverside

But the foods are addictive like any drug and you can not avoid eating as easily as you can avoid using recreational drugs.

You don't need the extra large popcorn and the extra large coke at the theater.

Try bringing your own snacks, or at least stop buying the coke. Even better, eat before you go to the theater.

The less of that crap you eat, the less of it you'll crave.

efirkey

But the foods are addictive like any drug and you can not avoid eating as easily as you can avoid using recreational drugs.

You don't need the extra large popcorn and the extra large coke at the theater.

Try bringing your own snacks, or at least stop buying the coke. Even better, eat before you go to the theater.

The less of that crap you eat, the less of it you'll crave.

Are you allowed to bring in your own snacks to the movie theater?

I haven't had popcorn or a coke in at least five months, but I very much enjoy them. There is something in the movie theater butter that just makes it so that I can't stop eating it.

cmriverside

But the foods are addictive like any drug and you can not avoid eating as easily as you can avoid using recreational drugs.

You don't need the extra large popcorn and the extra large coke at the theater.

Try bringing your own snacks, or at least stop buying the coke. Even better, eat before you go to the theater.

The less of that crap you eat, the less of it you'll crave.

Are you allowed to bring in your own snacks to the movie theater?

They don't want you to, but do you have pockets or a backpack?

Where I live (in the U.S.) they haven't started searching people to go in the theater...



Yet :laugh:

iAMsmiling

Another reason why the food industry pushes crap over whole foods is because whole foods take a lot of time to produce/grow. They only need a bunch of man made chemicals to produce a lot of the crap food like coke, so they are limited to the amount of whole foods that can be produced.

All you need are you and a few million of your closest friends to demand only sugar free tomato sauce and bam, some evil corporation will be glad to produce it and sell it to you.
In the mean time, they know people buy what tastes good to them and they'd go out of business selling tomato sauce without sugar if that isn't what the market wants.