One man's meat . . .

I was listening to some talk radio thing the other day on the subject of food, sort of.  The guest was suggesting that we should change how we define food.  Some sort of  calorie to nutrient ratio to meet the criteria "food."  So, veggies could still be food.   McDonald's french fries would not be food.  Even a big mac would probably not meet the mark.  

Just think; junk food, candy, soda - no longer food.  It could be regulated, controlled, and taxed like cigarettes and alcohol.  Maybe we would begin to see a trip to the local fast food dive in the same light that we now look at ice-cream shops.  "No, honey, you can't have chicken McNuggets, it will spoil your dinner."  "Maybe after dinner we can run over to BK for some fries."  

Of course if we actually followed this advice, the food industry would add enough "nutrients" to meet the criteria.  We already have "vitamin waters" and herbal sodas, it would not take much to get the chemical composition of our junk to have the legal mix of nutrients. So that wouldn't really change anything.  What if the criteria had to do with number of steps away from a live food source - so that overprocessed ingestibles would not be considered food.  

Would we have a limit on the amount of controlled ingestibles allowed?  What about open containers in our vehicles?  Government sponsored rehab programs for those with serious non-food ingestible addiction?

We already have enough crazy laws telling what we can or can't do or eat, or enjoy.  What we don't have is enough education and cultural reinforcement to prioritize good nutrition over convenience and "taste."  I also think that high salt, fat and sweet foods do not necessarily taste better, but they have those basic qualities that our primitive bodies interpret as "good."  In fairly recent evolutionary history more calories meant healthier.  Our bodies have not caught up to our knowledge, and our will-power is caught in the middle.

So have a nice big bowl of steamed veggies for dinner, berries for desert.  And maybe a whole bag of Cheetos as your non-food treat.