Olestra
Technically speaking, it was to be the something that was supposedly going to change the world. Stock analysts even proclaimed it as being the "single most important discovery in the history of the food industry", and would generate over a billion dollars annually in sales becomming Procter and Gambles, the creators, best selling product. What is not to like about a product which replaces the fat content in previosly named junk food such as potato chips? Apparently quite a bit.
Olestra was first invented in 1968 as a way of increasing an infants intake of fat. This is when they stumbled upon a special chemcial which was actually the hexa, hepta, and octa-esters of fatty acid of sucrose. These molecules are so big and fatty, that the body cannot be metabolized by the body by enzymes and bacteria in the intestine, and as a result is not digested or absorbed. Instead of increasing fat intake, this chemical replaced it.
Almost 30 years later, Olestra was finally given approval by the FDA to be used in food, however, with the condition of a warning label indicating the product can induse upset stomach and loose stools, as well as inhibiting the absorbtion of vitamins A, D, E and K. For a product that was supposed to be perfect, what happened? Studies conducted prior, first with mice, had somewhat alarming results which indicated that in addition to the first two problems stated, Olestra can cause cancer. The reason for this is that the product interferes with the bodies natural absorbtion of carotenoids which are found in fruits in vegetables, which help the body fight against cancer. Studies in humans showed that people who consumed 2 grams of Olestra per day had 15% lower level of carotenoids in their body than those who didnt eat them. A regular sized bag of chips made with Olestra however, contain over 15 grams. Further studies showen that when given Olestra doses every day included in every meal, levels dropped over 60%.
Once Olestra hit the market, the FDA recieved more than 1000 reports of the food causing adverse reactions, yet Procter and Gamble still maintain the product is harmless. To perhaps nobodies surprise, "fake-fat" containing products recieved initial high sales, but quickly plummeted due to both the media and word of mouth on its affects, as well as the warning label and relative high price.
Adverts often mask foods that are unhealthy by emphasising its positive nutritional features – such as dietary fibre and protein. While at the same time ignoring its negative features – including the high amounts of saturated fat and sugar contents. In some cases, even products that mention any alleged health benefits are usually are outweighed by the health risks associated with consuming the product, that they just fail to
Recently, another weight loss supplement has stepped into the ever-increasing market. This drug, called Stimulife 750, is a supposedly all-natural herbal supplement that promotes weight loss without any effort from the client. Both the parent company – Stimulife International – and various distributors of Stimulife 750 make bold blanket statements such as “Stimulife 750 has everything good and nothing bad,” which set the success of the pill far higher than is possible. Furthermore, these individuals attempting to sell the product use a variety of marketing techniques to encourage purchasing the supplement; however, they provide no scientific evidence to support the claims they make regarding the safety and effectiveness of the product. By appealing to the clients’ desire for a natural and easy way to lose weight, providing pseudo-scientific statements to convey a sense of authenticity to the product, and befriending the client by seeming to care for their best interests, the distributers attempt to woo more clients. However, Stimulife 750 contains many ingredients included in other “unsafe” weight loss supplements and scientific research shows no clear evidence that Stimulife 750 is any more effective or safe as other diet pills.
Agnes was, “the first to demonstrate that a commonly used food preservative, sulfur dioxide, had a protective effect on vitamin C and a damaging effect on thiamin (King)”. She learned this by studying the vitamin content of many important California-grown foods, wheat, almonds, and walnuts, and the effects of processing them. She also was extremely interested in developing the conclusion of why there were so many low weight (underweight) children, and what the cause was driven from.
Throughout the film, various companies are exposed for promoting products in a manner that depicts the products as a healthy alternative. The ultimate exposing is done on the government and the USDA. The government is exposed for making deals with food companies to not demonize companies that sell unhealthy food. Even Michelle Obama 's "Let 's Move" campaign against childhood obesity started out bringing unhealthy companies to the light but died down by emphasizing exercise and not talking about food.This is largely in part due to a deal made with major corporations who weren’t too pleased with the original approach of “Let’s Move”. In addition, the USDA is exposed for promoting products such as cheese, milk, and high fructose corn syrup in a fictional way. They provided no information that they were unhealthy in the
Oleanna by David Mamet documents what occurs between a professor and his student over a period of three meetings in which trivial daily interactions and their meanings are interpreted the wrong way. The critics who call Oleanna "a parable about the tragedy of failing to listen" are absolutely correct. If John and Carol had actually listened to each other, they may have been able to communicate effectively and nothing bad would have come from their meetings. Instead, due to the nature of their characters, they ruin any sort of connection that could have been made between the two. However, neither John nor Carol are villains, they are flawed characters who represent "humans with the same human flaw a failure to communicate." Their failure to communicate ultimately leads to the accusations against John and his retaliatory actions against Carol.
While reading the “The Government’s Bad Diet Advice” by Nina Teicholz she raise many good points about how the food industry has fudged some of the data just to get us to buy more of xyz product. For instance, we were told for two generations that eggs and other animal products were “bad” for our
Due to false advertising, I feel that certain food companies are being careless in trying to make people buy their products in order to make money in the quickest way possible. My only suggestions for this situation are either the companies to tell the truth about their products, or stop advertising completely. If the companies could spend more time researching the effects of their products, then they could make improvements to their foods or maybe find alternatives to the ingredients. That way people can make the right decisions in buying what is best for them and their children. Thank you for your time.
Artificial sweeteners are fake sugar substitutes that many people use to maintain their weight and diabetes. But, what many people do not understand is that artificial sweeteners are not all they are cracked up to be. It is a proven fact that people who consume diet coke on a regular basis will be fatter one year from the time they began drinking them. Many artificial sugars are in the everyday items that people eat/drink including soda, chewing gum, energy drinks, granola bars, cereal, and much more. There are many aversive health effects that are associated with specific artificial sweeteners. The most common artificial sweeteners include aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, neotame, and Acesulfame- K. Although artificial sweeteners are assumed to be a healthy option but, in the long run they can cause many aversive health conditions that could have been prevented by just consuming natural sugar.
The FTC deceives consumers by using advertisement weight-loss and as a result it has collected almost $107 million since 2010 (Giorgianni, 2014). In addition, people need to increase their awareness of fad diets by knowing the negative impacts of it.
Vastag, Brian. "FDA Reviews Expanded Claims On Health Benefits Of Certain Foods." JNCI: Journal Of The National Cancer Institute 96.16 (2004): 1198-1199.
Some examples of claims are "low-fat", "lite", "light", "reduced", "%fat free" and "No added". The food industry is very keen to make health claims on food labels, and the ANZFA has considered lifting the ban that stops them from doing so. Many disagreeable claims are made regarding the ability of nutrients to prevent certain diseases. Food manufacturers are now only allowed to make the following well-established claims concerning relationships between diet and disease: Calcium and a reduced risk of osteoporosis. Fat and increased risk of cancer.
The proposed stakeholders in medical advancements are the doctors, scientists and patients combined as they all hold interest in the outcome of the product. The scientists are the researchers who receive recognition, doctors receive patients who provide for their income and patients benefit from their body being healthy again due to the laxative. Focusing merely on healthcare, any advancement which can help to maintain one’s body in good condition is reason enough to have a positive impact as these developments can improve our ultimate life expectancy and well-being. Adversely, this laxative as mentioned before, is suitable and recommended for certain people only, reducing its propriety for all. Conjointly, polyethylene glycol is FDA approved and as of now, no study shows any negative impact the chemical may have on the environment. This chemical is readily available and is refined from petroleum, becoming one of the hundreds of oil based chemicals out there, making it a minor influence on any environmental concerns. To support the argument, a study conducted by EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in 2000 stated that the main element considered to be carcinogenic-ethylene glycol- has
Not once did anyone anticipate that the idea of creating large amounts of corn syrup would be the enemy of modern obesity. The future looked vivid and bright in 1970; instead of fretting about malnourished children, the government could focus on many other important issues and ideas. The scientists back then would never know that today obesity is one of the biggest problems the United States faces. Soon after that, many young men were turned away from joining World War I because many people considered them too “lanky” to fight. Though discouraged, many solved their worries using one thing: vitamins. Scientists suggested vitamins because they were affordable and easy to take.
Therapy, Nutritional. "Saturated Fats - The Food Advice Centre." The Food Advice Centre - Nutrition That Fits. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. .
The bottom line is that I feel that these companies should allow americans to know what is in the foods we eat beyond just the food labels. To those unknowingly consuming these products is deceptive and inhuman. After my findings I will be watching what foods I consume and research more about the companies I commonly buy from. With the knowledge I have gained the risks of contining to eat such foods would be much higher then the time taken to find the facts. I will continue to share the information I have learned to insure all know what they are putting into ones