The Necessity Of The Food Snob
Before studying nutrition (the chemistry and the politics), my definition of a “food snob” was synonymous with a “foodie” - a person with a passion for eating, who seeks out the best tasting food for pleasure rather than hunger. Simply put, being picky and discerning about food seemed like a luxury, a hobby, something the rest of us could roll our eyes at.
Today, my definition of a food snob has considerably changed.
Were we living in a world where only real food was available, a world where no one had to question what’s in our food or how it’s made (let alone what the short and long-term implications on our health were), I might feel differently. However, as I learn more about processed food, the poor quality of our soil, our questionable farming methods, and the plethora of disease-causing chemicals literally baked into our food supply, I’m deeply concerned about the lack of food education and healthy eating practices we’re taught.
It seems only a few select people, the ones who make it a point to study nutrition (let’s call them “snobs”), have insight into this topic. Even most medical doctors have very little (if any) nutrition training. And because we snobs are in the minority, we are the ones at the dinner table appearing “overly cautious,” “stuck up,” and “picky” about what we eat and how we like it prepared, when I can tell you, just trying to take care of our bodies in even the most basic ways is a constant swim against a strong current.
It reminds me of when “gluten-free” became more mainstream and many people (mostly those who had no idea what gluten is) started turning their noses up to the idea. “Oh, everything is gluten-free now. So annoying! Just eat bread like normal people!”
Thanks for your insight.
Gluten is poorly digested by many people, even if they don’t realize it. A good portion of the population has a gluten allergy or sensitivity, and 1% of them have the autoimmune disease (celiac disease) related to gluten - a life-threatening disease in which the body attacks itself in response to gluten. Much of the gluten-free “craze” has heightened since the 1990s when glyphosate (a likely carcinogenic pesticide) began being sprayed heavily on wheat crops. For the people annoyed by the gluten-free revolution, I’m sorry if other people’s food choices and sensitivities are annoying to you.
It’s easy to put gluten in the spotlight, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg.
A friend once told me, “To be even slightly healthy in the U.S., you need to be a little orthorexic.” - a problematic yet unfortunate reality. To be clear, I’m not advocating orthorexic tendencies (I struggled with it), but I am saying our world requires a bit of diligence around educating ourselves and choosing foods that are the least likely to kill us the fastest.
Let’s use a few more examples.
Consider that in the U.S. the food supply is grown in soil that contains heavy metals, heavy metals that also run rampant in our water supply along with antibiotics and parasites. While there’s no shortage of toxic metals in our soil, there is a pitifully depleted amount of essential nutrients and microbes needed to grow nutrient-dense food.
Consider that, even if the soil and water were clean, even fresh produce needs to be scrutinized for pesticides. Glyphosate is sprayed not only on wheat, but oats, beans, nuts, and some fruits. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts out a list every year called the clean 15 and dirty dozen for this exact reason - to help identify the 15 “cleanest” produce items (the ones that have the least pesticides and are therefore safe to buy conventionally) and the 12 “dirtiest” produce items (the ones that have the most pesticides and are therefore better to buy organic).
Consider that almost all the “food” marketed to kids has obscene amounts of sugar, MSG, and red dye 40 (think: M&Ms, Doritos). Red dye 40 has been linked to everything from autism, to hyperactivity, to migraines, to inflammatory bowel disease, and this could be easily avoided if companies dyed their food with beet juice instead. But because food companies are unlikely to change their products in our lifetime, it’s up to us to resist and choose better options.
This requires some level of time and attention. For starters, not blindly putting items in our grocery cart, without reading the ingredients on the back of the label first so we know what’s in the food. From there, it’s about taking the time to educate ourselves on what those ingredients mean (did you know there are over 50 names for sugar and companies use that to trick consumers into thinking their products are healthier because they have “honey” or “agave” or “rice syrup,” when in fact, it’s all sugar).
Consider that we’re led to believe most snacks should be sweet (especially for kids) - cookies, sugar-filled yogurts, granola bars. From a nutritional standpoint, these are the worst snacks. The best snacks (and meals) are balanced (they have protein, fat, fiber, and carbs), containing whole, unprocessed foods - anything that will keep blood sugar steady rather than spike it. Instead of those afternoon muffins, donuts, or dried mango, try:
carrots with hummus,
avocado on whole grain toast,
full-fat unsweetened yogurt with berries and nuts,
organic turkey slices with olives,
peanut butter and banana,
unsweetened oatmeal with plant milk, chia or pumpkin seeds, nut butter, and whole fruit
Consider for meat and fish eaters how animals are manipulated to seem more appealing. Antibiotics and growth hormones given to conventional livestock, pink dye administered to farmed salmon.
It’s insane and frightening, even more so when we realize this list is only a mere fraction of what’s happening to our food (and don’t get me started on plastics and toxic beauty/cleaning products).
This is what we’re contending with. This is why our health is failing (not factoring in individual lifestyle habits such as unchecked stress, excessive drinking, smoking, lack of sleep and exercise). The bad news is: the world is toxic and there’s no way to avoid toxins completely. The good news is: we can avoid a lot of toxicity by simply challenging the norm, what’s become “socially acceptable.”
This may mean:
having a Super Bowl party without Doritos, and baking organic chicken wings instead of frying them
using fruit as a sweet reward for kids instead of Oreos
doing less takeout and instead, more home cooking with fresh ingredients
opting for organic, grass-fed, and wild-cough when possible
using non-toxic cleaning products in your home and getting rid of any candles and air fresheners
using non-toxic beauty products at the risk of not smelling like a Victoria’s Secret showroom
getting a water filter and re-using glass bottles for drinking
So the next time you see someone taking their time reading package labels, asking the waiter a million questions, or requesting their salad dressing on the side, try to resist annoyance and practice patience instead, or dare I say, curiosity. You never know what may be behind someone’s choices for what they put in their body and food snobs are contending with an overbearing industry influence that, for them, could make the difference between health and disease.
Want to know more about our food supply and get recommendations for my favorite non-toxic beauty products and food brands? Reach out!