Why Eating Healthy Food Costs More Than Eating Junk

I often say: "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch," (TANSTAAFL). Another phrase that needs to go into everyone's vocabulary is this one: "There ain't no such thing as a free market" -- TAANSTAFM.

Some markets, of course, are more or less free than others, but all are warped from the behaviour predicted by free market models by various factors including collusion, monopolistic or oligopolistic behaviour, or by subsidies of various kinds, which includes various types of very indirect and non-governmental subsidies.

Then, of course, there are the straight up cases of massive government intervention.

Such is the case in the US agricultural industry. (No, not the farm sector: we're talking about the agriculture industry. Small farms get squat.)

The following chart makes the case, but remember that when it shows subsidies for meat what it's mostly talking about is actually subsidies for feed crops like corn and soy.

And corn subsidies in particular aren't just why meat is subsidized. It's why things like pop and other types of junk food are so much cheaper than healthy foods (think high-fructose corn syrup), which is also why poor people tend to be more obese, have higher incidences of diabetes, and so on.

Empty and unhealthy calories are just cheaper, and they're cheaper because the government straight-up subsidizes them.

Smart farm policy would do a massive revamp. Instead of subsidizing industrial agriculture of feed crops and empty calories, subsidies would be shifted to reduce the ecological footprint of farming, subsidize healthy calories in the form of vegetables and fruits and would seek to move agriculture onto a model which uses a lot less water and oil.

Ian Welsh November 2, 2007 - 5:29am

Ian Welsh's diary | printer friendly version |

( categories: Analysis | Economics | Health Issues | The Markets )

when they came out with the "11 servings of grain"

i lost all faith in the agency as one that had good/true information about health matters. what utter bunk. even if they are 'very small,' 11 servings of grain is just *ridiculous,* even for athletes. hell, when i was an athlete, running competitive miles every, day, i never ate that much. and i was a teen.

adm is as much the enemy as blackwater, halliburton, or any other republican welfare capitalist organization.

chicago dyke November 2, 2007 - 7:40am

How much is in one serving?

How many ounces? No one ever seems to have that information. If 1 serving equals, says, 1 or 2 oz., then that's pretty do-able.

Bolo November 2, 2007 - 10:34am

silverware food vs. hand food

The invention of the sandwich led us awry.

Convenience always costs in may ways. There is no free lunch indeed.

Market forces is a misnomer. Producer forces is more like it.
There is no profit in solving problems. Such threatens any vested interest. (Which is why we protract wars -Blackwater won't win in Iraq, hell, no. They make money there. They create the need/market, not answer one.)

Carbs, like alcohol, drive our culture and so are we shunted toward them. Lower order food begets a lower order mind (and body). Quitting them is notably experienced very much like sobering up from a drunk one never knew one was on. They are a body drug in the simplest form.
The cuisine of a nation speaks volumes about that nation.

Meals should be eaten with silverware. Don't touch your food without washing your hands first in the first place. Don't touch it at all.
Cookies, crackers, chips, candy, et al are not good product models for food. They're no less drug delivery systems than pills are.

Zuma November 2, 2007 - 9:40am

Not carbs - processed foods.

Although there are some exceptions, the vast majority of the issue really isn't carbs, but convenience foods.

People eat thoughtlessly and hastily, which leads to poor nutrition and obesity. Convenience foods have a profile that's basically catered to those two bad habits.

Convenience foods tend to have lots of saturated fat and salt because they're appealing, and they increase shelf-life. Similarly, convenience foods tend to have little in the way of vitamins since vitamins typically have short shelf lives.

Because people percieve quantity as value, convenience foods are sold in ever-larger packages for competitive advantage which combines with the tendency of hasty eaters to over-eat to lead to obesity issues.

Meanwhile, to conserve costs and control the process, foods are typically created using highly processed ingredients that contain less of many important nutrients.

NateTG November 2, 2007 - 3:10pm

yes

Indeed, I went sort of off my own topic into carbs.
I wish I'd stayed within the realm of the notion of "silverware food".
I like all your points.

Zuma November 3, 2007 - 6:13am

this is fine

if food is your hobby, if you like to cook, if you prepare food for more than one person routinely, if you have the space / facilities, etc.

you can tell me that i SHOULD have certain attitudes and beliefs. maybe you're right, maybe you're not. but you're in the same line as the people who ring my doorbell on Sunday mornings to tell me i'm going to hell.

i think a more, er, fruitful approach (sorry) would be to look at the reasons why people eat as they do, other than Sloth and other deadly sins. it seems like some companies, like Annie's and Trader Joe's, have been having success with this approach - i don't know enough to tell if that's hype or real, probably some of both like everything...

tatere@drupal.org November 2, 2007 - 4:54pm

Eating well

if food is your hobby, if you like to cook, if you prepare food for more than one person routinely, if you have the space / facilities, etc.

Yes, what you eat and how you prepare food is a lifestyle you choose. When I open my fridge and see the riot of colours of the multitude of fresh and local vegetables, I get an adrenaline rush. Cooking for me is relaxing and fun. It wasn't always like that. A serious drug reaction to a pill I took for severe migraine headaches was the turning point. I started researching food. I became intrigued by Ayurveda. I studied Ayurvedic nutrition for 4 years. I took an online course as well as private lessons from an Ayurvedic nutritionist. When I'm at home, I follow Ayurveda. When I'm out with family and friends, I'll eat the western way (I left fanatacism behind a long time ago). I no longer suffer from migraine headaches and my weight is normal. If you think Ayurveda is some kind of esoteric philosophy, just know this: the principles of Ayurvedic nutrition have been around for 5000 years and never change. Western nutrition is changing as we speak.

Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners offers familiar Western foods lovingly prepared with Ayurvedic principles. Learn how to cook fresh, easy to make recipes for healthy folks, as well as those with illnesses, including allergies and candida. Written by Amadea Morningstar, co-author of the best-selling The Ayurvedic Cookbook, this book is certain to open wide the door to this ancient East Indian, yet universal system of healing and nourishment, with more than 230 new and delicious Ayurvedic recipes.

adrena November 3, 2007 - 1:53am

Adrena

are the recipes primarily vegetarian? My grand daughter is PKU and I'm always looking for something tasty to make for her.

Tina November 3, 2007 - 2:15am

I would have to know the

I would have to know the degree of her enzyme deficiency and the types of food she is currently allowed to eat. I'll send my email in a private message.

adrena November 3, 2007 - 2:33am

The battle for ayurveda: India is racing to record...

The battle for ayurveda: India is racing to record the details of its traditional medicine

The Independent, By Andrew Buncombe, November 23

They range from the everyday to the decidedly obscure, from items with a specific, specialised use to those with a host of applications. Their common heritage is one of the world's oldest cultures, and their details are being gathered together to guard against theft by the West.

For several years the Indian authorities have been collating information about hundreds of thousands of plants, cures, foods and even yoga poses to create a vast digital database of traditional knowledge dating back to up to 5,000 years ago, available in five international languages. Now, the first part of that database – relating to ayurveda or traditional Indian medicine – has been completed and it is set to launch the fight back against what some have termed "bio-colonialism".

"The ayurveda part has been completed," said Dr Vinod Gupta, the chairman of India's National Institute for Science Communication and Information Resources (Niscair), which is overseeing the project. "Now we are negotiating an agreement with international patent offices [for access to this database]."

The database, totaling more than 30 million pages and known as the Traditional Knowledge Data Library [Wikipedia entry], has come about for one very simple reason: to prevent Western pharmaceutical giants and others using this traditional Indian information to create a product for which they then obtain a patent.

_{"Vanity, Vanity, all is Vanity."}

Raja November 23, 2007 - 5:58am

The article mentioned the herb

Triphala. If there is only one herb to take, this is the one. Triphala basically looks after bowel hygiene. Since most diseases emanate from the bowel, it is important to maintain bowel health.

Triphala, formulated by Ayurvedic physicians thousands of years ago and used literally by billions of people since, is considered the most effective and safest laxative and colon tonic by most health care practitioners. Where other colon formulas are depleting, Triphala is mild, non-habit forming, and a rejuvenative.

The herbs:
Triphala ( trifala ) is so effective because its three herbs are potent healers
Amalaki, Emblica Officinalis, one of Ayurveda's greatest rejuvenators and a strong natural anti-oxidant, also helps to boost the immune system. Balances Pitta. (type B)
Haritaki, Terminalia Chebula, the Tibetan "king of medicine", a classic heart-brain-longevity tonic, is often depicted in the extended palm of the Buddha. Balances Vata. (type A)
Bibhitaki, Terminalia Belerica, a powerful rejuvenative that reduces liver and heart disease,also improves the voice, vision and promotes the growth of hair. Balances Kapha. (type C)

The Result:
Remove toxins, accumulations, gas and distention
Nourish your nervous system, blood and muscle
Increase digestion, assimilation and reduce fat
Detoxify every system in the body
Regulate and vitalize your metabolism

The Use:
Triphala is the one formula recommended for everybody.
Triphala is gentle for people of all ages, from children to seniors.
Triphala is balancing for people with all types of constitutions.

Take Triphala 750 mg twice a day or 500 mg three times a day. Be aware that in excess (four or more 500 mg tablets) this formula can cause loose stools for the A and B types.
Source: Ayurvedic Nutrition course manual

For an excellent introduction to Ayurveda, read: "Essential Ayurveda" by Shubhra Krishan. This book explains Ayurveda in an easy-to-read style, using realistic examples. A good introduction.

adrena November 23, 2007 - 9:14am

But one "serving" is a rather small portion

I think. I forgot the exact amount. But one does not have to eat 9 apples a day to meet the recommendation...

creativelcro November 2, 2007 - 9:41am

For a great read...

I recommmend The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan.

LJ November 2, 2007 - 9:54am

I finally got around to buying this

on your recomendation and have read about half of it.

I agree. This is a very good book on the subject.

I did inhale.

Don November 2, 2007 - 10:46am

Who could have thought...

that somebody could have turned a book on food into a page turner. The story line is tried and true: the author takes on a journey to find something of great value. It is a kind of quest story line.

LJ November 2, 2007 - 2:21pm

Ah, found the serving sizes:

WHAT COUNTS AS A SERVING?*

Grain Products Group (bread, cereal, rice, and pasta)

-- 1 slice of bread
-- 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal
-- 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta

Vegetable Group

-- 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
-- 1/2 cup of other vegetables -- cooked or chopped raw
-- 3/4 cup of vegetable juice

Fruit Group

-- 1 medium apple, banana, orange
-- 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
-- 3/4 cup of fruit juice

Milk Group (milk, yogurt, and cheese)

-- 1 cup of milk or yogurt
-- 1-1/2 ounces of natural cheese
-- 2 ounces of processed cheese

Meat and Beans Group (meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts)

-- 2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
-- 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat.
Two tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of
meat.

Link

Bolo November 2, 2007 - 10:35am

I don't eat 5.5 cups

of cooked cereal per day... Just half a cup in the morning. Also MOST cereals you find have a ton of added sugar that would defeat the purpose... Bread too...

creativelcro November 2, 2007 - 12:10pm

pyramids

I agree with the sentiments here, but it looks like the nurtition pyramid above is a good piece of pro-nutrition propoganda. The pyramid from the USDA has ranges (ie--"6-11 servings grains"), so all are not expected to eat 11 pieces of toast. http://www.nalusda.gov/fnic/Fpyr/pyramid.gif

Then the USDA came out with a new, goofy looking pyramid. As a graphic, it sucks, but dietarily it seems a bit more reasonable, and there's plenty of info on their site: http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html

Convenient that the USDA's nutrition information all ignores the economic and environmental issues--I second Omnivore's Dilemma!--but admittedly that can be a deep rabbit hole to go down (organic? local? fair trade? union? price? etc)

neuhausr November 2, 2007 - 1:45pm

When I used to eat

oatmeal in the morning, it took 1.5 or 2 cups just to fill me up for 3 hours. Then I realized how much sugar (and calories) that was and stopped. Same goes for cereal... probably close to 2 cups to get me through most of the morning--but I don't eat that anymore either.

But assuming I still did that, if I were to get 6 servings of grains per day then I'd probably have to eat pasta for lunch. But I'd have to eat a lot and wouldn't have room for the 4 apples/oranges/what-have-you I'd have to down along with it :). Then I'd need to eat 12-18 ounces of meat for dinner and 2 cups of non-leafy vegetables.

Yeah, that's a lot of food even for me. I've eaten that much in a day before, but those days are the rare exceptions and not the rule. Crazy.

Bolo November 2, 2007 - 4:52pm

How do you make your oatmeal?

A handful of rolled oats in a bowl, covered with water and zapped in the microwave for about a minute-forty-five makes perfectly good oatmeal with no added sugar or fat or preservatives.

Packaged "instant oatmeal" is outrageously expensive on a per-serving basis, no more convenient than plain rolled oats purchased in bulk and a lot less healthy for you.

A dollop of lowfat yogurt and some raisins or fresh fruit to garnish and you're set. Try it!

Petronius November 3, 2007 - 3:57pm

We've made our own instant oatmeal that way for years.

I'm not a huge oatmeal fan myself (once in a while is enough for me), but my family loves it. Dried or fresh fruit, nuts, raisins (or "craisins"), yogurt, all help to make it pretty tasty.

"The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential."

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Escher Sketch November 3, 2007 - 4:28pm

I don't buy it.

My vegetarian home spends far less than the average.

The difference? We eat locally-grown food through our Community-sponsored agriculture farmers. Transportation and marketing/waste accounts for a large portion of food costs.

Forget the nonsense about leafy greens and servings of vegetable. Eat as much as you want of energy-sparse foods, rather than energy-dense and you'll be fine. Meat, refined grains, starchy vegetables, soft drinks and fats are incredibly energy-dense.

Petronius November 2, 2007 - 11:24am

Screw the USDA; they don't give a crap about your health.

Ian makes a very important point about the subsidies (by the way, if you're worried about them, call your senator and ask them to support the Dorgan-Grassley Payment Limitations Amendment to the Farm Bill), but if you're serious about getting yourself out from under the thumb of the industrial food system, it takes an initial investment of learning, but after that it's very cheap and surprisingly non-time-consuming.

Packaged, prepared foods are expensive, but basic ingredients are cheap, as long as you don't expect to eat red peppers in January. Grains, beans, potatoes, eggs, veg in season, are all way cheaper per meal than the grodiest fast-food dinner, even if you buy them organic--and, as Petronius mentions, a good CSA can get you top-quality local veg for about the same per pound as you'd pay for supermarket crap. With a little practice you learn to plan ahead, cook in quantity and freeze, premake your own convenience foods, make a little of an expensive ingredient like good cheese go a long way, that sort of thing--skills that let you eat cheap, high-quality home-cooked food without having to spend an hour in the kitchen before every meal.

I spent over a year living on an income well below the poverty line, eating an almost entirely organic diet. I did put somewhat more time into food preparation than most people, but that small investment of time allowed me to live extremely cheaply, instead of getting on the cash-economy treadmill where you're so busy working that you don't have time to cook or fix your car or mow the lawn, so you buy prepackaged food and pay mechanics and lawn services, which are so expensive that you have to work even more to pay for all the things your job prevents you from doing yourself.

polymander November 3, 2007 - 4:57pm

very insightful

I hope you can help me out. I am trying to get my health under control so starting to eat right is my first step. Do you know where I can purchase quality food online? (that is on the healthy side) I am starting to do all of my shopping online because of various reasons…so I am hoping you can help me out with a suggestion or two.
So far I have only tried Celebrity foods (which is outstanding by the way)
I am in desperate need to grow my list of quality services or stores, where I can buy my food from. Thank you and have a great day or night (depending on when you read this. LOL!

leosatter November 28, 2007 - 11:10pm

Search

latest

User login

Navigation

Team Agonist

Thoughtful

Global

Timely

Who's online

Online users:

Syndicate

Why Eating Healthy Food Costs More Than Eating Junk

Comment viewing options