For the love of food: know what you eat

A majority of the American population has been eating with a blindfold on and it's time we open our eyes to the sad realities of the food industry. 

 

I recently watched the documentary "Food, Inc." by filmmaker Robert Kenner. Its goal is to reveal to consumers what we really consume, how our food is produced and the treatment of animals. They want to break down the walls that the food industry has set up. 

 

Twenty minutes into the film, I sat there with my mouth open in astonishment. The amount of information given to viewers is mind blowing. 

 

I've known that chickens are injected with hormones to make them grow, but I never knew that scientists have genetically designed them to grow larger breasts due to the demand for white meat. It now takes half the time for chickens to be raised and slaughtered compared to 50 years ago. 

 

Even though their bodies are larger, their organs and bones do not grow fast and are still immature. In the film, chickens can be seen taking two steps and then collapsing on their feet because their bones cannot support their weight. 

 

Recently, the Associated Press reported that Target was experiencing a shortage of eggs in some of its stores after stopping business with Sparboe Farms. Sparboe Farms workers were  recorded in an undercover video that revealed more than one instance of animal cruelty and unclean practices. 

 

If you were growing your own tomatoes, they would be ripe and ready to eat between June and September. In a supermarket, we are spoiled and get to enjoy them year-round. After watching the film, I found out that tomatoes are picked while they are still green, injected with ethylene gas that causes them to ripen and then sold to us at markets.

 

Think of supermarket tomatoes as knock-offs.

 

McDonald's, which many love for their Dollar Menu, is the largest purchaser of ground beef in the United States, according to Eric Schlosser, author of "Fast Food Nation." McDonald's has decided how all meat will be processed so even if you're not eating a McDonald's hamburger, your meat is still produced the same way. 

 

From those I have talked to about the documentary, they just shrug off the information as irrelevant since we've all eaten this food for so long. 

 

I, on the other hand, was completely taken aback by all this. I realized that so much information about the food I love was being withheld from me and the rest of the American population. 

 

We have to be smart consumers. 

 

Read labels and know what is going into your body. Try to eat as much natural food as you can. 

 

Eat meat where the animals were grass fed instead of corn fed. 

 

Don't be afraid to ask questions of the produce worker at your grocery store about the country of origin of produce. In my personal experience, the produce workers can be very helpful. 

 

Only purchase fruits and vegetables that are in season and organic. 

 

Support your local growers and shop at farmer's markets. 

 

Covina's farmer's market is held every Friday year-round at Civic Center Park on Citrus Avenue and San Bernardino Road. Azusa, Glendora and San Dimas only have their markets from April until September. 

 

Certain produce may be a little more expensive than what can be found in the grocery store, but the freshness and quality is so worth it. 

 

If you're feeling bold, plant a garden of herbs or vegetables, or both, even if it is small. That is sure to save you some money while allowing you to benefit from your labor. 

 

Don't eat blindly. Know what you are putting into your body and where it comes from. There's something liberating about knowing what you are consuming and how it will affect you.