Cheap foods use sugar and fat to hide their lack of quality

We all know that in days gone by herbs and spices were used to hide the terrible flavour of rotten and poor quality foods.

Have you ever realised that these days we do exactly the same but use sugar, salt and,  fat and their modified brethren instead

I’ve heard a lot of people point out that instead of asking why good quality food costs so much you should ask why does poor quality food cost so little? or, to turn the question around what goes into food to make it cheap?

Of course, there is plenty of good food that is cheap if you know where to look but whether you are looking at fast food or high volume mass market products you still get what you pay for.

The answer is generally that sugar, salt and fat and modified versions of each are used routinely to make things taste nicer, have better textures and last longer.

So the principle is still the same. We’ve just  moved on from herbs and spices to chemical concoctions that are beyond our dreams.

But with a little knowledge we can make this work in our favour.

• accessorise: added fruit and veg to bring tyhe quality back
• balance your budget: skimp on the expensive stuff like meat but splash out on the cheap stuff like veg and grains. Best pasta and best tomatoes
• use the natural versions of flavourings like sugar, salt and fat. Use the salt already added to Bacon and cheese so go italian and sprinkle cheese on. Use the fat already in meats to add creaminess to dishes and use natural sweets like raisins and roasted onions in place of sugar

References

• https://youtu.be/kUP-Ss6_XUI Review of Meta analysis studies shows severe problems with high added sugar diets. He has seen more people die from this than any one else
• https://youtu.be/fDaQlwKBuR8Breakfast is literally a scam. Great documentary explaining how marketing led to bacon and eggs. 
• Life expectancy can increase by up to 10 years following sustained shifts towards healthier diets in the United Kingdom
  • The largest gains are obtained from consuming more whole grains, nuts and fruits and less sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats. Understanding the contribution of sustained dietary changes to life expectancy can provide guidance for the development of health policies.
  • Consistent with all lifestyle research and results I have collected the trend is clear. 
• You Can Add 10 Years to Your Life Simply by Changing Your Diet, Massive Study Finds A new study analyzing food intake data and health outcomes of nearly half a million UK residents has found that switching to a healthy diet – and sticking to it – can add up to 10 years to your life. Great news! If you can afford it.