"a moral aneurysm"
found this washington post editorial today very interesting, as it's something i (and hubby) have been thinking about for a while now and making changes in our life accordingly, and as i read basil's post on similar issues just yesterday.
the article discusses the headache (or moral aneurysm) that can ensue when you go to the grocery store and are confronted with the wide varieties of each grocery product that each try to rid you of some measure of guilt: cage-free eggs, omega-3 eggs, organic eggs, or 79-cent eggs, for example. it's amazing how the concerns about this stuff spread into the mainstream so quickly: i had just begun trying to avoid partially hydrogenated oils when all of a sudden, everything in the store started bearing labels proclaiming "0 grams trans fats!!" but i'm trying to look past the fadness of it and remember that of all these new studies determining hidden dangers, though some might be unnecessary or (what's the word for arousing hysteria?), they are a result of the fact that people are realizing how heedlessly we have been pursuing "more" and "bigger" and "faster" without regard for earth, sea, life or our own health.
anyway, so here's what we've managed to accomplish so far (and i'll try to be good like basil and include links for explanation): we haven't had a microwave in our home since we moved to this house in january 2005. i couldn't write an essay about it, but here are some of the reasons we thought about. plus, when i was pregnant, i was warned from pretty mainstream sources to be extra-cautious around microwaves, and of course, it's almost standard now to warn new mothers not to microwave breast milk to warm it up for feeding, because some nutrients and protective qualities can be destroyed (as well as uneven heating that could burn baby's mouth). if so... how much safer is it for adults? anyway, my poor mom has planned to buy "her own microwave" to use just when she visits, because she's so annoyed that we don't have one :) for anyone who's interested, trust me, food tastes SO MUCH BETTER reheated in conventional ways, even if it takes a little longer and you have to wash out scorched pans.
the next step for us is getting rid of our nonstick pans, but i am still searching for an alternative that's not too, well, sticky. i read years ago (and no, i don't believe everything in the world i read, i just do some research) about teflon being a carcinogen as it starts to come off of the pans, which it always does in the end.
anyway. as far as the eggs go, i sort of fluctuate between cage free, omega 3 and organic... depends on the price :) but i don't buy the styrofoam containers.
we get organic milk, even though trader joe's recently pushed up their price to $3.29 for a half gallon (they were $2.99, can you believe it?). we get SOME organic fruit, but not all, it's just too pricey. i WILL get my peaches this summer from a farm, though: cherry hill farm down in southern prince george's is absolutely beautiful and two summers ago i had the best peaches i have ever had in my life from their beautifully laden trees (they have asian pears, too!).
anyhooo... we're slowly trying to switch over more and more of our stuff, but price is too often a barrier. also try to get omega-3s into our diet more often... okay i have to go feed musa now...
the article discusses the headache (or moral aneurysm) that can ensue when you go to the grocery store and are confronted with the wide varieties of each grocery product that each try to rid you of some measure of guilt: cage-free eggs, omega-3 eggs, organic eggs, or 79-cent eggs, for example. it's amazing how the concerns about this stuff spread into the mainstream so quickly: i had just begun trying to avoid partially hydrogenated oils when all of a sudden, everything in the store started bearing labels proclaiming "0 grams trans fats!!" but i'm trying to look past the fadness of it and remember that of all these new studies determining hidden dangers, though some might be unnecessary or (what's the word for arousing hysteria?), they are a result of the fact that people are realizing how heedlessly we have been pursuing "more" and "bigger" and "faster" without regard for earth, sea, life or our own health.
anyway, so here's what we've managed to accomplish so far (and i'll try to be good like basil and include links for explanation): we haven't had a microwave in our home since we moved to this house in january 2005. i couldn't write an essay about it, but here are some of the reasons we thought about. plus, when i was pregnant, i was warned from pretty mainstream sources to be extra-cautious around microwaves, and of course, it's almost standard now to warn new mothers not to microwave breast milk to warm it up for feeding, because some nutrients and protective qualities can be destroyed (as well as uneven heating that could burn baby's mouth). if so... how much safer is it for adults? anyway, my poor mom has planned to buy "her own microwave" to use just when she visits, because she's so annoyed that we don't have one :) for anyone who's interested, trust me, food tastes SO MUCH BETTER reheated in conventional ways, even if it takes a little longer and you have to wash out scorched pans.
the next step for us is getting rid of our nonstick pans, but i am still searching for an alternative that's not too, well, sticky. i read years ago (and no, i don't believe everything in the world i read, i just do some research) about teflon being a carcinogen as it starts to come off of the pans, which it always does in the end.
anyway. as far as the eggs go, i sort of fluctuate between cage free, omega 3 and organic... depends on the price :) but i don't buy the styrofoam containers.
we get organic milk, even though trader joe's recently pushed up their price to $3.29 for a half gallon (they were $2.99, can you believe it?). we get SOME organic fruit, but not all, it's just too pricey. i WILL get my peaches this summer from a farm, though: cherry hill farm down in southern prince george's is absolutely beautiful and two summers ago i had the best peaches i have ever had in my life from their beautifully laden trees (they have asian pears, too!).
anyhooo... we're slowly trying to switch over more and more of our stuff, but price is too often a barrier. also try to get omega-3s into our diet more often... okay i have to go feed musa now...
posted by Ayesha | 11:39 AM
2 Comments:
my hippie cousin :) and me and my hubby, we live off Lean Cuisine.
Salaam,
I agree - going to Whole Foods can be so confusing. Why are there cage-free, vegetarian fed chicken eggs but not organic ones to boot???
I stopped using the microwave a couple of years ago when I got sick & you're right food tastes so much better when conventionally cooked. And it really doesn't take that much more time considering a more even heating and the taste factor.
Choices, choices...it's up to the consumer to be more educated but there's so much information out there that it's confusing!
Warmly,
baraka
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