Labelling on food

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 17 Jul 2007, 19:06

How many people actually read the small print on the food they purchase and eat?

Following ged's post, I stopped at 'stuff' in the supermarket today (that I would never dream of buying) and read some labels.

Everything is full of E numbers - do people know what they are?

Every product had hydrogenated oil in it.

It is rare when I see people reading these except perhaps when its too late and the Dr has advised them not to eat certain things.

ged · Post by **ged** » 18 Jul 2007, 02:32

:mrgreen: Hi Anna,
I have spent some considerable time now with poor health and am convinced that only by controling the type of food that I eat will I stop my health from becoming worse.It was a revelation to me to be introduced togrowing my own and sourcing green foods I could not produce myself.
I have observed so many people just aimlessly dropping ready meals and the like into their trolleys in shops without so much as a glance at the labels,indeed I was once one of the same!It is so important to make the time and effort to eat only the best we can afford and if our homework is done,we are not hoodwinked into false economy with our lives.I particularly like eating veggies in season now,it reminds me of my childhood when my Dad grew veg.It is a real boost to be on the forum amongst likeminded folks who are swimming against a profit before all else tide of corporate big business who care not for the health of those whom they profit from.
atb
ged ^b:

morph · Post by **morph** » 18 Jul 2007, 08:19

Yes food is full of it!

I only by fresh ingredients and make my own "ready meals". I think that's the way forward so at least you know what you're getting.

It's nice to eat your own eggs and veggies, as you know exactly where they have come from - bliss!

melons · Post by **melons** » 18 Jul 2007, 08:47

I only grew one courgette plant this year, this is not my area of expertise, but I "do" check all labels when I'm shopping, mainly because I'm vegetarian & you never know what has been sneaked in. It's people with kids who just shove any old rubbish in their trollies that do it for me, I followed one person in the checkout who had a trolley FULL of value burgers & buns & value icecream, obviously for a kids party I thought, what factory floor scrapings have been used in thoses burgers???????????????????????????
EEK!

lancashire lass · Post by **lancashire lass** » 18 Jul 2007, 08:53

I was made redundant 2 years and it took me nearly 5 months to get another job. Unfortunately I was only able to find a post that pays significantly less than what I used to earn, so I decided to grow my own fruit and vegetables to at least cut down on my shopping bill. I would like to say this has helped but sadly not so :oops:

but I'm sure once I get myself properly organised and the plots are up to full production and when I get my chickens (!), I'm hoping friends and neighbours will be tempted to purchase any surplus.

However, I get so excited when planning what to grow, and I would say my diet is better for it as I now try different things you cannot buy in the supermarkets, or they are so unusual that normally they cost the earth! I try to be organic so I know what the food is grown in. I have learnt from experience that a lot of vegetables are treated to prevent certain crop diseases even if it is not present in the air or soil, and these are definitely not good for you. I also appreciate how devastating a crop failure can be to farmers, and I am just small stuff.

Post by Mo » 18 Jul 2007, 10:05

Yes, when you grow your own you are not quite sure which of your crops you will eat this year?
And though you dont want your fruit sprayed, if you grow as we do you know that it's nearly ready to pick when the birds and wasps start attacking it and it falls off the tree at a breath of wind.

Next question. Shall I spray my spuds or hope that those brown blotches are not blight?

lancashire lass · Post by **lancashire lass** » 18 Jul 2007, 11:11

Hi Mo,

So sorry to tell you, but I'm almost certain chocolate brown patches on green leaves is unfortunately the first stages of blight! You can either dig them up, or at this early stage, I've been told you can chop the plant to ground level and leave the potatoes in the soil. I decided to dig mine up to be on the safe side!

PS Sorry this has become a gardening thread instead of the original food thread!

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 18 Jul 2007, 15:10

Thanks all of you for your posts...I start to feel at times that it is me (remember my background) It is so heartening that there are people out there with the same thinking.
I was at the hospital today and picked up a copy of a quality magazine, it appears that a supermarket (didn't mention which one) are going to cross breed Old Spot pigs and they have denied that they will sell them as Old Spot (I believe them of course!)