F&W Damn It Pollan

>>I have now become afraid to eat.

>>Let me expand on the topic. The phrase, "we [the American people] tend to look at food as a collection of nutrients, not as food," rings in my mind every time I go to reach for something that was about to go in my mouth. I had cereal bars that boasted, "Only 100 calories!" which used to comfort me. I proceeded in reading the box further and the marshmallow coating was actual marshmallow-flavored coating...I know that the typical tastes America is used to is Greasy, Sugary, and/or Fatty, but why replace marshmallow coating's Sugary with marshmallow-flavored's Fakey? I ate it anyway due to needing something to eat while driving, but nevertheless I wasn't happy about it as I would have been had I not known.

>>I went to Ingles to buy just some basic groceries; things that I tend to eat often. I went to get milk and did a double-take. On the right hand, there was the milk I usually got. 2% off-brand, like $3 maybe. Healthier for you, delicious. Food, Inc. and PETA crept into my mind then...Sarah, those cows have infections in their milking parts. The pus gets in your milk, and even though they pasteurize it out and your body will never know the difference, that cow's not getting any better. Don't put your money on unhappy cows! That's financing no change! Then I look to the left. Organic milk and happy cows costed $6. Double! For a gallon of milk! I ended up not purchasing either and walking away, remembering that my mother had some she was going to give me. Still, it should be easier to go shopping.

>>Somewhere in all these influences I heard someone say tomatoes were ripened with gases to be sold out of season. I highly doubt that is restricted to only tomatoes. So when I finally veered on a limb and went to the produce section, shopping there on my own for the first time, I felt that I didn't know anything. What was in season? Rather, what wasn't going to be ripened with gases? What would I actually eat? How long would it keep in my kitchen? How much should I buy if it only lasts however imaginary time I determined in my head?

>>Shopping for food shouldn't be this hard. Eating shouldn't be this hard. It really figures that I finally get my stomach back and now I'm too mortified to put anything in it.