Just Eat Real Food

with Sally Fallon Morell

This is such an odd thing—that is, the fact that there is a need to point out the benefits of real food. But our world has changed so much since the days in which our ancestors lived! Supermarket shelves are stocked with items that resemble food but are pseudo foods with little to no nutrient value. As a matter of fact, these foods often are labeled as “heart healthy” or “low fat” and “natural” in an effort to persuade us otherwise. How can we distinguish what is good for us (i.e. actual food) and what products are dangerous facsimiles?

Today, Sally Fallon Morell, the head of the Weston A. Price Foundation, reviews principle #1 of the Wise Traditions lifestyle. It is the recommendation that we avoid refined and denatured foods. Sally defines the terms “refined” and “denatured” and helps us understand why foods that have been so changed endanger our health. She describes the effects of ingredients found in highly processed foods like MSG, high fructose corn syrup, and aspartame and she explains how they derail our health. She tells us about the rancid seed oils that are marketed to us and which oils are actually most natural and beneficial for our bodies. Overall, this conversation is a fantastic primer on why and how to switch to a more real food diet.

Notes:

Highlights from the conversation include:

an explanation of where the Wise Traditions principles came from
what it means to “refine” or “denature” foods
The definitions: “refine” means to take elements out of the food; “denature” means to change how well we can access the nutrients
irradiation of meat
how we’re not talking about eliminating processed foods; because real processing improves the quality of the food—making the minerals & nutrients more accessible
some say we can compensate for denaturing food by adding synthetic vitamins
others say people will never change so we should just accommodate them
the difference between preserving food through lacto-fermentation v. modern methods
how industrial seed oils are the most highly processed foods we consume
how rapeseed is genetically engineered to produce canola oil
oils, refined sweeteners, additives are problematic for our health
where high fructose syrup comes from and how it interferes with our health
how sodas with sugar in them are better than those with high fructose corn syrup
how aspartame, a substitute for sugar, breaks down into formaldehyde and methanol
how getting your fats straight is absolutely essential for improving health