I ran across this Ireland article, and while it's from October 2020, I think it's still pertinent to what qualifies as food. In our minds, and our digestive system.



Ireland's Supreme Court ruled that Subway bread had too much sugar to qualify as bread. This is highly reminiscent of how much sugar McDonald's puts in their buns. This Diet Doctor article from 2018:



In this case the Ireland Supreme Court made a tax decision, but when we analyze what fast food companies say and what they do, our reliance on them means their products really do need to be food, on some level.



We know it's somewhat indistinguishable in some bodies, like mine. My pancreas assumes a Subway sandwich means the prey I caught fell into a beehive. Now it must release a tanker car of insulin. Because of course I'm going to eat it all.



We all know that mental flip where we notice a fast food commercial, and we use our hard won food knowledge to mentally figure out how much real food is actually in that sandwich, fries, and soda combo.

But I can't help but think that these companies are aware people are trying to cut down on their sugar. But while they are officially claiming less than a teaspoon of sugar IN EACH BUN, people have had their metrics so scrambled all they know is they get a diet soda and they are good to go on the sugar front.

But also from 2020, this article:

Ultra-Processed Foods and Health Outcomes: A Narrative Review

Which offers a research structure to follow. Now this is science, not money and wishful thinking.



A hamburger bun shouldn't have that much sugar in it. Once, it was there for the yeast, now it's for the addictive qualities. From the aroma of caramelized sugars to the brain POW hidden inside, they have discovered a legal drug.

Science fiction never saw this one coming.

All good points! 👍

Not surprised the amount of sugar has increased in the hamburger buns. Our palate has become accustomed to the sweetness, so increasing sugar content creates the same sweetness.

Of course, low carbers would toss the buns. 😂

I dont eat out because Im not sure what's in the "food", well, maybe more accurately, I dont eat out because of what I know what's in it, or could be.

100% eat at home. Dont trust any chain restaurants.

I never-ever eat fast food. No McDonalds, Subway, Burger King, Arbys, or anything else like that.

Life is too short to eat mediocre food.

Health is too important to eat frankenfood.

And if I go out to eat, i avoid big chains and go for small, mom & pop type restaurants.

Bob

We are fortunate to have some good local restaurants, where there's a chef in the back and they use local produce, etc.

My family has history in the restaurant business, and one brother had a career in it, but corporate restauranting steals your tips and won't give you enough hours.

We are being sold People Chow.

Corporations are good at some things, not so good at others.

I don't eat at corporate restaurants, because I know better. I also don't do corporate medicine if I can avoid it.

The problem is, the corporation needs perpetual profit growth. This quarter's profits must be bigger than last quarters. Next quarters profits must be bigger than this one's, the next one even bigger, the one after that even bigger ad infinitum. After all, if the stock prices don't go up, and up, and up, and up, and up ... ... ... the stockholders will sell their stock. What's the use of investing in a stock that isn't going to grow and grow and grow.

On the other hand the small, family owned business, needs to make a profit to provide an income for the owners and employees. It's nice to make bigger profits, but as long as there is enough profits to pay the bills and have enough left over, it's fine. So the small restaurant, private doctor, or private dentist doesn't need perpetual growth, just enough to keep up with inflation.

Since the corporate needs perpetual growth, once established to the point where their clientele is fairly steady, they have to cut corners to make next quarters' profits and the one after that and the one after that higher and higher.

Cheapen the product, replace better ingredients with cheaper ones. Pay the help less (including the kitchen help), and do whatever it takes to reduce operating costs just to keep the stockholders from jumping ship.

High fructose corn syrup (sugar) is cheaper than wheat, and the sweet taste is addictive. Hmm, if we save $0.50 per meal in ingredients per customer, and serve a million customers each day, that's quite a bigger profit this quarter.

Next quarter, perhaps we'll use cheap farm fed fish from China. So what if it has mercury and other metals in it?

Oh, and the next one we can put algae in the tomato sauce to stretch it, and add a little corn syrup so it still tastes sweet.

I have gone to corporate restaurants when family comes down and wants to get together at their local chain restaurant. I can suggest what I prefer but often get outvoted by the majority. When eating at those places I find the food OK, but not nearly as good as the small restaurants that I prefer.

I don't eat fast food, at all. It's mediocre frankenfood at best.

Life is too short to eat mediocre food.

Bob