Facts of Interesting Food

After reading over the class’ short essays, I found these two facts to be the most interesting:

1.       Even with the variety of cereals that have high sugar levels, it is still one of the healthier options for breakfast

2.       Soda actually increases a person’s appetite which is thought to be a contributing factor to the obesity issue in the United States

Food with Impact

Most people know, as a general fact, that red meat is not really beneficial to one’s overall health. It has been linked to many chronic diseases particularly cardiovascular disease and in some cases even cancer. Nonetheless, as a nation we continue to increase our red meat consumption while increasing the mortality rate at the same time.

After reading through Dr. Dean Ornish’s article Holy Cow! What’s good for you is good for our Planet, there were some interesting observations that I had never really considered. For example, I had not contemplated the carbon footprint produced by our consumption of red meat. It seems like a rather simple task to pull up to a drive-thru and order a hamburger with fries and maybe even a classic shake. However, a single “quarter-pounder with cheese takes twenty-six ounces of petroleum and leaves a thirteen pound carbon footprint” which is equivalent to burning seven pounds of coal (Ornish). That seems outrageous, yet we partake in this ritual every day.

The earth was simply not made to provide resources for the amount of livestock we currently have. Another environmental factor to our large consumption of red meat is the amount of greenhouse gases produced from the animal agriculture industry. By covering approximately thirty percent of the earth’s surface, livestock have a huge influence on the quality of the atmosphere. Especially as Americans, we focus more on our satisfaction than the impact that our consumerism has on the natural world. Deforestation of the rainforests is a well-known issue, however it is not only happening to further industrialization, but also to clear land for livestock to graze (Ornish). Some may think of this as an even exchange- nature for nature- but it is not the way that ecosystem was created to function.

Nonetheless, sometimes there are beneficial effects to the foods we consume without realizing it. There are many aspects to the coconut that, even recently, have shown interesting advances in medical science. Last month the results from an experiment conducted at the University of Kerala in Kerala, India were published. The researchers were testing the effects of tender coconut water on rats with high fructose diets (Bhagya et al. 2012). Coconut water is different than coconut milk as it is the clear liquid produced from unripe coconuts (Benefits of Coconut Water). In the test, the rats were fed a high fructose diet for three days and then treated with the tender coconut water for three weeks. The results showed that the rats treated with the coconut water had reduced levels of triglycerides and lower blood pressures than the rats which were not treated. In the end this suggests that coconut water treatment might be able to prevent or possibly even “reverse high blood pressure induced by [a] high fructose diet (Bhagya et al. 2012).”

In addition to its ability to hydrate more than most other beverages and the high level of electrolytes, coconut water has also been known to be a substitute for blood plasma in extreme situations. The sterility of the water and the ideal pH levels allow this to be possible (Listverse).

It’s so easy for us to simply consume our food without considering the impact they have on the natural world. We have industrialized everything to the point that we can no longer see what it was originally designed for. Nevertheless, science continues to try to decipher these secrets and apply them to everyday life now, in this day and age.

Benefits of Coconut Water
Coconut Water Experiment: Kerala, India

Listverse

Meal Account

FRIDAY:
10:07- blueberry bagel with cream cheese, honeydew melon, cinnamon bread, chocolate milk
12:25- banana
  2:53- chocolate covered strawberry
  4:13- pear
  4:43- chicken flatbread with mango, steamed carrots, blueberry bagel

SATURDAY
  8:36- two pancakes with peanut butter and syrup, orange juice
  2:30- half an apple-cinnamon muffin
  3:15- Sonic cranberry raspberry limeade
  5:15- chicken bowl from Chipotle

SUNDAY
  7:12- apple cinnamon muffin
11:30- caesar salad, croissant, cup of tortilla soup
  4:50- cherry tea
  7:31- grilled chicken in a ciabotta, watermelon

The World's Cup of Tea

When I was still in high school, every morning began the same. I got up and ready for school, then on the way out the door I usually grabbed a granola bar but never left without my cup of tea. I suppose it became a part of who I was. Everyone knew that if they saw me before eight o’clock, I would have my cup of tea in my hand. Things have changed now that I’m in college because I’m often rushing off to my first class of the morning finishing homework or eating a bagel as I walk. I rarely have time to make tea in the morning, so it has shifted to the afternoon especially while I work on homework. I find it fascinating how such a simple beverage can have such a strong impact on cultures socially and economically.

The social aspect of tea has been around for centuries. Obviously the Chinese have strong ties to it since the plants are indigenous to the region; however tea began to play a strong role in the Arab culture as well. To this day it is hard to walk into a shop and not have the owner offer to make his customers tea. Before any business is conducted, men usually converse about other aspects of life over a cup of tea, and consider the business part secondary. Corky White discusses the role tea played in the refinement of women in England in the mid-seventeenth century.  Though men were more drawn to coffee in 1640 England, tea became the center of the dames during their weekly meetings (White).

Today tea is the second most popular drink in the world, yet the topic of tea production is a bit ambiguous (Graber). The reason for this is due to the fact that tea itself can be defined in a variety of ways. Some consider tea to be produced strictly from the tea plant, while others include any type of plant matter that is able to infuse water and yield an aromatic beverage (“Tea”). For our purposes we will focus on the plant itself which is indigenous to China, northern India and Tibet (“Where Tea is Grown”).

For tea cultivation to be successful, three components must be considered: the environment in which the plant will be found, the acidity of the soil and finally the amount of labor available. The ideal environment will expose the plants to roughly forty-five to fifty inches of rainfall annually in addition to any cool seasons being within the tea plants’ tolerance levels. The soil must be acidic in order to produce strong plants, usually around a pH level of 5.6 or less. Finally, workers must be available. Though mechanical harvesting has been tested, the subjectivity of a worker is required to obtain the best product; therefore, the workers become a necessary constituent of production (Harler).

Currently India leads the world in tea production. This is a country where the tea plant is also a native species. Though mass production did not start in India until about the nineteenth century, they have led the world for about 150 years (“Where Tea is Grown”). India specifically, is known for its tea quality. Some of the most revered tea, known as Darjeeling, is a fruity tea grown in a mountainous region around the town of Darjeeling, India (“Darjeeling Tea”).

After the plants are harvested and processed, other ingredients are often added to intensify or simply alter the flavor patterns. In a study conducted by a group of high school students in New York City based on the DNA analysis of 130 different tea varieties, they found that about four percent of the “pure” teas were actually mixed with additional plant matter that was unlisted. The teas that were tested came from thirty-three different companies from seventeen nations (Graber). There are some concerns about the unlisted additives found in teas today, however, the tea industry has widened significantly and is no longer restricted to just the tea plant.

I have always known that the tea industry stretches across centuries and around the globe, however I enjoyed taking the time to learn more. Because of the strong social significance in many cultures, I enjoy bringing back different types of tea from the places I travel to. In this way, I am still able to experience that place even while I am thousands of miles away. As I said before, tea is simple, yet this one beverage is able to tie together so many aspects of life.

Food Perfection

There is so much to be said about the American food industry today. We are more concerned about the “perfection” of our food and how it looks than the nutritional value of it or how it tastes. Throughout many of his writings, the author Michael Pollan focuses on this paradigm shift that has occurred within the past fifty years. Using the introduction to Tomatoland as an example, Pollan brings to the readers’ attention how warped our idea of basic fruit and vegetables has become. We expect to walk into a supermarket to be greeted with a cornucopia of exotic produce choices all year long, which is exactly what we get. However, studies done by the US Department of Agriculture show that the nutritional value of this produce has dropped significantly.

Pollan in another of his writings, An Animal’s Place, highlights the American view of animals. Obviously many Americans utilize animals for food as well, but many do not understand the process behind getting the cow or chicken from the “field” onto the plate. Pollan emphases how so many view animals as “things” and in turn detaching any emotional value and therefore justifying any cruelty. Nonetheless, he points out that there is hope. After the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in 1852, light was finally shed on the slaughter industry and this trend has only increased with time. Especially now days, people are becoming more aware, legislation is being passed and article such as this one is informing the public.

Finally in comparison to Pollan’s two articles, Christopher Cook’s infographic is also based on this idea of “perfection.” Cook points out all the aspects that go into making our chickens look their best; allowing nutrition and authenticity to take a seat on the backburner.  He talks not only about how we put the chickens at risk and treat them unjustly, but also how 40,000 workers a year are impacted. To get “natural” food on the table, there are a lot of steps taken and many of those steps impact so many other aspects to the communities around us, often in a negative way.

I found these articles to be interesting because I saw them as a modern take on Uncle Tom’s Cabin which is so well known for its exposure of the slaughter industry. I think I also find it interesting because all through grade school I learned about the corruptness of this industry coming from Kansas City, which was known for its stockyards in the early twentieth century.

"Omnivore's Dilemma"

Michael Pollan makes an interesting argument in his article Our National Eating Disorder. Pollan introduces the idea of the “omnivore’s dilemma” suggesting that we simply have too many food choices. For species such as cows or horses, their diet is strict and set. As herbivores they do not have many options other than grass or leaves. Same thing goes for those who are strictly carnivores. There is no wavering from their diet. However, we as omnivores have many more options. Pollan identifies one of the “central questions of life,” especially for omnivores, as “what should we have for dinner?” For the human race, the options are endless. Therefore, we must sectionalize our food- determining what is healthy and what is not, foods that improve performance and those that will inhibit our maximum potential, etc. According to Pollan, we strive for order in the overwhelming amount of options.

With this dilemma that we face has heavily influenced the American culture. With all the choices we have come to create fads. One example that Pollan uses is “carbophobia.” Though carbs themselves are not inherently unhealthy for you, someone along the way determined that they would cause the doomful end of humans, therefore people stopped consuming them. Instead of simply cutting back the amount of carbs they were consuming, bread was completely removed from the dining table. In a way, this is how we as omnivores solve this dilemma. This is seen over and over again as new diet plans come out and the latest trends are spread throughout the media.

I found this article really interesting because I had never thought about this position behind why we eat what we do. Obviously I always knew that I had a choice, and have asked the famous question “what’s for dinner” more times than I can count. I also found it interesting how companies immediately tag-on to these fads to please the customer and yield maximum benefits.

More than a Meal

I love to travel and experience new things. This might come from the fact that I have moved all over the country and never really stayed in one place for too long. Some may think that there is some psychological issue with that, but it makes me who I am. Because of this, food for me has really strong cultural ties and I have seen this notion proven true for others as well. Food easily becomes a human identifier defining everything we are. The flavors are irrelevant, satisfaction is secondary and the appearance is simply an accessory; it is the experience which is the true paradigm and most significant aspect of eating because it adds sentimental value to the meal causing it to last beyond that moment.

The makeup of our family meals, in a way, reflects where we have been and where we would like to go. The majority of my childhood was spent in Albuquerque, a city rich with culture and vibrant flavors. One of my favorite dishes that my mom makes is enchiladas. It is a pretty basic meal consisting of corn tortillas, beans, enchilada sauce, cheese, meat, and often green chile; however her enchiladas are a bit different than most. Since the majority of the food in New Mexico has a Hispanic influence and is prepared so regularly, the methods in which such dishes are constructed vary. Sure, I have had traditional enchiladas, but the way that I have always known the homemade variety would be similar to Italian lasagna. Instead of rolling the tortilla around the filling, they are layered and baked. This is simply one example from a pin we have left on the map.

The holidays are obviously a time dominated by tradition. As I am sure you have already guessed, there is certainly a twist to this as well. Thanksgiving is classic and cannot be touched. Our table always has the full American spread with smoked turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, some sort of “healthy” green food, rolls, and usually enough pie to please every critic. But then Christmas comes and it’s as if the maps are unrolled, the globe scrutinized and the Google searches are endless. Every year for Christmas my family chooses a different country or culture to inspire our holiday meal. Some years it is chosen based on a place we miss, but others it is a place we wish we could venture to. We have done Spanish Mediterranean, Cajun, northern Italian, German, and few others. To us, one of the best ways to get to know a culture is to get a taste of its food- literally.

As I said earlier, travel is a big part of my life. Within the first few weeks of being born I was already on an airplane. As a kid I basically started my own collection of those little plastic wings the flight attendants give out. Nevertheless, there is definitely more to travel cuisine than peanuts and a complimentary beverage. I always make it a goal of mine, wherever I go, to try the food that the region is known for; their absolute best, signature masterpiece that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. For example, while in Alaska: moose, Seattle: halibut, Jordan: baklava, New Orleans: jambalaya and beignets, Israel: shawarma, Chicago: deep-dish, Calgary: poutine and the list goes on! So much can be learned just by embracing the basics of a people.

Sometimes it is not the culture that creates the food, but rather the food that determines the culture. A strong example of this can be seen throughout America in coffee shops. The relaxed, casual atmosphere of coffee shops is what makes them so inviting. Not only do the chairs or beverages contribute to this overall feeling, but the mild music playing in the background, often referred to as “coffee shop” music, adds to the ambiance. Nonetheless, coffee shops have become their own culture. Every time I go home I always find myself in the same local coffee shop I’ve always gone to called BlackDog. Throughout high school BlackDog was my study spot, on weekends it was where I met friends and continues to be a great place to unwind. Walking through the door is the same each time: the colorful chalk menu is behind the counter, there is a glass case to the right of the register supplied with pastries, the art of local photographers or painters lines the walls in a modern display, the owner is usually conversing at the end of the bar with a costumer, the majority of the customers are patrons or employees from BlackDog even on their days off, laptops are open and headphones plugged in, some people are reading or drawing, etc. There is particular type of individual that can be expected to occupy one of these tables- someone who is artsy and unique; able to establish themselves without input from others put certainly not oblivious to the major social trends.

Mathew Klickstein wrote an article for the Colorado Daily focusing on the culture these coffee shops. He discusses the importance that coffee has played over the years, but also how it is changing with the addition of technology to our society. Klickstein explains that some shop owners will intentionally install poor Wi-Fi and fewer outlets to ensure focus on community social interaction rather than bringing the office to a new location. He also discusses the importance of keeping the local coffee shop culture alive while the franchising market, for companies such as Starbucks, continues to expand (Klickstein).

There is also something to be said about the people you share a meal with. Eating is communal and a moment becomes wonderful when you can take the time to eat with someone new and really get to know them- to hear a bit of their life’s story. One meal in particular stands out when I think of the people I have dined with throughout my life. Roughly five years ago I was in downtown Kansas City, MO volunteering at the rescue mission. After all the men were served we got to go sit down and eat with them. Some I was with, heard heart wrenching stories of how a successful father had lost it all- his job, his house, his wife and his kids- which put him out on the streets; but a friend and I talked with this other gentleman and the topic I recall vividly: food. We talked about what we liked and what we did not. I remember we all laughed when he told us he was allergic to kiwi. Who is allergic to kiwi?! Yet, to this day I can tell you that his leg would swell up if he ate such a fruit.

No matter who you are, or what background you come from, food becomes your identity whether you like it or not. Taste is one of the five senses that allows us to travel through time to a place or memory that is instilled within us. Though I never would have expected it, this is exactly what happened to me while in the Middle East last summer. Just the taste of cinnamon, cardamom, cucumbers and tomatoes, and the combination of lemon with a hint of mint allows me to travel once again overseas into the rich, hospitable Arab culture. This is similar to Geoff Nicholson’s writing, Eating White, in that Nicholson intentionally eats specific foods that he knows will awake cherished memories. Though he searches for the authenticity of white, English Cheshire cheese, he is unable to match his mother’s cooking (Nicholson 21). In the same way, since returning to the states it has been impossible to replicate the vibrate flavors that I experienced while abroad. Every once in a while I will make a sandwich containing only hummus, cucumbers and tomatoes to take me back to the countries that impacted my life more than I could have imagined; but no ingredients could contain the richness that the true, local produce did.

Roy Ahn also accounts his connection to traditional Korean food in his essay Home Run: My Journey Back to Korean Food. Ahn explains that through his teenage years, he attempted to disown his Korean heritage in an effort to connect better with his American friends. By renouncing the ethnic cuisine of his native country, Ahn eventually realized that he was also losing a part of his character. After returning to a Korean restaurant,  Ahn was ashamed that he lost the ability to order the traditional dishes like he once could and also could no longer regain that ability after his parents’ deaths thirteen years prior (Ahn 12-14). All in all I think it is fair to say that food connects both memories and experiences together in a unique way. There is nothing quite like it and it is unable to be accomplished with the same intensity by any other sense. No matter what, the food we grew up with, or experience throughout our walks of life, determines who we are and the flavors become irreplaceable.

Sometimes we do not choose to abandon our heritage, but rather it simply gets dropped along the way. America is known as the great melting pot; a place where cultures intermingle and overlap. I, like so many other Americans, am a descendent of immigrants. The most prominent culture in my blood comes from my Swedish ancestors who came to America around the 1880s. My great-great-grandmother was known for her Swedish cooking as she had brought over the traditions from the homeland. However, even by the next generation my great-grandmother had intermarried with another culture fusing two forms of cuisine together but diluting the Swedish flavors at the same time. Nonetheless, my mom still remembers the amazing Swedish dishes that she would sometimes eat at her grandmother’s house. For me, I did not disown my culture nor did I wish to extinguish its intensity; it was simply not a part of my life growing up because my family had expanded not only in size or generations but also in the configuration of our ancestry. I still hold importance to my Swedish roots however unlike Ahn’s Korean culture, it will never be a dominant part of my life.

It is the beautiful relationships that make a meal and a meal that allows one to connect . . . to everything. I am truly blessed to have had these amazing experiences and all those that are to come. There are plenty of days that I will take a meal for granted, everyone seems to. But the days that I allow myself to slow down and become fully alive with the world around me, those are the days I remember. No matter where I am, food remains in the center of it all, and I expect that it will always do so. Culture, to me, is food. And food can bring a culture to life especially when shared with those around you. As life takes us different places, pieces of the puzzle are picked up and taken along on our journeys. Each story is unique and full of different flavors; we never know what will be added next.