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because Redneck is eating all of the food
Originally posted by TheRedneck
Wikipedia's page on hydrogenation
Wikipedia's page on Polymerization
In essence, with as many big words removed as possible, hydrogenation (as in 'partially-hydrogenated soybean oil) means that hydrogen is added to the hydrocarbons present in soybean oil. this extra hydrogen bonds to the oil molecules, changing their characteristics and allowing them to form longer chains of more complex molecules. The process is similar to polymerization, which is the process used to make complex polymers from crude oil, known to the general public as plastic.
Originally posted by TheRedneck
Partially-hydrogenated soybean oil is the principle ingredient in margarine, which has taken over the role of butter in Western society.
Originally posted by TheRedneck
It does work; your body can't completely break down the plastic like it can break down butter. So the stuff just slides along your insides until it gets to the other end, with a small bit of absorption happening when a few of those paints/perfumes manage to break loose. But don't worry, they won't hurt you, as long as you listen to the doctors and government agencies.
Originally posted by TheRedneck
Next time you pick up some margarine spread, look on the box and substitute the words 'painted, perfumed, blended plastic' for the words 'partially-hydrogenated soybean oil'. Mmmm, tasty!
TheRedneck
Originally possted by jackinthebox
Did you know that aside from the intensive farming methods, the nutrition in fresh produce is further reduced by being irradiated before they hit supermarket shelves? Sneak into the back room at your local supermarket, you may find boxes with the radiation sign printed on them. This is why.
Originally possted by jackinthebox
Besides, if our bodies could assimilate the necessary nutrients in pill form, we wouldn't have to eat at all anymore. Vitamin supplements are really just another scam in the "health food" industry.
The radiation symbol often invokes utter terror in everyone and yet radiation can be perfectly safe.
Some pills are a scam, most are in fact a scam, but basic multi vitamins and minerals i think are a safe bet if you don't have a decent diet.
Originally posted by jackinthebox
That's not really the point I was making. I'm sure that long term ingestion of even minimal amounts of radiation is harmful, but I am most concerned about the more immediate concern. That being the irradiation of foods wipes out the nutritional value. Same goes for microwaving your food. Please tell me you don't put those nice garden veggis in a microwave.
Originally posted by jackinthebox
The ones that are a "safe bet" or have any usefulness are about to be made illegal under international law through compliance with Codex Alimentarius.
Similar but far from being the same, however i admit i avoid all hydrogenated ingredients simply becuase it's been shown they're not exactly good for you. Whilst i understand the government allows some acceptable risks in food ingredients, i wonder how long it wil be before the campaigners suceed and get all this stuff banned?
I found that cherries are $5.99/lb.
Apples are almost $2/lb.
Grapes are $3.49/lb
Originally posted by TheRedneck
True, it is not exactly the same process, mainly due to the fact that differing chemicals are combined, but the end result in both cases is that separate molecules are combined into long polymer chains.
Originally posted by TheRedneck
And the government is far from trying to remove the 'offending' products. The FDA, as it turns out, does not run tests on new drugs; they accept the tests run by the producers of the drugs. Now realizing that this is the same agency that verifies the food we eat, what makes anyone think they act any differently in this area?
Originally posted by TheRedneck
What bothers me is that there is at least as much evidence to condemn partially-hydrogenated oils as there is to condemn cigarettes. Unlike cigarettes, which have never been touted openly as healthy, the margarines are supposedly better for you than butter. I'm waiting patiently for the flood of lawsuits against the food producers like there are against cigarette manufacturers. I will probably have a heart attack if one should ever actually materialize though.