WHY WE EAT
Posted by Tim Bryce on March 4, 2016
BRYCE ON LIFE
– Please, do not tell us it’s “good for you.”
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When they have commercials on television for food, you often hear about its nutritional value. In a way, it is like when you were a youngster and your mother admonished you to eat your lima beans because it was “good for you.” I realize our taste buds change over the years, but I never acquired a hankering for lima beans, even to this day.
To my way of thinking, this “good for you” argument is nothing but a clever subterfuge to get you to eat some rather nasty tasting food. In all likelihood, it was invented by unscrupulous farmers, advertisers, nutritionists, and mothers to induce us to eat through this form of brainwashing. It’s a dirty trick and they should just stop it. I would much rather eat something based on its appearance, smell and taste.
Let me illustrate, over the years I have consumed thousands of gallons of citrus drinks, be it juice, the fruit itself, or in some other form, such as a soda. Since I was a kid, I was told it was loaded with Vitamin C, which is good for our immune system and fighting a cold. In the many years I have ingested Vitamin C I have never had a problem contracting the common cold. The point is, if I didn’t enjoy the taste of such products, I certainly wouldn’t be drinking it just to prevent colds. It’s an old wives’ tale.
Then we have spinach which, among other things, is said to contain enough iron to make you as strong as Popeye. Sorry, I have seen nothing to this effect. Liver is also supposed to have a lot of iron, but I cannot bring myself to eat it simply due to the horrid smell, which they try to mask using onions and bacon. This does nothing more than ruin some perfectly good bacon.
Then you hear mothers pushing a variety of products containing “antioxidants,” which is a fancy name designed to frighten children. There are also vegetables like broccoli and kale which are sources of Vitamin A, C, calcium and manganese, etc. Try selling that to an eight year old.
As to lima beans, they are supposed to be a fat-free source of protein. What they don’t tell you is, many beans, including lima, are toxic if they are not boiled for 10-15 minutes. If prepared improperly beans can easily result in food poisoning. It’s like the pharmaceutical warnings you hear on television, “May cause nausea, vomiting, strokes, or death;” otherwise it’s great for you. So, as a kid, you’ve got to wonder if your mother was really trying to feed you something nutritious or if she had ulterior motives.
They should forget the nutritional sales job and simply concentrate on preparing something delicious and smells heavenly. Look, if we like it, we will eat it. Why not just give us the nutritional mumbo jumbo in pill form and let us enjoy our meal.
It’s all about filling the hole, nothing more, nothing less. Somehow I feel duped after all these years.
And when you still do not want to touch your meal, mothers try to lay the guilt-trip on you of, “Do you realize there are thousands of children dying from hunger in Africa.” They are not amused when you answer, “Well then, why don’t we send them my plate?”
Also published with News Talk Florida.
Keep the Faith!
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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see: timbryce.com
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Copyright © 2016 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
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THE BRYCE IS RIGHT! 
Dolphin, Cynthia (DOP) said
Good morning,
I love the message. I can certainly relate to your post because during my childhood days when I would visit my grandmother on the weekends she would admonish me to eat spinach. She would say, “It is good for you and it will make you as strong as Popeye.” I watched Popeye during my childhood days. I believed that statement growing up and ate my spinach. Lol I agree, it was a form of brainwashing! I do not eat spinach at all now that I am an adult because, to me, it tastes nasty and I never acquired a taste for it. My mother would cook liver back in the days and she also would mask it using onions. She would say, “It is good for you because it is high in iron and would help me with my low blood (anemia).” Today, I do not eat liver; yuck! Lol My grandmother would also say to drink a lot of orange juice because it is high with vitamin C and it is good for my immune system. I do not mind drinking orange juice because it does give me a boost of energy in the morning. My grandmother back in the days always told me to eat my vegetables/meals because there are other children in other parts of the world that do not have anything to eat. I was forced to eat it because I did not want to feel guilty; so I ate my meals. It’s always the food that does not taste good that is supposed to be good for you and the foods that taste delicious, I was told is not good for you. I find myself saying the same thing to my 2 year old and 5 year old grandsons about eating their vegetables/meals. Lol
Great Write-up! I love your label “The Bryce is Right!”
Cynthia Dolphin
Former Pace University Student
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Tim Bryce said
Thanks Cynthia – It sounds like we had similar experiences. Today, I love spinach and brussel sprouts, but not liver and lima beans.
All the Best,
Tim Bryce
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TECHNOLOGY PENETRATION « THE BRYCE IS RIGHT! said
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