Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day! When I read this story [Congressman mocks calorie counting] I'm not sure what was more disturbing. Listening to Rep. John Shimkus mocking the idea of counting calories or the fact that he's right...but for all the wrong reasons.
Now I'm not saying he's an idiot. Although, who am I to judge really...after all, he is a congressman. The problem is that he's right about the idea that calories are not the key to healthy eating and weight loss. Look at diet soda for instance. Some have no calories at all. We all know that a calorie is a measure of the energy in food. Something the body can break down and use. However, the fact that it has no calories doesn't mean it's somehow good for you. Dirt doesn't have calories (that I know of) but we don't (generally) eat dirt. Although, the be honest...given some unavoidable choice...I'll go with the dirt every time. Chances are that any rat piss or bear shit that might be in it is better for me than most of the concocted crap in diet soda!
So the point is, instead of worrying about reporting calories...which is only half the story...how about just telling me what's in the fucking food! Yes, Congressmen, unlike the people you obviously associate with, I do want to know. Not that I'm any sort of food genius or health fanatic. But if there are more things in it that end in -mine or -trate, than things I can identify as food, I'll probably pass.
And by the way, mister genius congressman, labels and disclosures help keep food companies honest. Not that they're afraid of the government (we all know where you guys stand....wink-wink). However, they should, and do, fear being "outed" by their competitors for putting shit in their food that the competitor's are even too afraid to use. So please, stop worrying so much about what people are doing behind closed doors and start worrying more about what these companies are trying to do to our health...and the health of our kids.
