Children are like Popcorn

Americans eat more corn than almost anyone other than Mexicans; it is a huge staple in our diet, whether we know it or not. One article in class noted the potentially toxic effects of diacetyl, a flavoring added to popcorn. Apparently the man contracted lung cancer from microwaving popcorn several times each day for years on end. Now imagine how much corn he ate when the average American already eats 25 pounds of corn per year. If each bag is four cups of corn, three times a day, for 365 days per year, then that amounts to 4380 cups per year! That's hundreds of pounds per year! Really, how much popcorn do you need?

Something I find intriguing about the economics of food is the tremendous social pressure to eat like everyone else. Like African American Muslims looking for solace and community, we are pressured to eat what our friends and family eat. Thus cultural tradition endures and we can be 'brainwashed' against certain foods, much like African Americans tried to move away from the slave foods of ham hocks and collard greens. While in France, I felt an enormous, silent law indicating that I should eat several pieces of baguette per day, along with at least one healthy vegetable dish.

Children are like popcorn. With this tradition of following similar food paths, the obesity problem arises: children eat the same as their parents and balloon up like the bag of popcorn in the microwave. And like the corn, the food that the child eats is repetitive and often nutritionless. Something like 64% of adults and 32% of children (Hellmich, USA Today) in America are overweight. What makes the epidemic worse, as exposed by Morgan Spurlock, is that corporations like McDonalds addict the children when they are young and thus develope an addiction to the food.

I thought I would incorporate a health food recipe to counteract the effects of fast food. One can always eat celery as a 'negative net caloric intake' food, but I prefer this healthy recipe that also tastes Godly. This is my favorite of all the foods I tried in France; it tastes fresh and earthy yet it feels fried as well.

Tomates Provençal- Grilled tomatoes from the Southern region of Provence. Eaten alone as an appetizer
Sliced tomatoes
Sea salt and coarsely ground pepper
Crushed garlic
Shredded basil
Herbes de Provence- can be substituted with lavender, rosemary, marjoram, basil, bay leaf, and thyme
Dash of olive oil
Set in oven until crispy. Can be put on bread or crackers as well.

Tomates Provençales <http://www.recettes-sans-gluten.com/img/entrees/tomates_provencales04.jpg>