Dang! Diet coke has aspartame? holy... why did I ever buy this book in the first place? As per the book, when methyl alcohol, a component of aspartame, enters your body, it turns into formaldehyde. FYI, formaldehyde is (or part of) an embalming fluid. (Ayos, buhay ka pa ineembalsamo ka na di ba?) Who knew?
I like their writing format. Like how they're your foul-mouthed older sisters knocking your head with how stupid you' ve been putting the same crap in your mouth for years (or decades even).
There was one video in their website about a reformed meat -person who said they've been brainwashed to eat, eggs and bacon for breakfast, big macs for lunch (or any of its equivalent) and steak for dinner. I mean, who in the world eats like that? Oh yeah - the average American.
Only in America have I seen rows and rows of fridge stuffed with all kinds and different brands of ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream fudge bars, popsicles, endless stacks of cookies, Hostess cakes, candies, chocolates and a variety of potato chips, sodas, microwave dinners... No wonder almost everyone here is obese. Fast food restaurants here have meals that serve 2 piece chickens the least. 2 piece chickens! Who needs to eat two chickens??? whereas back home, you have an option to eat a single or two piece chicken meal with rice. Unfortunately, most Pinoys now are aiming for the two piece with EXTRA rice. And with the introduction of Magnum Ice cream, add to that the many little restos sprouting at Greenbelt, we're next on the list of countries with burgeoning obesity.
My problem with this book is that they use scare tactics to force you into being a vegetarian. Like, how the cattle is being boiled while still alive (some of them as the book claimed), pigs are good in playing video games, and that fish have feelings. Hmmmmm... I wonder how the fishes felt when Jesus told them to go to Peter's net? If Jesus himself fed 5 thousand men with loaves of bread and fish, I'm pretty sure there's nothing wrong with eating it. But yeah, with all the toxic wastes in our oceans these days, I can understand the fear. As long as you eat everything in moderation and give your immune system a chance to work (meaning fight the germs with all the crap you put into it) then being a meat-eater doesn't make you heartless or cruel. Hey, the authors only had hearsays about animal cruelty from factory farming. They never witnessed first-hand a pig being killed for fiesta, squealing and squealing while 5-7 men bound it's feet and gutted it all over. I did. I was four - at my grandpa's farm. I cried and shouted to stop the killing. I lost my appetite for menudo that day. But after a few days, my mom served hotdogs for breakfast and I've forgotten all about it. That's just life.
As much as I want to share this knowledge back home, where in the world will they get soy ice cream? soy cheese? soy yoghurt? veggie burger? Vegetarian options are so limited in the Philippines that they can't live on ketchup and fries alone. Besides, how would they cook tinolang manok without the chicken? Or Beef caldereta without the beef? Even if you use the veggie meat version it's not the same. Tasty yes, but different. And let me add, I know of a vegetarian who's fat. Although I have to give it to them pointing out the bad side of meat, vegetarian living doesn't mean healthy either. Having a balanced diet with exercise is. And yes, that includes meat.
Also, I have to admit that no government agencies are perfect but do they have to demonize the FDA? Really?
The verdict? - The book is too rad for me, but I may still buy their set - The Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, and The Skinny Prego book if and when I decide to get pregnant just so I have healthier options in preparing veggies or take their suggestions on some 'organic' foods available in the market. Other than that, me being a vegetarian? Oh HELL NO!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2 stars
0 comments:
Post a Comment