Although I read a lot of books, I don’t often write book reviews, but last week I received a copy of Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us. I just finished reading it and thought it was so interesting, that I just had to tell you about it.
It’s a book by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Michael Moss. Basically, it explains how food companies add excessive salt, sugar, and fat {the perfect amount is referred to as the “bliss point”} into their products to make it more palatable and create addictions to the foods as a result.
The book links obesity to the over-consumption of these foods {duh!}. The companies, driven by profit, do not want to remove these items from their products, as they are worried they will make them less palatable and affect the bottom line–making their shareholders unhappy. I found the whole viscous cycle fascinating! Especially the part about the cheese! You have to read this book.
I was surprised to learn that in 1999, a few of the food industry’s giants came together for a meeting {led by a Kraft executive} to discuss their role in the obesity crisis. Apparently Kraft was trying to call the companies into action to stop marketing sugar laden products to children and to start offering foods with better ingredients. Many of the companies present {General Mills, Pillsbury, Coca-Cola, Nabisco} were ticked off by Kraft’s call-to-action, so Kraft decided to press on by creating changes in their own products. A part of me felt relieved to know that even if it was only Kraft, there are still people out there who believe in doing the right thing.
The book also talked about the marketing behind food products. Yikes! It is scary, scary stuff what lengths food companies will go to to get us to spend our money on their products.
The book truly was an interesting look into food and the people behind it, and it made whole home-grown food seem even more important.
If you decide to check the book out, let me know what you think.
~Mavis
Amazon currently has Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Giants Hooked Us in stock and ready to ship. You can also try your local library as well. Knowledge is power!
Judy N. says
I find it depressing that since 1999, 13 years later our society is More obese then ever, apparently no one listened to Kraft..
becky says
I was listening to our local NPR station and they had the author, Moss, on there. It’s hard to believe how many companies make so many people addictive to their food by having the perfect amount of sugar, salt and fats in their food, and they would rather profit than make healthier products. I agree, kudos to Kraft.
Michelle O. says
Mavis,
I haven’t read the book but I was wondering if it has changed your mind about buying a food that you previously bought and ate?
Random Person Named Melissa says
Not going to read it (I don’t eat processed foods anymore anyways)but I did look up a interview if anyone else doesn’t have time to read it. It is intresting.
Heather says
WOWZA! Thank you for finding this and posting the video. Scary stuff…
Knitting with Olof says
Check out the documentary Hungry for Change. It’s on Netflix and probably on Prime. It’s eyeopening. It also talks about all of this stuff and how most Americans are fat and starving for nutrition at the same time but because of their addictions they don’t eat the food that they body needs to stop them from being hungry all the time.
Kelly says
Check out Sugar Blues written in 1975 – a classic! Are you a patron of the Pierce County library? love the UP location!