I finally rented and watched the documentary, 'Super Size Me'. If you haven't seen this, I highly recommend it. The plot: one man decides to eat ONLY McDonald's food for 30 days. He has to try everything on the menu at least once and when he orders, if the counter clerk asks if he wants it 'super sized', he has to say YES.
There were some other rules, but when you watch the movie, you'll get the list.
Anyway, he eats MacDo for 30 days and almost KILLS HIMSELF in the process. His liver just about shuts down--like an alcoholic's--his bad cholesterol goes off the charts, he became depressed and suffered migranes. In addition, he gained about 20 pounds. Ugh!
It was a great documentary, and really gets you thinking about what is actually INSIDE those little 'happy' meals. Did you know that only 5 items on the McDonald's menu don't have sugar in them? Coffee, iced tea, nuggets, french fries, and diet soda. Everything else, including the ketchup, is stuffed full of sugar.
The most interesting bit of info, in my opinion, was in the "extras" section on the DVD. The guy buys 6 or so typical McDonald's products, and two freshly-made (no preservatives) hamburger/french fry items, and puts them in big, covered bell jars in his office. There they sit, for week after week. By week 2, the freshly made items were moldy and deteriorating to the point where they were thrown out. THE MCDONALD'S PRODUCTS WERE JUST FINE.
By week 5 or so, the McDonald's burgers and fillet-o-fish were starting to molder. Not the french fries. By week 10 everything had FINALLY gotten moldy.. except the french fries. The fries looked as perfect as the day they were made. Doesn't make me want fast food anytime soon.
A frightening, frightening thing...when food can maintain its color/shape/look after 10 weeks of sitting in a jar. Makes you wonder if it even digests in our stomachs? Like the urban legend: all the gum you swallow is sitting undigested in your stomach. Maybe the fries are, too!
Have you seen this movie? Did you like it?
2 comments:
I held off from watching Supersize for a long time, thinking it was just about the dumbest thing I'd ever heard. Of course if you eat nothing but nasty junk for that long you're going to gain weight and have health problems, idiot.
One night it was on cable, so I thought I should watch it to have the right to complain about it more.
I was a fascination with the abomination. I was especially impressed with his points about how ingrained these companies are in the public's mind. It was amusing, but very disturbing that people on the street could sing every word of the Big Mac song, but not the National Anthem.
I still think the guy is an idiot though. He almost killed himself, and probably caused some irreprable damage to his body to show us fast food is bad for you. Uh...anyone who doesn't know that deserves whatever ailments they get from eating it day in and day out.
Yeah, fast food is gross. But, going back to the moderation discussion of the prior post--if you don't eat it every day like this guy, it probably won't kill you.
I don't think McDonald's is responsible for people's ill health if they do eat their food every day. Just like I don't think tobacco companies are responsible for people getting lung cancer, and gun companies aren't responsible for people getting shot.
Along with moderation, most people also need to learn to take responsibility for themselves.
There's a segment in the movie where a lawsuit brought against McDo by two obese kids is discussed. I think those kids' PARENTS should be prosecuted for willfully and knowingly allowing their kids to eat so much crappy food! I agree, TIL, people need to use their brains and take some responsibility for what they do, and that includes what they stuff in their gobs.
And on that note... time for dinner! (Sushi, not MacDo!)
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