Growing up, children often hear the phrase, “Watch what you eat.” For the most part, this is based on health concerns, in order to keep children healthy. Eat your vegetables. Don’t eat junk food. You can’t have dessert until you finish your dinner.
However, is there a moral element involved in the food that we eat? Do we have any concern for how animals are treated (or better, engineered) in the food-making process? Do we think about the money-making industry that food production has become? Do we think about the processed junk that we typically consume, and how this is a potential departure away from a biblically-based lifestyle?
Michael Pollan has been a recent spokesman concerning the American food industry and the consumer’s responsibility to think through their food choices, not simply for health reasons, but for ethical/moral reasons as well. The trailer for the film Food, Inc. (posted below) will hopefully provide an introduction into some of the issues that surround our food consumption.
Questions:
- Is the food that we eat an ethical or moral choice?
- How important are animal rights in this discussion?
- What are the financial burdens that come along with “eating healthy” (e.g. buying “free-range meats” or organic produce)?
19 comments
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December 3, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Jessica McCleaf
The foods that we eat are very much our own decisions. We have the option of making a home cooked meal but when we’ve had a long day and don’t feel like cooking we call up the local pizza shop and order out when we could have eaten in for much cheaper and could have eaten much healthier foods. Our food consumption also plays apart of our emotions. When we’re in a bad mood when our friends won’t talk to us we sulk on the couch with a carton of ice cream and end up lost in a chick flick. (okay i’m getting off topic a bit. but all the above is true.
When it comes to animal rights, this topic is very important. The modern day economy’s goal (as stated in the trailer) is to grow it cheaper, bigger, faster. We have done a great job of this task. We have slaughtered many animals for our consumption. God did give us animals in order to have protein and such things but I think animal consumption has gotten way out of hand with the percentage of animals we slaughter and how we treat them when they are alive is crazy. Every one of us have seen Chicken trucks and i think those are aweful enough and thats nothing compared to how they are treated before they are transported.
The burden that comes along with “eating healthy” is a financial burden. Free range and organic foods are more expensive then the usual things. Some people do not believe that milk and other things can be organic. Personally we buy organic milk and it has its benefits for us because it lasts longer, it is more expensive but as a family we do not drink a lot of milk so it works out better for us and it is better for us.
December 3, 2009 at 9:42 pm
jtj
JM,
nice post. homework assignment: figure out how much more expensive it is to eat organic (free range meats, etc). im sure a quick search will give you some results (make sure you look at who is providing the information!)
also, beyond money and health, is the food we eat an ethical decision?
December 3, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Anna Barnard
I think that the food that we eat is a ethical and moral choice. Only you yourself determines what goes in you body and whether you want it to be an unhealthy food or an organic one is all up to the individual. Many people now a days however just want the fast meals in life. We don’t take time to cook meals and have a nice family dinner. Instead, like Jessica mentioned, we order out, getting something that is really unhealthy. This has caused many problems in families, such as obesity and lose of self control. I really believe that the way most people eat today, is sinful in God’s eyes as well. Gluttony is a sin that many people forget about In Proverbs 23:20-21 it states “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.” Here we can clearly see that God does not want us to ignore this sin. There have been stories in the Bible that show how important it is to eat healthy. For example Shadrak Meshak and Abendago. They obeyed God and as a result of eating healthy food, they were stronger and faster than all the other men. Here it shows me that God wants us to take care of our bodies. (sorry, I got a little of topic)
I believe that animal rights play a big role in this discussion as well. In the food industries, like stated in the video, we try and grow them faster stronger cheaper. It does not state anywhere that the animals well being or safety is ever considered. The government has even made it a law that it is prohibited to show any pictures of the inside of industries. Another shocking fact was that they don’t want to show people the truth with how most foods are processed because then they might not eat it. To me, I feel very unsafe if I don’t know what is going into my food and how the animals are treated just so I can have a burger that is made from them (and probably the worst part of them as well). I think that we have gone too far and allowed animals to be treated in a way that disrespects God’s creation. He allowed us to have dominion over them, that does not meant treat them like dirt.
When it comes to eating healthy, yes there are some burdens involved. A big one is finances. The organic food is more expensive because more work and “carefulness” and time is spent into making the food better for people. I think it is a reasonable sacrifice to make though. I think that what we eat plays a big part in our health and being able to function properly to do things in life the best that we can. It will help us succeed in work and make us feel more energized and less stressed. This allows for greater self esteem as well as a happier life style. I believe this is what God wants us all to live like.
December 3, 2009 at 9:47 pm
jtj
Anna,
nice post. please do not use S, M, and A (in Daniel) as a model for how to eat. this is not the point of the story. i once heard joel osteen go off about this for a whole sermon and basically concluded that we should eat turkey bacon instead of regular bacon. not the point! otherwise, yes, what we eat is important.
so if you are beginning to feel that “we have gone too far,” what can you do about it? should we consider changing what we eat? what sort of effects will this have?
homework assignment: you (like Jessica above) need to figure out how much more expensive it is to eat healthy. report back to me.
December 4, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Anna Barnard
I think that since we have gone too far, in my opinion, it will take a while to “undo” the damage. I think it is important to have the food industries monitored. Say have a set of guidelines that much be followed as a way to keep the animals safe. I think it will make the process longer (it won’t be faster stronger cheaper anymore) however, the food that you will eat will be healthier and more benefitting to you. It will make you stronger and live longer.
I looked up the prices for organic beef and milk compared to non-organic. What I found was really surprising. Boneless Chuck Roast from a Cow is $5.99/LB vs. $2.99/LB. Filet Mignon is $28.99/lb vs. $14.99/lb
Organic Milk per gallon is $3.00 (you would spend about $12.00 per week on mile) where organic milk is $6.00 per gallon($24 a week). It is double the price. So I can see how people would just be fine eating unhealthy because in the end it is cheaper. But still I think it is worth the sacrifice.
December 4, 2009 at 12:07 am
Mike Tirrell
I’m not sure whether the food we eat is an ethical or moral choice, but we try to find the best bang for our buck. Economics and swiftness of production are our greatest motivations. The issue of animal rights would come into affect around where producers use steroids to exacerbate the growth process in animals in order to get more meat out of the animal. It seems like animals are treated more like ballons, seeing how air you can get into one. The reverence for its life is lost, not in that we kill them for food but we house, feed, and slaughter them in the fastest, quickest, most profitable way.
Most would say that organic and free range products are OVERRATED. (lol Woman of Truth!!, sorry guys inside joke.) The financial burdens hit the producer as well as the consumer. the consumer might pay 75% or even double for organic and free range, but the producer pays more. First normal meat growers have barns or houses that they keep the animals in and are normally jam packed, a very inexpensive way. The free range farmer must have a huge amount land and natural foods to feed his livestock which is more expensive. Also, his product does not produce as much meat as the other producer, so the farmer must sell more and increase his price to keep up with the commercial producers.
December 4, 2009 at 7:34 am
Sam Hommel
Like Mike said, in this economy, we are trying to save all of the money we can. Therefore, i am still deciding on whether this is an ethical or moral choice. I think animal rights are extremely important. The bible does say that we are allowed to kill animals to eat. For example, I think that people are going way to far when giving animals harmful medicine just to make them grow faster in order to make the farmers more money. Not only is it making their profit increase, it’s making disease increase. Organic foods are often more expensive than other foods. And like I said earlier, with an economy in the condition like it is today, people are more concerned with saving money than they are with eating healthy.
December 4, 2009 at 12:05 pm
jtj
Sam and Mike,
it is also about perspective. you both mention the economy and how we are trying to save money. so, we eat cheap food, but maintain cell phones, cable internet, satellite tv, designer clothes, massive car payments, etc.
why do we seem to neglect the importance of what we eat in exchange for the “trappings of the world”? (thats an overstatement, but maybe you get my point)
if we believe this issue to be of importance, the financial cost should not matter that much, because we would make sacrifices in other areas.
December 4, 2009 at 9:36 am
gunner Kollock
I don’t really have any concern with the meat or other foods i consume as long as i equally balance out my diet. But their is one thing Im concerned with and that is the hormones they inject into the the pigs,chickens, and cows to make them grow faster and get them to market faster. I think overall the economy is in too bad of shape to be worrying about are diets, we are all concerned about making and saving money.
December 4, 2009 at 9:58 am
Mike Tirrell
Gunner, you contrict yourself in saying you don’t have any concerns with the food you eat, then you say you are concerned with the hormones they inject.
December 7, 2009 at 9:26 am
Gunner Kollock
sorry i did not think about that when i was typing!
December 4, 2009 at 9:58 am
Mike Tirrell
Excuse me contradict.
December 4, 2009 at 12:06 pm
jtj
good point Mike. i was about to say the same thing. Gunner?
December 7, 2009 at 9:28 am
Gunner Kollock
sorry Mr. James i did not think about what i said! it was my bad i did not make much sense on that blog post!
December 6, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Jessica Stratton
Sorry for the late post. I didn’t realize we had a post for this week.
I think that the food we eat is ultimatley up to us. But we should comsume foods that will help our health and respect our “temple”. There is many more convienient products out now that people invest in that aren’t benefiting to their health. Its cheap food in price and in nutrients. We lack many essential food groups when we eat out, order in and go through the drive thru. But thats the goal of these franchises. They want your money and as long as they keep providing fast access to food, people will continue to invest in their business.
I honestly think animal rights is important. However its tricky when you think about it. Fast food contains so many processed and very unhealthy food. This is the result of hormones being added to animals for faster growth. If we want to talk about how the food companies are creating a more convienant way of eating, we can. But I think animal rights are on a different level. Confused? Me too.
Financial burderns are extreme when buying healthier food. many health companies are noticing hat people are hungry for healthier products and they are taking this advantage for thei companies. They created food for people and jack up the price because people will pay more for healthier food since unhealthy food has become the majority.
December 6, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Keina Harmon
I do agree with you Jess on the topic of animal rights being thrown into eating healthy… if we care we won’t eat them.
December 6, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Keina Harmon
The food we eat is our own choice, I honestly do not know if it has anything to do with morals or ethics. I think that we choose whatever makes us happy, meaning whatever we feel like eating whether it be cheap or expensive.
Based on the video animal rights are in danger, because of what the food producers are doing to produce the food faster. but, if the food producer do not keep up they will be in danger because of the economy.
Eating healthy does cost more money and it some of the products are better for your than the regular food, but like mike some of it is OVERRATED! Living in a house that drinks organic milk and buys organic fruit i have noticed the difference in the taste, but not in the healthiness of my body. But, that is probably because those are the only organic foods that I eat.
December 6, 2009 at 10:37 pm
John Hale
Our food choices can, in some cases, be a moral decision. For an obvious example, over eating (gluttony) is a bad moral decision, even if it may not have any adverse health effects. But in addition to this, choices of what sort of food can also be moral decisions, supporting the wrong companies or eating damaging food can be morally wrong. Now, what constitutes a bad decision is not very clear. I personally do not believe that animal rights are important in this discussion, however companies that are reckless with animals are also likely irresponsible with the environment, employees, or in the product that they give the public. Animals are, in a way just animals in my opinion, it seems wrong to mistreat them, but I do not think that they have ‘rights’.
As far as buying organic foods, I do not believe it to be a necessity, just a preference, something that people can choose to pay more for. In other words, in most cases, the organic foods are better in some way, but there is nothing terribly wrong with commercial food. There is a difference between the two financially, of course, but that can be a reasonable difference in some cases for better food or peace of mind.
December 7, 2009 at 9:37 am
Ryan
Is the food that we eat an ethical or moral choice?
i would say yes to this question. as stated before the Bible says in Proverbs 23:20-21 that gluttony is a sin. Thanksgiving Day is a big sin that a lot of people just look over because they want that last piece of apple pie. i think we could all do better in watching the way that we eat so that we can be healthier for our services in the Kingdom of God.
How important are animal rights in this discussion?
I think that, as john said, animals that are meant for food are just that, food. But still that does not give us free range to treat the animals badly as most companies do.
What are the financial burdens that come along with “eating healthy” (e.g. buying “free-range meats” or organic produce)? The obvious is the difference in generic prices of non-organic foods and organic foods. Something that is not so obvious is just how much people spend in not eating healthy. We think that since something is on sale we should buy more of it to stock up cause its a bargain. But in doing this we are spending the same amount of money, if not more, then we would in buying the organic food. The big issue here is not necessarily finances, but that of gluttony.