Unprocessed -- how I gave up processed foods (and why it matters) | Megan Kimble | TEDxTucsonSalon

Summary

In this talk, the speaker shares her journey of living a year without processed food. She discusses the impact of food choices on health and the environment, emphasizing the importance of how food is grown, processed, and consumed. She highlights the significance of supporting local farmers and the community by spending money mindfully on food. The speaker concludes by encouraging individuals to make small changes in their food choices to promote a healthier and more sustainable food system.

Takeaways

• 🍽️ The speaker embarked on a challenge to avoid processed food for a year to understand its impact on health and the food system.
• 🌾 All foods undergo some form of processing, but the level of processing can vastly alter their nutritional value and health effects.
• 🛒 The journey of food from source to table involves complex processes like transportation and storage, which can affect food quality.
• 🌱 Organic and local foods often have less processing and pesticides, suggesting a healthier and more sustainable option.
• 💰 The food industry's economic model means that a significant portion of consumer spending goes to middlemen rather than farmers.
• 🍎 The body processes whole foods like an apple differently from processed forms like apple juice, affecting blood sugar levels.
• 🍬 Sugar is ubiquitous and addictive, but consuming it in whole foods slows its absorption, which is healthier.
• 🏡 Eating unprocessed food doesn't have to be expensive; the speaker spent about $4.50 per meal on a mostly organic and local diet.
• 🌐 Supporting local food systems by purchasing from farmers markets or CSAs can have a significant economic impact on the community.
• 🌱 The speaker's experience with butchering a sheep personally made her value the importance of paying for ethically and sustainably produced meat.
• 💡 The power to change the food system lies in consumer choices, such as joining CSAs, reading labels, and supporting local businesses.

Q & A

What challenge did the speaker set for herself?

The speaker set a challenge for herself to go one year without eating processed food.

What does the speaker believe about the choices we make regarding food?

The speaker believes that the choices we make about food impact the food system and that we have the power to unprocess the foods we eat.

How does the speaker define 'processed food'?

The speaker defines 'processed food' as foods that are made by machines rather than by hand, using a quote from Mr. Rogers to differentiate between things people make and things that are made.

What are the three processes the speaker focused on in her talk?

The speaker focused on the process of how food gets from its source to the table, what happens to the body when the food is eaten, and how the foods we buy impact the communities we live in.

Why is the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales significant according to the speaker?

The Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales is significant because it is the largest inland port of entry in the U.S. and a major point of entry for produce from Mexico to U.S. supermarkets.

What is the difference between the watermelon from Hermosillo and the one from near Tucson as described by the speaker?

The difference lies in how they are grown and the process of getting them to the consumer. The one from Hermosillo is part of a large-scale operation involving pesticides and extensive transportation, while the one from near Tucson is part of a smaller, likely organic, and local farming practice.

How much of every dollar spent on food goes to the middleman according to the speaker?

On average, 91 cents of every dollar spent on food goes to the middleman, not to the farmers who grow the food.

What is the significance of sugar in the context of processed food as discussed by the speaker?

Sugar is significant because it is ubiquitous in processed foods, comes in many forms, and affects the body differently depending on the quantity and speed at which it is consumed.

What was the speaker's experience with sugar during her year of eating unprocessed food?

During her year of eating unprocessed food, the speaker made her own sweets with raw honey, wholegrain flour, and molasses, which satisfied her sweet cravings and caused the sugar to enter her body more slowly.

How much did the speaker spend on food in a year while eating unprocessed?

The speaker spent a total of about $4,900 to feed herself for a year on unprocessed food, which averages to approximately $4.50 per meal.

What is the potential impact of spending money locally according to the speaker?

Spending money locally can create new revenue for the city, support local businesses, and have multiplier effects on the economy, as more of the money stays within the community rather than being taken by multinational corporations.