Heart Disease: Aisle 4
Reflecting on the American diet with a trip down memory lane
I went to the grocery store with my mom and Nana the other day. It was an easy and productive way to spend time with the both of them, plus I could do all the heavy lifting. A win-win all around. As we wandered up and down the aisles, I caught eyes with a familiar face. I couldn’t hide my excitement to see my old friend. His trademark smile was just as I remembered. He was still wearing the same outfit from years before, refusing to change with the times. I didn’t wait for acknowledgement before I shouted his name across the store.
“Oooh! Cap’n Crunch!”
My mom laughed at me.
“It’s been awhile since you’ve been down the middle aisles, hasn’t it?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
My trips to the grocery store differ greatly from my mother’s or my nana’s. The large majority of my shopping is done on the perimeters of the store. Fresh produce, dairy, eggs, tortillas, and meats — that’s it. Every six to eight weeks, I’ll head down a few middle aisles searching for oils or baking necessities. It’s like venturing into an alien world.
Walking alongside Nan as she wheeled around Lucky’s in a motorized cart was both a look into the common American diet as well as a PTSD-inducing vision of my past. The food of my childhood called to me, making my empty stomach hungry for nostalgia. Pizza rolls, Goldfish crackers, frozen chicken nuggets, and Ding-dongs — ooohhhh… Ding-dongs… — all called to my inner fat kid. As we continued down the frozen food section, I could taste the pizza rolls. Memories of summer days rushed to the forefront of my mind. As my parents worked, my brother and I would spend the days playing video games and eating frozen foods. We would split half a Costco-sized bag of pizza rolls, never knowing to preheat the oven, and always too impatient to let them cool. Piping hot grease would ooze from the tiny little pillows of pizza-y goodness. We would bite into them, immediately singeing all tastebuds without care. It was a bite of heaven.
As these memories took over, I felt myself gravitating toward the pizza rolls. Then, I started thinking about all I’ve learned about modern farming methods and why these foods cost so little. I immediately snapped out of my nostalgic trance. The thought of eating pizza rolls no longer appealed to me. All I could think about was how my digestive system would react to ingesting the foods I grew up eating. There’s no way I could make it through the night without keeling over in discomfort and spending a disproportionate amount of time in the bathroom.
It was interesting to have this realization in the company of the two people most responsible for shaping my diet as a child. My current eating habits could not differ more from my childhood. Today, I pass up Home Run Pies in favor of homemade granola and local farm yogurt. Hot Pockets are replaced by polenta and sauteed veggies. My beloved Cap’n has been pushed aside for eggs, rice and fresh greens. Not only have these changes affected how I feel on a daily basis, but they may also help extend my life.
According the the Center for Disease Control, one in every four deaths nationwide is related to heart disease. Poor diet, diabetes, and obesity are all contributing factors. These issues are fueled by fast food and the middle aisles. The over consumption of processed foods, corn-fed meat, and sugary, corn-filled beverages are killing Americans at a greater rate than cancer.
The spread of groceries to big-box stores like Walmart and Target compound the problem. As the typical American consumer abides by “The cheaper, the better” relating to most goods, low quality food is pumped out en masse. One of the frozen dinners Nan grabbed as just a dollar. One dollar! While the idea of feeding a person for just a buck sounds wonderful, my first thought was “How terrible must that be?”
Therein lies the conundrum. While the benefits of healthy eating are touted by the likes of the First Lady to Dr. Oz, many Americans, especially those with low income, lean heavily on high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. Chips, sodas, and cheeseburgers can be had for less than a dollar and are ready for immediate consumption. Prices of the inverse — organic produce, lean proteins, and local-farm milk — continue to scare away those shopping on a tight budget and tighter schedules. Grass-fed beef and organic dairy will never be able to compete with government-subsidized, corn-fueled factory farms. The cause of America’s obesity problem is obvious. It’s a solution that continues to evade the masses.
Steps are being taken to move the American diet toward balance. The current farm bill, which has recently taken effect, has the federal government offering twice the spending money on food stamps, now referred to as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, if spent at the farmers market. Some states are even selling seeds and seedlings to SNAP participants to truly maximize their dollar on whole, natural foods. But, the convenience of the drive-thru and afforability of corn-based products will continue to keep healthy diets on the fringe of American culture, much like the fresh produce on the edges of the grocery store.
I left my dear friend Cap’n at the store that day, acknowledging all he had been in my past, but knowing he has little place in my present or future. I know we’ll cross paths again some day, just likely no time soon. Maybe we’d see each other more if he moved out of the middle aisles and set up shop next to the produce.
