FDA to limit amout of salt..

[SteamWake]

In processed foods.

On one hand its probably not a bad idea to reduce the amount of sodium found in alot of processed foods. Many soups and other things I just wont eat because there too damn salty.. See there I made a decision on my own to not eat them

On the other hand would the Federal Goverment please stop telling me what is 'good' for me !

Just another layer of control.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...905049_pf.html

[August]

Personally I wish they'd ban salt in processed food altogether. I can always add salt if I wish but I can't take it out if it comes like that.

[XabbaRus]

Well sometimes people need to be saved from themselves.

I try to heat healthuly, ie balanced diet. I have a weakness for chocolate but I try to limit it.

The thing is I see these fat huge people, who just stuff themselves and eat **** food and then complain they are fat.

So for the sake of society if people can't look after themselves then the government has to intervene. Not ideal, but like I said, some people need to be saved from themselves.

[Wolfehunter]

Originally Posted by XabbaRus

So for the sake of society if people can't look after themselves then the government has to intervene. Not ideal, but like I said, some people need to be saved from themselves.

I disagree

I say if someone wants to jump off a cliff then let them go...

[tater]

I tend to be in the camp of not regulating stuff like that. If people want to be stupid, let them.

OTOH, I am pretty convinced the primary reason for the explosion of obesity is diet. We have friends who are both slim. Heck, athletic, actually. They are very well off, so it is not one of those arguments you hear that poor people cannot afford good food. here's the thing, the wife doesn't cook. She has a huge (600 square foot?) gourmet kitchen, and her ginormus SubZero fridge (36" fridge next to a 36" freezer) is filled with open and reheat crap from costco.

I do much of our grown up cooking, because I like to. Yeah, we feed the kids fish sticks, or boxed mac and cheese sometimes, but for the most part everything starts out as raw food. Veggies, meat, and sometimes a starch. I use stuff that's "bad for you," too. Like I use plenty of salt, and plenty of butter at times (far more olive oil than butter, but when I use butter, I use butter). Rarely I make sauces with cream, too. Thing is I make decent portions, and the kids usually eat what we eat (I save the fish sticks, pizza, etc for when I might make something "challenging" for a 3 and 6 year old—but we still make them try it first.

Course now that we have more people on the healthcare dole, I might change my mind. People who are wards of the State don't deserve freedom to eat what they want. If I pay for their healthcare, then I should have a say in what they eat, right? Why should I pay for diabetes care for morbidly obese kids, for example? Maybe all fatty pre-made food should be forced to have a very high price point point. Even restaurants.

<——

[Camaero]

Originally Posted by Wolfehunter

I disagree

I say if someone wants to jump off a cliff then let them go...

I would agree... but with Medicare and Obamacare heh... now everyone will have to pay for the poor diets of others.

[Platapus]

Well this FDA program won't infringe on anyone's right to put as much salt on their food as they like. So keep that salt shaker loaded up and have at it!

Last time I looked every restaurant and fast food joint had salt there for the customer.

Personally, I like the option of choosing how much salt my food has. Since We can't count on the industry to give us this choice, we are, once again, forced to turn to the government.

If only the industry would self-regulate, we would not have to have such programs. Corporations don't give a crap about the health of the consumer.

By reducing the amount of sodium in processed foods, it gives greater freedom to the consumer to determine how much sodium (in the form of salt) their food has. What could be wrong with giving the customer a choice?

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by August

Personally I wish they'd ban salt in processed food altogether. I can always add salt if I wish but I can't take it out if it comes like that.

This.

[Zachstar]

If you dont like just add your own salt. Sea Salt is much better anyway.

And yes its another layer of control but I 100 percent agree because people rely on that crap far too much and its going to really tax the healthcare system in the future.

I LOVE salt. I have to have a high fluid intake to compensate for the amount of salt I use on rice or beef or other items. It sits right there on the table. Its a buck for a plastic shaker at the dollar store or any grocery. Common folks!

[Flopper]

Originally Posted by Dowly

This.

I've notice that every time i eat in a restaurant that doesn't serve sashimi, later on that night I'm parched. I've put together that restaurant's use a lot of... SALT. I won't be ordering the clam chowder at one of my local fave's because... way too salty.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge salt fan. I like to wash it down with tequila almost every night.

So two things. I really don't like the gov't telling anyone how much salt to use (I'll decide whether or not to get the clam chowder, if you don't mind). And I wish they wouldn't use so much salt.

[SteamWake]

Not so simple..

Make me a loaf of bread without salt

[CaptainHaplo]

The FDA can regulate all kinds of things because they are "unhealthy". However - here is my take on this.

They are regulating publicly sold products - not telling individual people that they cannot use salt all they want. However - while I can see legal authority to do it - I also see it as a slippery slope, since once they regulate how things can be processed - they then can regulate what is sold.

Is it a big deal? Not to me. Yet I can understand the concern. Ultimately one has to ask the following question on anything like this: Is this part of the Government's defined role?

The answer to that is no..... thus its a bad idea.

*If anyone can show me where in the constitution it says its the job of the government to protect people from themselves, do so.

[tater]

Originally Posted by Flopper

I've notice that every time i eat in a restaurant that doesn't serve sashimi, later on that night I'm parched. I've put together that restaurant's use a lot of... SALT. I won't be ordering the clam chowder at one of my local fave's because... way too salty.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge salt fan. I like to wash it down with tequila almost every night.

So two things. I really don't like the gov't telling anyone how much salt to use (I'll decide whether or not to get the clam chowder, if you don't mind). And I wish they wouldn't use so much salt.

There is a reason why professionally prepared food tastes good—I'm talking real, serious restaurants here. Proper use of salt is WAY up there. Read Keller's recipes (French Laundry). Loads of salt. It was my understanding that the relationship between salt and hypertension is less than straightforward, too. BTW, they've done studies, and when people salt their own food, they use far MORE salt than when it is prepared properly for them. Not a little more, a LOT more. So again, ban salting prepared food, and it will be salted by the customer, and likely salted MORE. WTG government!?!

[SteamWake]

The spice must flow...

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by SteamWake

Not so simple..

Make me a loaf of bread without salt

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,164,...243202,00.html

http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/b...free-bread.htm

http://www.bigoven.com/48632-Salt-Fr...ad-recipe.html

It has been done.