Laws to make you healthier

[Apocalipstic]

Originally Posted by Dylan

I don't see how, in the case of restaurants and salt, the government is telling individuals what to do. I mean, I'm not saying, "You're wrong"...I just don't understand how that's the government telling individuals what to do. I see it as the government telling companies not to feed us crap.

I mean, if you, the individual, want to sit down to a meal of Crisco and a container of Morton's, by all means, that should definitely be your prerogative. However, when I go to a restaurant there is some sort of expectation the food I'm eating isn't going to kill me. And adding more salt to food in a restaurant is just ridiculous. Using hydrogenated oils (transfats) is just ridiculous. Hardly anyone uses these products at home (Crisco being an exception). And adding salt in a restaurant is just ludicrous.

In my opinion, Americans DO need to be weaned off of salt. It's in everything. We're sooooooo accustomed to it being in everything that we then add more of it.

I mean, have you (royally or personally) ever tried to NOT eat salt for a week? Or even one day? It's nearly impossible. It's sometimes even used on fresh produce to make it travel further. And packaged foods are the worst for sodium content. It's even used in the packaging of meats. So, if I'm on a low sodium (I have cut it out all together for short bursts, which ended up being more like fasting, because I was seriously limited in what I could eat...I would rather cut out sugar and hfcs honestly, because I was left with many many more choices in what I could eat...and I was able to go months without [white] sugar) diet, I pretty much know what I can eat and can't eat...but in a restaurant (where they don't need salt for anything more than customer satisfaction), I have no idea what they're adding salt to. There's absolutely no way for me to monitor my intake. There's no way for a chef/kitchen manager to tell me either, because it's not even measured in a kitchen. It's just tossed into/onto eveything...even salads.

Americans don't need more salt, but if One wants to have a house made out of salt licks, I think that's fantastic...but I don't think I should have it forced upon me in a restaurant...especially when there's a salt shaker on the table for anyone who wants to pour it all over their food until their brain dries up.


Dylan

We (royally of course) actually have been trying to cut down on salt and it is hella difficult if We eat out at all and it makes "Our" feet swell. Grrrr.

I completely agree with you on that.

But.....

Any time I hear govenment intervention abortion and cigarretes jump into my head.....I know 2 very different subjects.

Maybe, if as you suggested they were starting at a lower level along the food preparation chain it would seem like the government was really trying to help, not control. (OMG, I just read this and I am starting to sound like a Libertarian.....)

It would seem ironic if in my state one could legally have a gun in a restaurant/bar, but not have salt....