Life in the fast lane
As our increasingly hectic lives began to necessitate convenience, processed foods became more commonplace. To make grab-and-go foods, manufacturers turned to packaging plastics like bisphenol A (BPA), preservatives, artificial colours and flavourings, salt and trans fats— hydrogenated oils that are long-lasting and solid at room temperature.
But science soon revealed the perils of what lurked inside those packages. Artificial colours were linked to hyperactivity in children. BPA was found to interfere with hormones, which may lead to fertility problems in women and an increased risk of breast cancer. Certain preservatives also came with cancer risks, sodium overload brought skyrocketing blood-pressure levels and trans fats wound up being the worst type of fat for cholesterol levels and heart health. These days, having learned from some of our past mistakes, we’re less trusting of food manufacturing “innovations” than ever before. Trans fats have been banned in processed foods south of the border. Experts blame sugar and refined carbs for rising rates of obesity and diabetes, while ultraprocessed foods and their inflated sodium counts are linked to high blood pressure.
Increasingly, we’re moving toward eating whole, natural foods. Today’s grocery stores are filled with products labelled “organic,” “Bpa-free,” “non-gmo,” “free range” and more. Our attitudes are shifting, too. In a 2015 Tracking Nutrition Trends survey, only six percent of Canadians said convenience is the most important factor in the foods they buy. Instead, we look for foods that are free of pesticides, additives, hormones and preservatives. Organic choices are on the upswing, and we seek out locally produced, sustainably sourced foods. This approach is changing conventional farming—in some cases leading to fewer pesticides in our food.
Home cooking is also resurging, as we want to know what we’re eating. According to Tracking Nutrition Trends, 66 percent of Canadians cook their meals from scratch. Despite the availability of premade foods, novice cooks are getting lessons from bloggers in making fresh recipes, including things like yogurt and almond