Episode 234: Ashka Naik - What’s in a Name and Why Does it Matter What We Call It?

In this deeply insightful episode, we welcome Ashka Naik, PhD candidate and Director of Research and Policy at Corporate Accountability, a global human rights and social justice NGO. Ashka joins Vera and Molly to explore how food systems have been colonized by powerful industry players, and why the words we use to describe what we eat matter more than ever.

We unpack the political, historical, and spiritual dimensions of what Ashka calls “violent processing”—a system that has robbed us of biodiversity, cultural wisdom, ancestral practices, and even language itself. Drawing connections between ultra-processed food products, neocolonial economic models, and public health crises, Ashka makes the case for reclaiming food as power and justice.

This is more than a conversation about nutrition. It’s a call to collective memory, systemic change, and grassroots action.

🔍 Topics Covered:

• The colonial and corporate roots of ultra-processed food systems
• Food as power: how what we eat reflects who holds control
• The extinction of food knowledge and the myth of “choice”
• From peaceful to violent processing: what got lost in the name of convenience
• Feminism, kitchen culture, and reclaiming traditional food prep as empowerment
• Why we must stop calling ultra-processed products “food”
• Grassroots vs. systemic change: what can individuals and communities do?
• Rethinking the language of “food addiction” through a justice framework
• Lessons from the tobacco wars: how public pressure can drive industry accountability
• The sacredness of nourishment — and how to teach our children to reclaim it

🌱 Resources & References:

• Corporate Accountability
• “Not Food: Time to Call Ultra-Processed Food Products by Their True Name” – Co-authored article by Ashka Naik, Dr. Prescott, and Dr. Logan

📣 Final Message from Ashka:

“Do not let anyone or anything make you believe that you can compromise on your relationship with what nourishes you.”

💡Learn more about Ashka

💌Email us at foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.