1116: Fake Foods | Skeptical Sunday

48 snips

Feb 16, 2025

Jessica Wynn, a writer and researcher in food and nutrition, dives deep into America’s culinary landscape. She unpacks the dangers of ultra-processed foods that masquerade as healthy options, explaining how they disrupt our metabolism. The discussion reveals shocking food fraud, such as mislabeling expensive fish and the dark truth behind plant-based alternatives. Wynn emphasizes the importance of transparency and advocates for simplicity in our diets, pushing listeners to rethink what they put on their plates.

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ADVICE

Supermarket Shopping Rule

Shop the perimeter of the supermarket for fresh foods.
Avoid the inner aisles, which mostly contain processed foods.

INSIGHT

Ancient Food Processing

Food processing isn't new; humans have always processed food through cooking, mashing, etc.
Processing changes how our bodies metabolize food, with whole foods being optimal for digestion.

INSIGHT

Processed vs. Ultra-Processed

Processed food is not the same as ultra-processed food.
Ultra-processed foods contain modern chemicals our bodies aren't designed to handle, impacting metabolism.

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From food deserts to ultra-processed flavor deception, Jessica Wynn maps out America's nutritional divide and corporate food games on Skeptical Sunday!

Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by Jessica Wynn!

On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss:

Imagine your body as an ancient supercomputer, humming along with software that's been fine-tuned over millions of years. Then suddenly, ultra-processed foods show up like a sketchy software update, introducing code your system never evolved to handle. The result? Your internal operating system goes haywire, consuming 500 extra calories daily even when the nutritional "specs" look identical on paper.
Remember that Italian restaurant scene in Goodfellas? Well, the real food mafia (yes, the actual "Agromafia") is less about fancy dinners and more about fancy fraud. They're orchestrating a culinary shell game where your exotic $35 "Chilean Sea Bass" is actually $7 Costco tilapia in disguise, and your "extra virgin" olive oil might have a considerably less virtuous past.
That plant-based burger patty might be wearing a hemp necklace and preaching about sustainability, but underneath its eco-friendly costume lurks an ultra-processed food wolf in sheep's clothing. It's the dietary equivalent of greenwashing — solving one problem while potentially creating a lab full of new ones.
Picture 40 million Americans living in food deserts — urban landscapes where fresh produce is as rare as a unicorn sighting. These nutritional wastelands force folks to survive on a diet of convenience store cuisine, creating a tragic cycle where the most affordable food options are often the ones most likely to compromise health. It's a modern-day dietary dystopia.
Here's the silver lining, food adventurers! Think of your grocery store as a game board: The real treasures are hidden along the perimeter — that's where the fresh produce, meats, and dairy hang out like nutritional VIPs. Stick to the edges, and you'll dodge the ultra-processed center like a dietary ninja. Want to level up? Grind your own coffee beans, befriend your local farmers market vendors, and remember: every whole food purchase is a vote for a healthier food system.
Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!
Connect with Jessica Wynn at Instagram and Threads, and subscribe to her newsletter: Between the Lines!

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