The majority of the population has no idea about the corruption, greed, and arrogance that our food system is based on or how much of an effect these factors have on our health and the welfare of the planet. It can be very difficult to convince others of the severity of this problem, but we fortunately don’t have to because the movie Food, Inc. does a great job of this.

Normally, when I write about a book or movie, I like to share some of the more important and interesting information that I learned. I’m not going to do this with Food, Inc. because I think it’s an extremely important documentary that everyone needs to see!

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You may think you’re eating well by consuming vegetables and unprocessed whole foods, but they too come with some significant risks.

Health or Profit?

Like any other industry, the food industry is primarily concerned about making money. That may sound harsh and hard to believe, but when you think about it, it’s really not. The tobacco and alcohol industries don’t seem too concerned about helping to kill hundreds of thousands of people each year.

This precedent set by the tobacco and alcohol industries makes it easy for the food industry to prioritize profit in a way that significantly affects our health. However, food is essential for health and survival. Contamination of this basic requirement for life has significant consequences that are far more subtle than those resulting from alcohol and tobacco use.

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A claim that’s supported by scientific research has a certain seriousness to it that makes it feel verified and trustworthy. But is it?

The Pursuit of Truth

Many of the scientific discoveries and inventions that have occurred up until now are absolutely amazing. Using our advanced knowledge to uncover unknown truths is a marvelous thing. Finding truth is the core of what research is and is what drives scientists to dedicate themselves to it. But that doesn’t mean every piece of published research is worthy of this distinction.

To avoid having any influence on the results of a research study, researchers must have a strictly unbiased outlook on the results. Although this can be hard to accomplish, bias can inadvertently lead to changes in the design and protocol of a study that ultimately alter it’s outcome. A biased study leads to a biased truth which isn’t really the truth at all.

A Conflict of Interest

In today’s fiercely competitive marketplace, corporations are looking for any advantage they can get to sell their products. For a company selling a product in the health and fitness field, one of the most valuable advantages they can get is to back their product’s claim with scientific research. But keep in mind that a scientific study can be very expensive and cost millions of dollars. Unfortunately, this all leads to a situation where potential for profit drives the need for research rather than the need for honest answers.

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