Happy 4th, I guess?
America the beautiful? Depends on who you ask.
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It’s July 4th, also known as Independence Day, here in the States. This year is also a big one, as it’s America’s 250th anniversary. But I ask the same question every single year during this time — what are we celebrating exactly?
I love a good festive celebration just as much as the next person. I also love good food, spending time with family and friends, and a day off from work. However, it feels so weird to celebrate a country, especially one with the administration we have now.
It feels so out of place to celebrate when a country as a whole does everything in its power to prove how little it cares about its citizens. I have written extensively about SNAP funding ending, healthcare being cut, funding for education being slashed, not to mention science and research being made nonexistent, and I could go on and on. I have to say that none of this puts me in the celebratory spirit.
I started jokingly saying that I would be celebrating the day the Caesar salad was created instead, which was July 4, 1924. For those who are unaware, the history behind it is that Caesar Cardini was an Italian immigrant who ran restaurants in Mexico and the United States. The salad was created by Cardini at his Caesar's restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, when the kitchen was overwhelmed and short on ingredients. It was originally prepared tableside, and it is still prepared tableside at the original venue. Amazing right?
Back to our Independence Day — I do sometimes think about what would truly make us great. It’s a long list, quite frankly, and I am not saying that it is doom and gloom all the time, nor do I think it’s wrong to have cookouts and gatherings with friends. But I also believe in realizing that not everything in this country is great. There are other countries that do, in fact, do things better.
I just got back from a trip to Italy, where I spent some time in Rome, Tuscany, Positano, and Amalfi. It was amazing, and I had a great time, but I always find the questions about my trip so interesting. “Wasn’t the food amazing?” Yes, it was. “Isn’t their way of life the best?” Also yes.
I am not claiming to be an expert on Italian culture, but there is a vast difference in the quality of life. I often think about this whenever I hear claims about us being the greatest country. I was recently told in an Instagram comment that I “should feel lucky to live in this country.” Lucky in what way exactly? I mean, are we the worst country? I definitely don’t think so. Are we the best? Also, a definite no from me. So, what defines being the best?
Food is something that is always mentioned when discussing Europe and how superior it is to food in the States. I’m not a fan of those arguments because I don’t think there is one region, culture, or country with superior food. There are various dishes and traditions, but superior? I don’t think so.
I know that this argument comes mostly from the idea that processed foods are extremely bad and scary, but every country has processed foods. Every single one. Europe also uses additives and preservatives in its food, some of which are banned here.
I know that some of you reading this might be thinking, “Well, the ingredients are superior to ours.” I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but not really. The reason that many of the ingredient lists look short and more “natural” is that here in the U.S, we write out all of our ingredients. For instance, products that are listed as “spices” and “flavor” in Europe are written out word for word here.
So, if we are using flour here, we have to list out the vitamins and minerals that it is fortified with. In the UK, for instance, they don’t have to, and you will just see “wheat flour” listed because it is implied that it is fortified. High fructose corn syrup that is listed here is written as glucose fructose syrup. Again, they also have foods sold on shelves, so there has to be some sort of additive or agent being added.
They also use a hazard-based approach, meaning that they regulate based on potential harm, versus the U.S, which uses a risk-based approach, which means the consideration of exposure is taken into consideration for labeling. It’s sort of like saying that a car is a hazard because of the harm it could potentially cause. However, a risk-based approach would take into consideration the pedestrians crossing the street and the braking system before labeling it a hazard. This causes what looks like a discrepancy between countries on the packaging.
*Shameless plug - I wrote about this in my book! Just saying, if you want a more thoroughly written out version of what you are currently reading in this newsletter, check out my book, “Live Nourished: Make Peace with Food, Banish Body Shame, and Reclaim Joy.” I compare all the differences (food and lifestyle) between us here in the States and our European counterparts.
“I just got back from Paris and lost 10 pounds when all I did was eat. What are they putting in our food?” This was written by a creator on Threads very recently. She is not the first,
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