How FED UP Changed the Way I Look at Food
I had the opportunity to attend the special ChopChop & Let’s Talk About Food advance screening of FED UP last month in Boston (now in theaters nationwide). It’s opened my eyes to many things about the food we eat. The three key things I personally took away from the film are:
- People eat way too much sugar but don’t even realize it.
- What goes into food is key, but equally as important (and was not really highlighted in the film) is the need to balance exercise and portion size as well.
- We face a lot of health issues, many of which are related to the food we eat. Diabetes, for example, can be reduced just by eating more whole foods and less sugar and processed foods.
The film has changed the way I look at food and has positively changed the way I eat. Previously, my family and I were eating a lot of sugar, much of which was hidden in the food we were consuming, without realizing it. I have committed to cutting sugar out of my diet as much as possible. I am reading nutrition labels more too.
It’s been several weeks since I cut out sugar from my diet. At first I didn’t feel good since I quit cold turkey. But now I feel I have more energy. I’ve replaced candy bars and store-bought treats with homemade frozen yogurt (our favorite is ChopChop’s Pineapple Frozen Yogurt) and desserts with no sugar or artificial sweeteners. It’s one step of many to come!
I see FED UP as an important educational tool and hope everyone goes out to see it. People need to see the different levels of detail. It’s important they have it explained in the chronology the film lays out, explaining the governments role in our eating habits and how we got here. People need to hear that entire message. Like the anti-smoking campaign, if we have a big campaign, we can make a difference.
– Pam Banks