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Rheghead
06-Jun-09, 18:25
I see that nutritional labelling of pre-packaged foods seems to be almost mandatory now which is a good thing in my opinion.

However, if we look at our local bakeries, butchers etc there seems to be little in the way of knowing what we're eating. For example, how many calories are in a Johnstone's shell pie? Do we care?:roll: Also, the foods in the vending machines at work are totally void of info as well despite all the glitzy claims that they are selling healthy stuff.

Would people support a campaign of sorts to get our local produce labelled with nutritional information? Even if it was to prove to visitors to our county that coming here is healthy not just for the mind and soul but for the body as well?

I think it could be achieved without much hassle, surely if I can make a reasonable attempt at home to give nutritional info on a meal then surely the local restaurants and shops that are selling to the public have an obligation to do also??:confused

What do you think?

BINBOB
06-Jun-09, 18:30
Once again..i have to say...how on earth did we cope in the past ,without all of this information???????????:roll:

Rheghead
06-Jun-09, 18:35
Once again..i have to say...how on earth did we cope in the past ,without all of this information???????????:roll:

Maybe ignorance was bliss back then?:lol: Possibly it should remain so...

canuck
06-Jun-09, 18:37
Cake is cake! Whether it has 325 calories or 400, it is still 350 calories more than any of us need. Still we eat it because we are celebrating. We know what we are doing and the calorie count is not an issue at the moment.

Of course we need to be educated about calories, but, unless one is on a very specific medical diet, the exact number of calories in an item is a bit too much detail for any of us to have to live our lives around.

wifie
06-Jun-09, 18:41
Oh Rheggers for heaven's sake! What do you mean you "give a reasonable attempt at home to give nutritional info on a meal"? My mind is bogglin! Surely if you have used lean meat and have an idea of portion size you don't do that? Do you? :confused I suppose the likes of bakers and butchers could do this sort of thing but I wouldn't want it - I am fed up of excessive packaging and hermetically sealed-ness which this would probably call for. I have to say too that if I was going out for a meal - the last thing I would wish to see on the menu is the calorific value and fat, etc in what I was eating. An assurance that it was fresh and local mibbe but that is as much as I want to see detailed.

Nanny, nanny, nanny - we are becoming a nation of goats! [evil]

starry
06-Jun-09, 18:49
I don't really mind there being no info but I can see it being made compulsary as obesity levels raise.

shazzap
06-Jun-09, 18:50
I would like to see what is in the food i am eating. I am not bothered about the calorie count but i would like to know that the meat in say a meat pie is meat, and not some thing else.

BINBOB
06-Jun-09, 18:51
I don't really mind there being no info but I can see it being made compulsary as obesity levels raise.


starry..what difference will that make to an obese person???they wil not care about the info.............just eat.!!!;)

starry
06-Jun-09, 18:56
Yes but the government can tick another box on their how to keep the country healthy list ;)

joxville
06-Jun-09, 19:02
I see that nutritional labelling of pre-packaged foods seems to be almost mandatory now which is a good thing in my opinion.

However, if we look at our local bakeries, butchers etc there seems to be little in the way of knowing what we're eating. For example, how many calories are in a Johnstone's shell pie? Do we care?:roll: Also, the foods in the vending machines at work are totally void of info as well despite all the glitzy claims that they are selling healthy stuff.

Would people support a campaign of sorts to get our local produce labelled with nutritional information? Even if it was to prove to visitors to our county that coming here is healthy not just for the mind and soul but for the body as well?

I think it could be achieved without much hassle, surely if I can make a reasonable attempt at home to give nutritional info on a meal then surely the local restaurants and shops that are selling to the public have an obligation to do also??:confused

What do you think?

Anyone that eats a Johnston's pie certainly ain't gonna be worried about how many calories it has.....if you have to ask then it's not for you! [lol]



Must get back to painting the hallway now, toodle-pip.

wifie
06-Jun-09, 19:06
Anyone that eats a Johnston's pie ceratinly ain't gonna be worried about how many calories it has.....if you have to ask then it's not for you! [lol]

Hahaha! Do you have some homing device that goes off every time a Johnston's pie is mentioned on the forum? [lol]

joxville
06-Jun-09, 19:50
To paraphrase the Proclaimers hit:

I would *walk 700 miles
And I would walk 700 more
Just to be the man who walks 1400 miles
To fall down at their door.






*I wouldn't really, I'd drive there. [lol]

unicorn
06-Jun-09, 20:06
I think it is fine as it is, without adding more pen pushing.
The butchers pies with no info taste a whole lot better than Tesco's ones with bumph and packaging.

Stefan
06-Jun-09, 21:18
If food was labeled properly in a bakery or butcher I would actually be able to shop there. I haven't set foot into a bakery in a decade, simply because I don't know what I am buying.
I have several food allergies (lactose and bulb plants) which means I need to know every single ingredient before I buy something.
As much as I hate it, Tesco is the better option as food is labeled and I can decide what to buy and what to avoid.

If there was labeling of some sort available I would be found in a bakery more often than not ;-)
Thank good for my wonderful OH who bakes the most delicious cakes, biscuits, pizza and lots of other things for me!

MadPict
06-Jun-09, 21:32
Simple solution - if you can't stand the thought of eating something that doesn't have every gram of it's content on a label or just how many calories you're going to have to burn off, then don't eat it....


You're thinking way too much Rheghead.......

Rheghead
06-Jun-09, 21:50
Surely we should have a right to know what we're eating?

canuck
06-Jun-09, 22:02
Surely we should have a right to know what we're eating?

Yes, content is important, but you originally asked about 'nutritional content' which suggests more than what is in the food. It goes to the nutritional value of that content.

Rheghead
06-Jun-09, 22:35
Yes, content is important, but you originally asked about 'nutritional content' which suggests more than what is in the food. It goes to the nutritional value of that content.

Shouldn't people with special dietary needs be able to eat local produce with confidence?

unicorn
06-Jun-09, 23:04
Why should shops have to pander to the "few".
Everyone thinks everything they want is a god given right these days what ever happened to the old saying "like it or lump it"

BINBOB
06-Jun-09, 23:06
Yes but the government can tick another box on their how to keep the country healthy list ;)


yes..that is true...;)

Rheghead
06-Jun-09, 23:16
Why should shops have to pander to the "few".
Everyone thinks everything they want is a god given right these days what ever happened to the old saying "like it or lump it"

What is the harm in knowing what is in the food. Is it too much trouble for them?:confused

Is knowledge now a forbidden issue?

Do they feel that much contempt for their customers?

wifie
06-Jun-09, 23:31
Rheggers you have changed this from a thread about nutritional labelling to what is actually in the food!

Rheghead
06-Jun-09, 23:35
Rheggers you have changed this from a thread about nutritional labelling to what is actually in the food!

Surely there is fat and protein etc in Caithness food?:confused

Liz
06-Jun-09, 23:36
Rheggers you have changed this from a thread about nutritional labelling to what is actually in the food!

Yes these are two different matters and I would def like to know what is actually in the food. However, as others have said do you really need to know how much 'nutrition' there is in a meat pie?:lol:

wifie
06-Jun-09, 23:48
Surely there is fat and protein etc in Caithness food?:confused

Of course there is - well depending on the type of food!

Rheghead
07-Jun-09, 01:32
However, as others have said do you really need to know how much 'nutrition' there is in a meat pie?:lol:

I think one does need to know how much nutrition is in a meat pie.

If someone likes pies but is on a calorie-controlled diet then information like that is very valuable. I think being confidence around food is important and you only get that confidence if you know what it contains so you can eat as much without making you overweight and unhealthy. My 2p anyway.

Anyway, how many calories are there in a Johnstones shell pie?:confused

Aaldtimer
07-Jun-09, 03:44
I think one does need to know how much nutrition is in a meat pie.

If someone likes pies but is on a calorie-controlled diet then information like that is very valuable. I think being confidence around food is important and you only get that confidence if you know what it contains so you can eat as much without making you overweight and unhealthy. My 2p anyway.

Anyway, how many calories are there in a Johnstones shell pie?:confused

Who cares? Just enjoy them on an occassional treat!
Eat to live peeps, don't live to eat!
This business of calorie counting is a modern fad.
People never used to worry about this crap.
The problem with obesity these days is peoples lack of exercise, to many folks in cars forget they have legs attached to their bahookies and can't be bothered to walk the length of themselves!
Witness the amount of people who park in disabled bays without any disablement at all.
The amount of people who park their cars in inapproppriate ways because they don't want to walk too far.
Sheer bloody laziness![disgust]

Vistravi
07-Jun-09, 04:32
Who cares? Just enjoy them on an occassional treat!
Eat to live peeps, don't live to eat!
This business of calorie counting is a modern fad.
People never used to worry about this crap.
The problem with obesity these days is peoples lack of exercise, to many folks in cars forget they have legs attached to their bahookies and can't be bothered to walk the length of themselves!
Witness the amount of people who park in disabled bays without any disablement at all.
The amount of people who park their cars in inapproppriate ways because they don't want to walk too far.
Sheer bloody laziness![disgust]

Bang on auldtimer. There are so many people who won't walk the length of themselves whether fat or thin. It's laziness. To get to the city centre from my flat is an hours walk. now i could take the bus and get there quicker but its laziness and only do it if i'm feeling unwell and not fit to walk. life goes on for me even when feeling unwell. No staying in bed for me then like quite a few people i know. We are a nation of wusses and drama queens.

Rheghead are you on a diet or calore controlled diet as they are now called? If you are then i could see the fuss you're making but if you're not then what does all the matter?
Eat everything in moderation and we are all fine. That way we can still enjoy the grand food and treats in life without sacarfacing anything.
It is not what is in the food that we need to worry bout it is the attidude to food that some people have and bring their kids up to have. The people with allergies like stefan are the ones who need to worry bout what is in there food.

A_Usher
07-Jun-09, 08:30
Its a combination of issues, BUT one of the most important factors in today's society is the consumption of quick easy meals and processed foods. This has been one of the major factors of obesity in modern society. The other issue is that most people don't understand what's in their food, or understand the need of their physiology, or how much exercise needs to be performed weekly. We are looking very seriously into this as Dunbeath Surgery, and as part of investigation, I am undergoing certification towards Level 4 Advanced Personal Trainer with the Register of Exercise Professionals, with a view of being able to offer patients specialised information and training plans to suits their needs, although my specialist area will be rehab for those with arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

Rheghead actually brings up an very good point, as most people don't even know how many calories they should consume per day, and this is compounded by some manufacturer's not informing the public as to the contents of their food range, and it goes much deeper than than calories, many of the additives and preservatives are not highlighted.

The reality is that what keeps your weight on an even keel is calories in versus calories out. If you cant identify how many calories are going in then its difficult to know what changes you need to make. This should be taught an early age. If we appreciated this then we would have lower levels of heart disease etc, and may people would have a more prolonged life.

I am for nutritional labelling for many reasons, one being it think we have a right as a consumer to see what's in the product, from the protein, to the fats, to the additives, but equally the source and quality of the meats if any in the product. Our country has one of the worst records of heart disease and obesity is becoming more and more common. Its time for grass roots education in all aspects of health and wellness.

Stefan
07-Jun-09, 08:59
I think the main problem with obesity is that people still eat the same food they used to 100 years ago but it is now made with different ingredients in a factory rather than at home.
When it was made at home people had to work manually to make the food (planting, looking after, harvesting, processing, splitting wood for the cooker etc) as well as working manually in the household and at work.

These days the food comes in a van delivered to your kitchen, work consists of sitting in a car / sitting at a desk and the rest of the time is spent sitting in front of a TV...

I know this is not true for all people but certainly for some who are seriously overweight.

Food labeling would make life easier for many people who suffer from allergies. Many people had allergies 100 years ago but they just had to live with it. Why should I give myself headaches, bowel cramps, tiredness, skin infections etc just to support local produce from a bakery who can't even tell me what is in their food.

I strongly believe that every food producer should be forced to label their food, at least the labeling needs to happen on the shelf next to the produce.

There are probably hundreds of food items I don't buy "just in case" which could be perfectly safe for me to eat. Weather there is "onion powder" in a pie or not is part of the nutritional value.

Kenn
07-Jun-09, 09:44
I have found when buying from bakers and butchers, that they are quite happy to list ingredients in their own produce in fact, they can be a little too enthusiastic when pointing out the merits over mass produced items.
Surely a little common sense is all that is required.

JAWS
07-Jun-09, 09:45
More information about what we eat? There is too much such rubbish already. On most packaging the print is already so small they you need good light and a magnifying glass to read the info.

There are some very simple methods of dealing with the problem. If you are putting weight on you are eating too much.
If you suddenly start feeling sick then you have either stuffed yourself silly or you should have taken more care checking that the food was fresh before gulping it down.
If you eat something and suddenly come out in a rash or have a severe reaction to it then you have an allergy so avoid it like the plague.
If you are not sure what certain foods contain and are concerned about the fact then don’t eat them.
If you are not sure if a certain food might cause you medical problems and you feel you can’t resist trying it then just try a little bit of it and wait 24 hours to see if it does nasty things to you. If it does don’t try it again, if it does not then it is probably fine for you to eat it in future.

Finally, accept the fact that at some stage in your life you will not have mummy there to hold your hand and will have to make the big decisions, such as “should I really eat just one more sweetie or will it make me sick” for yourself.

Remember, the constant stream of doom and gloom predicting the total demise of life as we know it by whatever disaster has usually been dreamt up by one or more of the following, some pressure group, bored scientists or politicians or somebody in the media because they have nothing more important to write about.
All of them have one thing in common, they need to justify their existence in order to keep the money rolling in.

The human race has survived for millions of years without their advice and will continue to do so successfully in future, especially if it does the sensible thing and totally ignores them.
You never know, you might even succeed in making them go away.

Stefan
07-Jun-09, 11:23
If you eat something and suddenly come out in a rash or have a severe reaction to it then you have an allergy so avoid it like the plague.


What?
I love tomato soup. Now should I never eat it again because some manufacturers add whey powder and some don't?
SO I would have to test every tomato soup to see if it makes me sick. The somebody changes the recipe and I have to start all over again? I would spend a lot of time feeling sick if I did that with every food...

And just think of the people who suffer from shock which can lead to death when eating the wrong food. They would gamble with their life!




If you are not sure if a certain food might cause you medical problems and you feel you can’t resist trying it then just try a little bit of it and wait 24 hours to see if it does nasty things to you. If it does don’t try it again, if it does not then it is probably fine for you to eat it in future.


That doesn't work. Unless you stop eating for 24 hours (or longer depending on food and reaction!) you could eat something else that causes a reaction and then you still don't know which food it was.

Some foods take 3-4 days before I react to them.

I have actually asked about ingredients and been told I would be fine eating it and then suffered the consequences of not having it black on white.

Safest way is to make things yourself and companies have started noticing a decline in certain foods and a demand for others.
10 years ago there was no lactose free milk chocolate, milk or yoghurts. Now there is and people with allergies are grateful for such products and proper food labeling.

MadPict
07-Jun-09, 15:43
Whatever did we do before this nanny state stepped in?...

Shabbychic
07-Jun-09, 16:37
In my view, a nanny state is when we are told 'what' to eat. Being told what is in our food is a different matter.

In the past food was pretty staight forward, but not any more. There is so much gunge and rubbish added to our foods nowadays, that I believe we are entitled to know what it contains, and therefore make our own decisions on whether we want to eat it or not.

On saying that, I do believe that even labels do not fully inform us what our food contains. They love to add names like, agents, preservatives, enhancers, to name but a few, which really means they don't want to tell us what these things are.

With regards to some of the food additives many have just accepted, I have noted, for example, that many hayfever and asthma sufferers are having a hard time at the moment. Check this list out (http://altmedangel.com/additive.htm) and some may find the foods they are eating in ignorant bliss, may be making matters worse. For those who say these things didn't bother us before, these things weren't in our foods before.

Anyway, I do not believe we should just eat in ignorance and accept it.

Anyone seen Soylent Green??

gleeber
07-Jun-09, 17:30
I think one does need to know how much nutrition is in a meat pie.

If someone likes pies but is on a calorie-controlled diet then information like that is very valuable. I think being confidence around food is important and you only get that confidence if you know what it contains so you can eat as much without making you overweight and unhealthy. My 2p anyway.

Anyway, how many calories are there in a Johnstones shell pie?:confused

I honestly think that anyone on a calorie controlled diet who would consider eating a Johnstones pie is on a loser before they begin.:lol: I would hazard a guess and say there must be about 400 calories in one of their pies.
I dont know any other kind of diet apart from a calorie controlled one. I became overweight about 6 years ago partly due to less excerise but also not watching my calorie intake. I dropped 3 stone in 9 months and enjoyed almost every moment of the experience. That doesnt mean it was easy but I found without a sustained discipline calories didnt matter that much.
Its fantastic talking to people who are in the process of losing weight and hearing the different ways they manage it.
I dunno what the research would show but Im pretty sure that people who lose weight wont lose it for long if the discipline drops below the calorie level.
As for caithness food producers showing nutritional tables. Why not?

Margaret M.
07-Jun-09, 19:51
At a minimum, a list of ingredients, calories, fat grams, salt and sugar content would be helpful. Each individual item would not have to be wrapped and labeled with all the info – as long as there is a wee handout to give to the folks who care. When they first started disclosing this information, I was mortified to find that some of what I thought were the wisest choices turned out to be higher in calories and fat than what I considered the worst choice.
Back in the old days, food was very straightforward, now there is so much preservatives and junk added that I like to know what I am eating. Obviously not everyone cares but for those of us who do and particularly for those with food allergies, gluten and lactose intolerances, it is very helpful to know. My mouth has watered for many a thing that I have walked away from when I saw the fat and calorie count. I would like to have that option.

MadPict
07-Jun-09, 22:37
In my view, a nanny state is when we are told 'what' to eat. Being told what is in our food is a different matter.


Trouble is, we are being told what to eat. One minute something is good for you then some scientist discovers it is bad for you and we're told to eat less of it.

Vistravi
07-Jun-09, 22:49
Trouble is, we are being told what to eat. One minute something is good for you then some scientist discovers it is bad for you and we're told to eat less of it.

Aye theres always something that is supposed to give you this or make you develop this. the most stupid one was last year when they said chips would make you develp cancer.[disgust]

hotrod4
08-Jun-09, 06:23
Labelling is the law!!!
Here it is:
EU wide allergen labelling directive 2003/89/EC became mandatory on 25th November 2005 and applies to all pre-packaged foods.
This directive is a major step forward for people with coeliac disease
and dermatitis herpetiformis.

Gluten containing cereals (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut or
their hybridised strains) are one of the 12 food allergens that must be
declared on the ingredients list, regardless of the amount used.

All ingredients, including additives, flavourings, processing aids and solvents are included in the new labelling regulations, whereas before these did not have to be listed (1).
All allergens and ingredients derived from allergens will have to be specified unless they are on the exemptions list (1). The European Commission has worked with the European Food Safety Agency
(EFSA)
to develop a list of ingredients that are exempt from labelling.

The following ingredients are exempt from allergen labelling as
evidence has shown that processing has removed the allergenic factor (2).
They are therefore suitable for people with coeliac disease:


• glucose syrups derived from wheat or barley including dextrose
• wheat based maltodextrins
• cereals used in distilled products like spirits (3)

Other gluten-free ingredients include textured vegetable protein,
caramel, artificial sweetener, aspartame, dextrose, xanthan gum,
maize starch, modified starch, modified maize starch, sorbitol,
maltitol and isomalt.
Products that do not comply with the new allergen legislation are prohibited from sale.

MadPict
08-Jun-09, 10:20
...applies to all pre-packaged foods.

Scotch pies (and all the other nice things Rheghead wants labelled) from your local baker aren't "pre-packaged" foods so, I presume, are exempt.