When did food become the enemy?

"What if you never had to worry about food again? For many people, on many occasions, food is a hassle, especially when trying to eat well....There are problems with the current state of food." 

This is the hook for the new product Soylent that is trying to raise capital to come to market. I saw my friend Mindy  post  an appropriate "Oh helll NO." on her Facebook page with the link to the site. I honestly thought it was a joke or something from The Onion when I first saw the headline "Tens of Thousands of People Want to Stop Eating Real Food."

When did we get to the point where food is the enemy? Have we gone so far off the deep end that we want to just drink our calories from a powder made in a factory to enable us to "function" everyday?

As I was writing this, I found myself criticizing the ingredients vs. the claims (Sucralose aka Splenda aka Poison, which alters gut microflora therefore not going to help you with weight loss/digestion etc... Really? That is in it and they are claiming WHAT?), criticizing the founders (no nutrition credentials among any of them... again Really?) , but then I realized that isn't the point. Many products hit the shelves everyday with junk ingredients that provide false health claims.

The point is that food is so much more than carbohydrates, protein and fat. It is even way beyond micronutrients of vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, organic acids and phytonutrients. 

 Food is nourishment to the mind, body and soul. Food is cultural. Food is something to be savored and celebrated. Food brings people together. It is the experience. It is the people with whom you are eating, with whom you are laughing. 

Savor the taste. Savor the moment. Savor the beauty. Savor the experience. And let us not forget that if we celebrate eating for all that it is, it will bring us more health, vitality and strength than any product trying to displace such a sacred thing. 

A memorable meal savored with my dearest friend, Lindsey after Ironman World Championships in Kona.