Spoon-Fed summary

Let’s talk about calories.

The concept of the calorie originated in the late 1800s when chemist Wilbur Atwater developed a system to quantify the energy in foods. One calorie was defined as the heat needed to raise water temperature by one degree Celsius. This standardized way to compare food energy became widely adopted. But emerging science shows the calorie is an imperfect metric with limitations.

About twenty years ago, margarine was touted as far healthier than butter. Eager to make better choices, John started having margarine on his toast instead of butter. However, his wife stuck with butter, trusting her traditional cooking instincts. Over time, research revealed the trans fats in many margarines were actually worse than natural butter.

This story illustrates the futile quest to universally define good and bad foods. In hopes of creating one-size-fits-all advice, governments and scientists often wrongly vilify entire food groups. Just look at the erratic demonization and praise of eggs throughout history. Or how butter was vilified for decades before we understood trans fats in highly processed margarines could be more problematic.

For decades, fish has enjoyed a vaunted status as a supremely healthy food. This perception originated in the 1970s when research linked Mediterranean populations’ high fish intake to lower heart disease rates. Suddenly fish and Omega–3s were christened universal superfoods. However, current science reveals this designation is simplistic and unfounded.

Contrary to popular belief, no definitive link exists between eating fish and improved heart health. In fact, our obsession with fish has been manipulated by moneyed food and supplement interests. The multibillion-dollar fish oil industry wants us to believe popping supplements leads to better health, but studies only show association, not causation. What’s more, major health organizations promoting fish rely heavily on food industry funding, raising questions of bias.

When the first cases of egg and cow milk allergies emerged in early 1900s journals, it sparked legitimate study of food hypersensitivities. Today, millions self-report having food allergies, fueling a lucrative “free-from” billion-dollar industry. But much of this business preys on fear more than science.

In the UK, 21 million claim food allergies. In the US, it’s 50 million. However, a 2019 study of 8,000 American self-reported allergy sufferers found only half actually have clinical allergies. This disconnect has spawned many companies that exploit perceptions by offering questionable breakthrough cures and diagnostics. Unverified online quizzes and at-home tests only add to consumer confusion.

In the late 1970s, savvy marketing positioned bottled water as the trendy new health elixir, safer than tap water and soda. Companies like Perrier advertised supposed purity and benefits. Over the following decades, global bottled water sales exploded into a multi-billion dollar industry, as buying pre-packaged H2O became an ingrained habit. But how valid are the reasons behind this rise?

Originally, in the nineteenth century, deadly cholera outbreaks had wealthier consumers turning to mineral waters for perceived better health and cleanliness. Later, as pollution increased, twentieth-century ads capitalized on tap water contamination fears. Messaging stressed pristine bottled sources and sterilization, while reports on toxins in municipal supplies scared people into purchased options.