Opus 2025-404: Philosophical Foods

I just finished off a loaf of Ezekiel bread.  Someone had shared with me about how in Ezekiel 4:9 there is a recipe given for bread and a modern company had duplicated it and was now marketing it.  Interesting concept.  I read the label, check the ingredients,  bought one just out of interest.  It was a philosophical purchase, or maybe theological.  No one told me it was great tasting.  No one sat me down and looked at the nutritional balance.  It was just an interesting concept that came out of the Bible.

I wonder how much of our food is based on philosophy rather than taste or nutrition.  I have a German bread that I am now making my main stay.  I didn’t start eating it because of the nutrition, I started eating it because I remembered enjoying the heavy breads in Europe, 40 years ago.  I was rewarded because it was a good tasting, heavy bread and I enjoyed that.  After getting it, I checked the ingredients and nutrition and it came up with five stars.  No additives, no preservatives yet long shelf life, no wheat, no sugar.  In addition to that, it has a good amount of fiber and protein.  What is not to like?  But it was not a philosophical purchase.  The nutrition and ingredients were simply a by product of my purchase.

I keep hearing people tell me how non-iceberg lettuce is supposed to be good for you.  I watched a brief bit of a recipe video.  I turned it off and went on with my quest for the Holy Grail when he started harvesting kale from his garden to make a salad.  He almost got delirious talking about how good this would taste.  I’m sorry.  I have experienced kale.  Good taste is not something I would associate with it.  It is, though, philosophically on solid ground because it’s not what us peasants eat and enjoy in the sense of iceberg lettuce.  The same thing it’s found in the other obnoxious weeds that are harvested and called lettuce.

You can extend this into almost any area of your food chain.  Are you eating it because it tastes good and then evaluating the nutrition or are you simply looking for the numbers that your cultural gurus tell you are necessary?  There are certain things which mystify me.  I’m told to drink more water but drinking coffee doesn’t count.  Now I ask you, what is the main ingredient in a cup of coffee?  I would say water.  What is the difference between drinking a bottle of water and taking a tablet of caffeine and just drinking coffee?  I’m sure some scientist or doctor could tell me in detail all the differences. The question I would have would be, “Is this actual scientific data based on genuine research or is it philosophical nutrition?”

In a day and age where weather and science have joined the ranks of fake news, it’s often hard to know which way to go.  I intend to relax, enjoy what I’m eating, but not ignore the potential for issues.

Bon Appétit.

homo unius libri