Girl scout cookies

[baygo]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

Sorry but I respectfully disagree with your point of view.

Girl Scout cookies don't make people fat or increase their comorbidities that come with obesity. Generally speaking, people overeating make themselves fat by overeating. (Yes, there's health issues that can contribute, such as a glad problem, but this is about food intake.)

So, are those people really victims? Or did they get in a habit of making poor choices for themselves? I think it's the latter of the two and this is where we differ in opinion. I am a big believer in people being (1) able to make their own choices - freedom, if you will and (2) people being accountable for their actions.

So skip the cookie if they're so bad, in your opinion, and if you want to support a good cause just make a contribution.

When you get down to it - Girl Scouts is a great cause and I wish I'd had girls so I could do it all over again! (Right now I do have a Wolf Cub Scout in my house and will a Bobcat Cub Scout in 2 more years when the youngest joins!) I learned quite a bit about how sales work and how to follow-up with people from selling cookies as a kid. It's not as simple as just knocking on a door and collecting money. Kudos to the girls for getting out there and raising money...

Don't appoligize for disagreeing

In a world where everyone is as intelligent as you and thatleslie are, perhaps an argument for people making there own choices would work. Unfortunately this world is populated by humans who only learn about the things they have interest in. A very high percentage of people are naive about food and how it effects them.

I have a relative who was literally a rocket scientist. It was a very grey day at the dinner table when we learned he had diabetes. His wife is very food conscious but he insisted that moderation would protect him. He never saw it coming.

If you had your choice to feed a child baby food tainted with a small trace of rat poison or food made fresh from your garden which would it be? What if you did not know the difference? Should we have someone watching over this?

It is our social responsibility to address this issue. The first step in healthcare reform starts at home with educating the young. Preventative maitainace. I hope you are not going to reply stating that we can rely on the politicians to fix it.

As for your point regarding the learning experience. imagine if the Scoutts baked the cookies themselves. In addition to all your great points, they would learn baking. They would learn about ingredients. They would learn a great deal more about business. They would not have to give 85% of the gross sales to a conglomerate. The imbalance in revenue sharing with Kellogg, rivals child labor abuse. You likely tip your bartender or waitperson more than 15% for simply delivering you food or a drink.

[Argie's Wife]

I 'apologize' for disagreeing because I'm not one for confrontations, especially when it comes to cookies.

I think we can discuss facts and be friends - and I love a meaty discussion, even when we don't agree on points. It makes life interesting.

And I believe people are well-informed - as much as they want to be - when it comes to food choices - and take as much or as little action as they wish. I could site you many examples but I'm sure you can think of several yourself where people can get information - even if it's just a "Now With No-Trans Fats" sticker on a bag of Doritos or a "No Corn Syrup" label on a box of cereal.

The simple answer about the cookies: They're a tradition. Much like old holiday traditions that aren't good for you (drinking eggnog anyone?) or other not-so-good but oh-so-fun things - we do them...

And to me, maybe others, they're a sign of Spring coming....

[lawn psycho]

AW, removing the trans-fat would not stop the tradition

We all know that "dieters" try and just eat salads to lose weight.

Do this; go to the grocery store and look at the labels of salad dressings. You'll find very few bottles that don't have the high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and you name it for additives. Even some of the basic "oil and vinegar" dressings are loaded with crap.

Perhaps this thread will serve as a reminder to people about thinking about what you stick in your pie hole.

Don't think additives cause weight gain/retention and impact metabolism? When you have your next meeting at work or wherever, look at the number of people who bring a diet soda with them and are overweight... The normal weight people are mostly the ones drinking water......

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by lawn psycho

AW, removing the trans-fat would not stop the tradition

We all know that "dieters" try and just eat salads to lose weight.

Do this; go to the grocery store and look at the labels of salad dressings. You'll find very few bottles that don't have the high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and you name it for additives. Even some of the basic "oil and vinegar" dressings are loaded with crap.

Perhaps this thread will serve as a reminder to people about thinking about what you stick in your pie hole.

Don't think additives cause weight gain/retention and impact metabolism? When you have your next meeting at work or wherever, look at the number of people who bring a diet soda with them and are overweight... The normal weight people are mostly the ones drinking water......

I totally agree with your first sentence but it's really not that big of an issue... (see link)... This might be of interest:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17299077/

And... I think we need a food forum, if our Fearless Moderator agrees. I do like this discussion but feel like I'm breaking the rules because it's not totally about the LR. Perhaps a place where we can discuss recipes, farmers' markets (my favorite places to get groceries in the summer!), gardening, dieting, etc. - Just a thought.

[lawn psycho]

AW, it is a very big deal with trans fat. I truly avoid it at all cost.

If you read the last paragraph of your link it even states that they have not gone "0" trans-fat.

The ills of trans-fat are many.

You should read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by lawn psycho

AW, it is a very big deal with trans fat. I truly avoid it at all cost.

If you read the last paragraph of your link it even states that they have not gone "0" trans-fat.

The ills of trans-fat are many.

You should read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat

...but this is a snack-food, not a meal...

(At least to most people...)