You might have imagined that a flapjack was a fairly innocent item of oat-based confectionery, but apparently it is such a toxic substance that Dame Deirdre Hutton, retiring chairperson of the Food Standards Agency, believes it should be banned. It seems that it is so energy-dense in relation to its size that it is a positive invitation to obesity. She said, “I don’t think that supermarkets should be selling this very energy-driven food. We should be making low-calorie food the norm and anything that is high in fat should be niche.” Presumably she believes we should be more like cattle who have to spend all day chomping away because of the low level of nutrition contained in grass.
She goes on to say “stores should sell 90 per cent healthy food and 10 per cent unhealthy.” Setting aside how that is defined in the first place, surely supermarkets should be selling what their customers want to buy rather than what some Righteous health fascist thinks they should be eating. She probably thinks it would be a good thing too if pubs sold nine soft drinks for every alcoholic one, and is no doubt one of those who harks back to the days of rationing as a laudable public health initiative.
A friend of mine refers to the FSA as the "Food Scares Agency". I think it is yet another Quango, paid for by the taxpayer, that we could all do without.
ReplyDeleteIndeed it is a tax-gobbling quango - I would have thought it should confine itself to its original remit of ensuring food was hygienic, unadulterated and free of toxins rather than making value judgments about different kinds of foodstuffs.
ReplyDeleteIf the FSA got their way foods deemed 'unhealthy' by them would carry government health warnings, cigarette packet style! And that is definitely on the way for alcoholic drinks if their paymasters (government) get their way....BASTARDS, they should stay the F**K out of our lives, permanently! These health nutters make me mad.
ReplyDeleteFlapjack is made with oats, if I remember rightly. A fine cereal derived carbohydrate that also happens to be very high in fibre.
ReplyDeleteWhen my life wasn't tied to this damn pub I walked on the fells a lot. A high energy, high fibre snack was just what I required. Kendal Mint Cake works better, but doesn't have the fibre.
Bloody Quangos - responsible for HACCP as well - don't get me started.
I notice the article also says, "Research has found that, without action, about 90 per cent of today’s children will be overweight or obese by 2050, with the bill to the taxpayer estimated at £50 billion." By 2050 those obese children will be the taxpayers, so they'll be paying the bill themselves.
ReplyDeleteI thought flapjacks, along with porridge and other oaty goodness were complex carbs that were good for you? Gave you energy for the morning and stopped you snacking etc. Now I know it's junk food I am happy to have one as an alternative to my morning bacon sarnie.
ReplyDeleteCooking Lager, the oats are good for you. It's the large amount of fat and sugar the oats are stuck together with that are rather less good for you (unless you're up a mountain or whatever).
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