Technically They’re Right?

I just saw something on tv that made me so mad I started talking to the tv. That isn’t unusual. In any case, it was an ad for Chef Boyardee  ravioli, with the claim being made that it had a full serving of vegetables in it. As my title states, they may fit in the broad definition of a vegetable, that sugar laden sauce does have tomatoes in it, at least it did at some point. However, for a parent to look at that as a good serving of veggies, or in my opinion, to even feed that to a kid is wrong, so wrong.

By the way, I finished Michael Pollen’s book, “In Defense of Food”. While I still quibble with some of his points, his overall point is so good, that I will let it lay for now. To get back to this ad for canned ravioli, that is exactly the kind of food we should be avoiding. Ok, there are tomatoes, but there is also a list of ingredients as long as your arm, and sugar in one form or another. I went to their website to find the ingredients but they aren’t listed. The nutritional content is, and most products contain between 7-10 g. of sugar. White flour is another culprit, with it’s empty calories.

I’m not saying you can never eat  canned ravioli. I am saying if you look at that as satisfying your need for veggies, keep looking. My son loved the darn things. Back then, I didn’t know better and I fed them to him. Even then I didn’t think of them as veggie laden. If it comes in a can or a box, and is making health claims, be wary. Canned green beans are technically a vegetable, but they would be my last choice to fill that role on my plate.

To sum up, I would recommend Michael Pollen’s “In Defense of Food”, and I would avoid canned dinners. Yes, those two are linked, read the book.