Food: The Story of my Life

Q: What is your Name?

A: Hi, my name is Food. I have many different aliases such as bread, goodies, chow, viand, refreshments, meal, cuisine, menu, eats, dish and many more you could think of.

healthy vegetable salads – grilled zucchini, shitake mushroom, spring vegetables, with parmesan cheese and cubed mango on top. dressing – olive oil, lemon juice, salt and ground pepper

Q: Where do you live?

A: I live everywhere. You can find me in the farm, in the garden or in the forest. In fact, I am in every household, grocery stores, malls, farmers market, manufacturing companies, and everywhere in the world you go. As you see, I have this deep relationship to every single human being like you,  wherever you go, whatever you do.

roasted mixed vegetables
chocolate mouse cake w fruit toppings

Q: Can you describe yourself?

A: Describe myself…Ahh, I am any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink, or that plants absorb, in order to maintain life and growth. Sounds familiar? There is no way you can’t recognize me since I am a staple in your everyday life. I am famous. I am popular. I am a rockstar. You breathe me, you inhale me, you eat me and you drink me. I come in different forms, shapes and colors which makes me really special. I have this special and extra ordinary power to make people happy, I can make you sad, but while I can make you sick sometimes, I can definitely heal people as well. You can eat or drink me raw, you can consume and drink me fresh or cooked too.

beef, pork, chicken prepared for making soup
fresh fruits and vegetables being soaked in apple cider vinegar with water to take off pesticides and wash off other chemicals and dirt.

Q: Can you describe your characteristics?

A: My characteristics? Hmmm…I have too plenty to mention, but I don’t mind breaking them down for you. I can be sweet and you can find me most of the time in fruits, desserts, beverages or candies. Be careful too because I can be sour, sometimes too salty or too bitter but the last but not the least, I can be some kind of umami too. What is Umami?? You may ask… It is a Japanese word for savory taste. You see, you humans, were just taught that there were only 4 kinds of tastes since you were born and nobody was really aware about this 5th taste that exists. It was actually pinpointed by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda in the 1900s. And since he is a chemist, he got to experiment about this particular taste and that’s where he invented the Monosodium glutamate or MSG seasoning and commercialized it. This really became a  big hit in most parts of Asia. However, please be aware on the side effects before consuming on them. The L-glutamate is natural on variety of foods like some fish, vegetables, meat, and some dairy products.  Umami is a flavor which has a savory taste, and is considered one of the five basic tastes actually. Anything you eat that is not sweet, sour, salty and bitter?…you guessed it… it is the umami flavor your tastebud is discovering. Next time you eat these type of foods, try to close your eyes and let your tastebud do the talking. Some of these foods are aged cheese, asparagus, mushrooms, olives, cooked piece of meat with no seasoning, or tomatoes that just got ripe.

cheese
green tea with thyme leaf

Q: What do you like the least about yourself?

A: I really hate it when I make people sick and experience allergies, body odor, constipation, high blood pressure, bad breath, heartburn, stress, acne, and a lot more when they consume “me” or some of my family members. Although weight gain is the number one problem that is related to a lot of different health issues in humans, you all know that this can be prevented, right? If humans only knew how and when to control what they eat. Smh… I know it is easier said than done. I know… I am too irresistible, too hot to handle and sometimes the hardest habit to break, huh!?!..(wink, wink).  Kidding aside, people should really learn to be more disciplined when dealing with “me”. They should be more aware on how to take care of their body when it comes to their diet.

cheese steak sandwich and fries from famous Pat’s Steak in Philadelphia

Q: And What do you like most for being you, then?

A: I know that I play a very important role in the whole humanity since I am the sole source of energy, water, fat, minerals, vitamins and more for your body and is responsible for the efficient metabolism of every bodily process. On top of that I bring people together every minute of the day, every day of the year, in all parts of the world. That makes me really happy and knowing that I do have a great purpose in this earth that’s why God created me the way he did.

fried cod fish with cubed orange and cucumber salsa on the side

Q: What can you say about how Humans treat you? And any advise on how they should deal with you and the rest of your clan?

A: That is a wonderful question…Thank you for asking that. I really wanted to get this message across the world. I am humbled that most people love me and adore me. The feeling that I’m always wanted and needed is irreplaceable. However, I am really in despair and misery when you, humans, take me for granted and does a lot of food-trashing and doesn’t value the importance of FOOD you have on the table, you know. Do you know how unimaginable America waste tons and tons of food??? Almost 38 million tons every year! I am appalled at this statistics.  I am really, really sad to say, that America leads the world in food waste. There are a lot of people in third-world countries that suffer from hunger and poverty out there. They would be already in heaven, if they find “me” in garbage cans being thrown out, coming from homes or any establishments like restaurants that has a lot of leftovers. Groceries, restaurants, farmer’s market and people think that when they see “me” or some of my “family” looking weird, being in the wrong shape or containing minor blemishes is already unacceptable and unedible, thus throwing away is the only option. I understand that I get old, wilted, wrinkled, spoiled and rotten, but you don’t really have to eat me once I am in that stage or inedible. I don’t want anyone to get sick. All I ask is Love “ME” more and hate “WASTE”. You know what I mean….

food waste in trash

 

Q: How would you describe your timeline in this world?

A: Most of the times, I only have a short shelf-life and don’t really last that long unless I am preserved, dried, or chemically injected with all those sorts of anti-bacterial, hormones etc. However, If you will let me, I can tell you a story of how my lifeline is so you can get the better understanding of it. Just listen carefully…

types of food – chicken, pork, fish, fruits, seafoods, vegetables, noodles

You see, once I am purchased, picked from any plant or tree,  or whatever source I come from, Humans wash and prepare me for however they want to consume me. Once all the preparations and/or cooking has been completed, I will be laid on the table and humans will take a seat and the process begins:

Mouth: First place “I” land into, so I call it the “receiver”. It is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food and produces saliva. It has the teeth, tongue, and the ducts of the salivary glands.

Teeth:  They are made up of four different types of tissue: pulp, dent, enamel and cementum. It breaks down items of food by cutting, crushing  and chewing “me”. In short, they are what I call the “processor”.

Esophagus:  Their function is to carry food, liquids, and saliva from the mouth to the stomach. Once I’m chewed, they transport me  to Stomach, so it is the “messenger”.

Stomach: He is what I call “the data analyst”. It secretes acid and enzymes that digest food, then prepares and mixes “me” up with the liquid that was received.

Small Intestines: Its role is to digest “me”. Separate good from the bad. So we can call him the “Quality Control Analyst”.  It absorbs the digested nutrients from “me”  into the bloodstream and the blood delivers the nutrients to the rest of your body.

Large Intestines: Let’s just call him the “Senior Auditor” since “I” had to go thru small intestines firsthand.  It absorbs water and any remaining nutrients “I” have and changes the waste from liquid into stool. The rectum stores stool until it pushes stool out of the body during a bowel movement.

Anus: It has the most-hated  and most-disliked job in the whole world because he has to deal with a lot of the dirty job. He is the “distributor” of my sh*t so he disposes the final product of “me” and this is the demise of my career. Hope you enjoyed my fun and exciting life story. May The FOOD be With You! Ciao! Adios! Paalam! Sayonara! Goodbye!

seafood galore. eating with hands only in banana leaves is one style of eating in Philippines

Q: Any message you want to impart to the whole world out there?

A: I hope that you have learned a lot from my Life Story and please remember that I do want everyone to be happy this holiday season but know the consequences of not having a balanced diet results to many different health issues. Also, please do keep in mind to be consume me in moderation, be wise and smart in making choices by being aware also on how much you put on your plate to reduce food waste. Although I know it will be hard because it is the start of  marathon holiday eating season. Just be mindful, that’s all. So, If you want to prolong your existence in this world, let “me” be thy medicine, if you don’t want medicine to be your food later on in life….Happy Holidays!

Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments.
– Bethenny Frankel

 

 

98 Comments

  1. I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information.

  2. Hello there, simply turned into aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels. I’ll be grateful if you continue this in future. Many other folks shall be benefited out of your writing. Cheers!

  3. Just a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding style and design. “Competition is a painful thing, but it produces great results.” by Jerry Flint.

  4. Awww thanks so much Paula! yes, you are so right! they think food is just there to satisfy their gastronomic pangs lol…a lot of us eat out a lot, eat different types of food, expensive or not but in the same token some don’t have the privilege to do that… we we are all blessed for those who can do that…but should be more aware of waste and environment.

  5. Great post. Food has really become one of those things that so many fortunate people take for granted. Being able to just go to the grocery store and buy what we want is a luxury so many are not afforded. I love to donante to local food pantries and churches this time of year to try and help out.

    • Thanks, Brittany! yes, a lot of us take it, really for granted. I do help in donating and bagging grocery items too. I love doing it esp this time of the year.

  6. Hey! your story was so inspiring! I really enjoy ready it and I learned a lot!
    Food is the perfect opportunity to spend time enjoying the best things in life.
    Thanks for sharing your life story LOL

  7. Hey! your story was so inspiring! I really enjoy ready it and I learned a lot!
    Be wise and smart in making choices this is true…

    Thanks for sharing your life story LOL

    • aww thanks Marie!…I just thought of and put myself in the place of food. I am not a great writer but then all these ideas just started popping in my mind like crazy so I just couldn’t help and started writing about it!…

  8. I love this post! It is clever, fun to read and deep! I love the way you’ve integrated quotes and familiar sayings with food and their portraits. Way to bring light and awareness to conscious eating. In fact, we cannot live without food and we (as a society) have MUCH to embrace when it comes to natural medicine. Food is the one item that we take in every single day – and it is appalling that we have fallen asleep on ourselves when it comes to this modality of healing. Way to go, Love! My blessings to you on this path of awakening others to our life giving food. After all, the story of food is the story of us. <3

    • Oh, thanks Evelyn!…I don’t know I just see food differently not just as something we put in our mouth and nourish our body. It’s like I see and relate to them in everything I do…and wherever I go….lol! crazy…good thing I don’t crave for me to eat them every hour of the day. ha!

    • Yes, dear! ACV is very powerful, it has so many health benefits…it’s been used since ancient times. Only recently that people got so interested and started using them….

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