Cornucopia’s Take: It is no coincidence that the U.S. spends more on healthcare than any other country in the world. Organic food – unsubsidized by the U.S. government – is more expensive up front, but you get what you pay for.
How the Government Supports Your Junk Food Habit
The New York Times
by Anahad O’Connor
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At a time when almost three-quarters of the country is overweight or obese, it comes as no surprise that junk foods are the largest source of calories in the American diet. Topping the list are grain-based desserts like cookies, doughnuts and granola bars. (Yes, granola bars are dessert.)
That’s according to data from the federal government, which says that breads, sugary drinks, pizza, pasta dishes and “dairy desserts” like ice cream are also among Americans’ top 10 sources of calories.
What do these foods have in common? They are largely the products of seven crops and farm foods — corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, sorghum, milk and meat — that are heavily subsidized by the federal government, ensuring that junk foods are cheap and plentiful, experts say.
