Food Network....STOP IT.

[jmc305]

Here comes a rant. You have been warned. I "liked" food network on Facebook, but they are seriously starting to get on my nerves. They post recipes that are loaded with flour and real sugar and then have the nerve to post them as "healthy" or "light." You use a pound of brown sugar and white flour and call it healthy because you used an egg white instead of a whole egg? Really? How do they get away with such nonsense? Even if you aren't a low carber per se, sugar and flour is CONDEMNED on EVERY diet!!! I read the reviews/comments and people are raving about "omg I can't believe this yummy cake is healthy!!" Umm....yeah....IT'S NOT. It's loaded with sugar and white flour.

We have enough problems with obesity in this country, we don't need big companies MISLEADING people and just making it worse... Chocolate cake with flour and sugar is fine for some people. Make it every day for all I care. But don't promote it as "healthy" or "light" and CON people into thinking they're doing something healthy for their bodies. I guess the big sugar industry has Food Network in their pocket to blatantly promote such LIES. It's been a while since I found a usable recipe on their site, now that I think about it. End rant. thanks for reading.

[snowmop]

Great post!!!! I totally agree!!!

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by jmc305

Here comes a rant. You have been warned. I "liked" food network on Facebook, but they are seriously starting to get on my nerves. They post recipes that are loaded with flour and real sugar and then have the nerve to post them as "healthy" or "light." You use a pound of brown sugar and white flour and call it healthy because you used an egg white instead of a whole egg? Really? How do they get away with such nonsense? Even if you aren't a low carber per se, sugar and flour is CONDEMNED on EVERY diet!!! I read the reviews/comments and people are raving about "omg I can't believe this yummy cake is healthy!!" Umm....yeah....IT'S NOT. It's loaded with sugar and white flour.

We have enough problems with obesity in this country, we don't need big companies MISLEADING people and just making it worse... Chocolate cake with flour and sugar is fine for some people. Make it every day for all I care. But don't promote it as "healthy" or "light" and CON people into thinking they're doing something healthy for their bodies. I guess the big sugar industry has Food Network in their pocket to blatantly promote such LIES. It's been a while since I found a usable recipe on their site, now that I think about it. End rant. thanks for reading.

Excellent rant that I totally agree with. I haven't watched cooking channels for a while, but in the past I've been struck by all the junk food companies that advertise there. The sponsors are rarely companies that supply goods for people who cook well from scratch (e.g., cookware or spices or food from the periphery of the grocery store); instead, the sponsors are largely selling processed and junk food that I wouldn't dream of eating. So I guess it's no surprise that they are going to apply a surreal definition of what is healthy in their recipes ...

[JayLynn]

Originally Posted by jmc305

Here comes a rant. You have been warned. I "liked" food network on Facebook, but they are seriously starting to get on my nerves. They post recipes that are loaded with flour and real sugar and then have the nerve to post them as "healthy" or "light." You use a pound of brown sugar and white flour and call it healthy because you used an egg white instead of a whole egg? Really? How do they get away with such nonsense? Even if you aren't a low carber per se, sugar and flour is CONDEMNED on EVERY diet!!! I read the reviews/comments and people are raving about "omg I can't believe this yummy cake is healthy!!" Umm....yeah....IT'S NOT. It's loaded with sugar and white flour.

We have enough problems with obesity in this country, we don't need big companies MISLEADING people and just making it worse... Chocolate cake with flour and sugar is fine for some people. Make it every day for all I care. But don't promote it as "healthy" or "light" and CON people into thinking they're doing something healthy for their bodies. I guess the big sugar industry has Food Network in their pocket to blatantly promote such LIES. It's been a while since I found a usable recipe on their site, now that I think about it. End rant. thanks for reading.

Fortunately like us, I think a lot of people know better. At least the ones who care to do some research and keep informed. Its amazing what lies can be told in order to get you to buy something. Its the american way we we have to keep our eyes open and reject this kind of crap.

[Lokarbiebarbie]

Well..I kind of like to 'one up' these types of posts by searching for 'lowcarb ______' or just trying to change the recipe myself to become lowcarb. I've found everything from lowcarb coconut cream pie, to cinnamon buns and beyond. so...they can SEND that drivel to my page, but I WILL change it to suit myself.

[princessmommy]

Couldn't agree more! And they yelled at Paula Dean for using Butter! Course she used sugar, flour etc too Lol.

[biancasteeplechase]

This morning Recipe Rehab was on at the gym, and they kept going on about lowering the cholesterol in the recipe by using either egg whites or some gunk in a carton. Dietary cholesterol doesn't influence blood cholesterol, guys!

[watcher513]

Originally Posted by Lokarbiebarbie

Well..I kind of like to 'one up' these types of posts by searching for 'lowcarb ______' or just trying to change the recipe myself to become lowcarb. I've found everything from lowcarb coconut cream pie, to cinnamon buns and beyond. so...they can SEND that drivel to my page, but I WILL change it to suit myself.

You made me LOL. I was just thinking the same thing. I'm always thinking of ways..."I can change/tweak that!"

[jmc305]

gunk in a carton!! LOL. What IS that anyway? If it's not eggs, then what the heck is it? I've used it in my low-fat/low-cal days and everything I made with it came out AWFUL....

[LoriWants2Lose]

I think people should send them letters about our concerns. I love to watch it too, but have about stopped because I can't really use any of the recipes they show anymore. There are a few I could adapt, but if I'm going to do that then I don't need their shows.

[Throwback]

I watched Guy and the Sandwich goofball this morning and they both had meals on that were easily adjusted to be low carb. I think Guy used 3/4 cup of flour for some crepes that became roasted chicken/vegie crepes-he had a side of a potato salad but it could easily to be switched to cauliflower salad instead... I actually put the ideas from his show on a list of things to do this week myself, just adjusted for lower carbs.

The Sandwich goofball ( I forget his name, I like him but he's goofy) had grilled vegie on flatbread sandwiches that could be adjusted with subbing something for the flatbread. Then he had a roasted chicken wrap that could easily have been stuffed in lettuce instead of the wrap.

Maybe they could mention the changes themselves but I think it's pretty easy to switch it over.

But then I did watch the "Not My Mama's Meals" and there's just nowhere to go on that! I love me some butter too but PD brings the sugar and carbs with it.. then Jr cuts the fats (and flavor) and keeps the carbs... I was uninspired.

I'm addicted to food network, I usually find a lot of recipe ideas that I can use with just a little tweaking. I love Anne Burrell and her Brown Food! LOL

[beautifulme]

You can unlike the page on Facebook.While I love Lc,I can't judge anyone else on what is good for their own bodies.I believe that I'm carb sensitive,but I don't think that the total population is.A pound of sugar will not be a pound in each serving......We always complain that people who eat the SAD are judgmental,but this is just the same.

[jmc305]

Originally Posted by beautifulme

You can unlike the page on Facebook.While I love Lc,I can't judge anyone else on what is good for their own bodies.I believe that I'm carb sensitive,but I don't think that the total population is.A pound of sugar will not be a pound in each serving......We always complain that people who eat the SAD are judgmental,but this is just the same.

Sugar and refined flour is condemned on every diet that I know of. If it's not outright banned, it's frowned upon or limited severely. But Food Network tout recipes loaded with these ingredients as "healthy" and "waist slimming" Uh huh. I'm not judgemental, if you want cake, have a darn cake. But DON'T try to MISLEAD and CON the (mostly ignorant) masses into thinking what they are doing is good or healthy for their bodies. Not everybody is that "up" on their nutrition. They will think what the big corps TELL them to think. And I think it's B--- S--- and that was the point of my post.

[Throwback]

Just curious, but what show are you watching jmc? I can see it on Cake Wars or whatever but most food network shows are easily picked through for something that can be adapted to LC... What show on Food Network is passing off flour and sugar as healthy?

[August Moon]

Originally Posted by beautifulme

You can unlike the page on Facebook.While I love Lc,I can't judge anyone else on what is good for their own bodies.I believe that I'm carb sensitive,but I don't think that the total population is.A pound of sugar will not be a pound in each serving......We always complain that people who eat the SAD are judgmental,but this is just the same.

Agrees.

Honestly, I don't agree with the rant in the original post. It isn't Food Networks job to be the 'health channel'. They are selling visual culinary delight. I love to watch the shows on there, but I am not going to make any of that stuff. It's your choice to 'like' or 'unlike' the Facebook page. Find a page you do like, that represents your lifestyle and like it.

[jmc305]

Originally Posted by Throwback

Just curious, but what show are you watching jmc? I can see it on Cake Wars or whatever but most food network shows are easily picked through for something that can be adapted to LC... What show on Food Network is passing off flour and sugar as healthy?

A lot of their recipes are healthy just by the nature of the dish, it doesn't need to be adapted in any way. What I can't stand is their take on "light" or "weight loss" food. They abhor fat in all its forms while embracing sugar and flour. And they pass it off as healthy. Ellie Krieger (I think that's her name) is a big culprit. She's really the only "healthy" cook I can think of that they have.

Once again, the problem is not the food. Some people can eat pasta, cake, brownies all day long and not gain an ounce. That's great for them. But what I take issue with, is that they take unhealthy recipes and try to pass them off as weight loss food. It's like they are saying "hey you know the best cure for food poisoning? Eat a piece of raw chicken!!!" Post a million recipes with sugar for all I care, but don't try to convince people that it will make them healthy and/or lose weight. It's irresponsible and it promotes the wrong idea. Diabetes and obesity will continue to soar as long as big companies like the FN are promoting out and out lies. If that doesn't make you mad, then I don't know what will.

There are a lot of disappointed people out there that get on the scale every day and can't figure out what's wrong. They are eating their healthy whole grains, their cereal, their low fat brownies with refined flour and sugar, but the gosh darn scale just isn't moving...What could possibly be happening? I guess they just need more cardio. Yeah, totally. Another hour on the treadmill, that'll fix it. But it never does. Those are the people I feel sorry for. I used to be one of them, I admit it. So now it just makes me mad when I see big companies take advantage of nutritionally ignorant people. That's all.

[NineOhNine]

Originally Posted by Throwback

...

The Sandwich goofball ( I forget his name, I like him but he's goofy) had grilled vegie on flatbread sandwiches that could be adjusted with subbing something for the flatbread. Then he had a roasted chicken wrap that could easily have been stuffed in lettuce instead of the wrap.
...
I'm addicted to food network, I usually find a lot of recipe ideas that I can use with just a little tweaking. I love Anne Burrell and her Brown Food! LOL

You can make flat bread with flax and/or almond meal. Or if you eat wheat, a LC tortilla might work.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by jmc305

A lot of their recipes are healthy just by the nature of the dish, it doesn't need to be adapted in any way. What I can't stand is their take on "light" or "weight loss" food. They abhor fat in all its forms while embracing sugar and flour. And they pass it off as healthy. Ellie Krieger (I think that's her name) is a big culprit. She's really the only "healthy" cook I can think of that they have.

Once again, the problem is not the food. Some people can eat pasta, cake, brownies all day long and not gain an ounce. That's great for them. But what I take issue with, is that they take unhealthy recipes and try to pass them off as weight loss food. It's like they are saying "hey you know the best cure for food poisoning? Eat a piece of raw chicken!!!" Post a million recipes with sugar for all I care, but don't try to convince people that it will make them healthy and/or lose weight. It's irresponsible and it promotes the wrong idea. Diabetes and obesity will continue to soar as long as big companies like the FN are promoting out and out lies. If that doesn't make you mad, then I don't know what will.

There are a lot of disappointed people out there that get on the scale every day and can't figure out what's wrong. They are eating their healthy whole grains, their cereal, their low fat brownies with refined flour and sugar, but the gosh darn scale just isn't moving...What could possibly be happening? I guess they just need more cardio. Yeah, totally. Another hour on the treadmill, that'll fix it. But it never does. Those are the people I feel sorry for. I used to be one of them, I admit it. So now it just makes me mad when I see big companies take advantage of nutritionally ignorant people. That's all.

I agree. I recognize that there are other approaches, besides eating lowcarb, that will work for weightloss for many people. But I doubt very much that taking out the egg yolks and leaving in the sugar in cake recipes, will work for ANYONE as a weight loss approach. I think that your posts in this thread have been very clear in terms of what irritates you--it's not the food, it's how it's mislabeled--and that irritates me, too.

[Throwback]

I understand and agree with what you're saying; I just haven't noticed it specifically on FN I guess? The nod the sandwich guy gave toward eating healthy and losing weight in January for FN on his show yesterday was actually pretty low carb so I took that as a good thing. Especially from the Sandwich King!

It seems to me one would have to be living under a rock to not recognize the role that simple carbs like sugar play in being overweight and unhealthy.

Food Network seems to be pretty good about targeting to their audience; maybe it's time for a low carb cooking show? Linda Sue could do it!

[jmc305]

Originally Posted by Throwback

I understand and agree with what you're saying; I just haven't noticed it specifically on FN I guess? The nod the sandwich guy gave toward eating healthy and losing weight in January for FN on his show yesterday was actually pretty low carb so I took that as a good thing. Especially from the Sandwich King!

It seems to me one would have to be living under a rock to not recognize the role that simple carbs like sugar play in being overweight and unhealthy.

Food Network seems to be pretty good about targeting to their audience; maybe it's time for a low carb cooking show? Linda Sue could do it!

Didn't George Stella have a show on FN for a while? I agree, we need more low carb cooking shows. There used to be a guy...Blaine something. Seems like he had a show on Discovery Health or something. Low carb and loving it, maybe? Seems like he fried a lot of his stuff though.

I would love to see another chef get a crack at a low carb show. If they called it anything with Atkins, it would crash and burn because of misconceptions. But if they called it "Paleo Eats" or something, then that would seem fresh and hip. But I doubt it will happen.

[misty1028]

I used to love the low carb and lovin it with George Stella on food net work, wish they put it back on. But I still go on his web site for great lc recipes.

[someonelikeyou]

Originally Posted by jmc305

Didn't George Stella have a show on FN for a while? I agree, we need more low carb cooking shows. There used to be a guy...Blaine something. Seems like he had a show on Discovery Health or something. Low carb and loving it, maybe?

Yes! I wonder why there isn't a low-carb focused show on their schedule now?

I think Blaine was the name - he was a little awkward on camera, but had good recipes.

I think George Stella should come back with a regular show on FN...

I wonder how they do, overall, in the ratings.

[Jannybunny]

Originally Posted by beautifulme

You can unlike the page on Facebook.While I love Lc,I can't judge anyone else on what is good for their own bodies.I believe that I'm carb sensitive,but I don't think that the total population is.A pound of sugar will not be a pound in each serving......We always complain that people who eat the SAD are judgmental,but this is just the same.

Originally Posted by August Moon

Agrees.

Honestly, I don't agree with the rant in the original post. It isn't Food Networks job to be the 'health channel'. They are selling visual culinary delight. I love to watch the shows on there, but I am not going to make any of that stuff. It's your choice to 'like' or 'unlike' the Facebook page. Find a page you do like, that represents your lifestyle and like it.

[biancasteeplechase]

Originally Posted by beautifulme

You can unlike the page on Facebook.While I love Lc,I can't judge anyone else on what is good for their own bodies.I believe that I'm carb sensitive,but I don't think that the total population is.A pound of sugar will not be a pound in each serving......We always complain that people who eat the SAD are judgmental,but this is just the same.

That's pretty harsh. I don't think that pointing out that the network is describing unhealthy food as healthy is the same as judging people on what's good for their own bodies. As others have pointed out, some people can tolerate more sugar and white flour ... but it isn't making anyone healthier.

[zombiegoat2000]

Blaine Jules had a great show, wish it would come back on air!