food advocate

chained_bear commented on the word food advocate

I understand the proposed meaning of this phrase, but as phrases go, it's not a very clear one. It sounds like someone, for example, who works to end world hunger, when it's really not.

June 12, 2009

reesetee commented on the word food advocate

At first glance, I thought, Well, who's not a food advocate? Who would actually be against food?

Not very clear, to be sure.

June 12, 2009

chained_bear commented on the word food advocate

It also does not refer to someone who strives to keep food from being abused, as in food fights, wastefulness, etc.

June 12, 2009

reesetee commented on the word food advocate

Is it someone who speaks for all food?

June 12, 2009

chained_bear commented on the word food advocate

Like the Lorax? Ha ha ha!! "I am the Lorax. I speak for the food!"

No, it's supposed to mean a person who supports/agitates for organic, small-farm-grown vs. "industrial" agribusiness-created (etc.) foods. I'm not against the cause (though I have my own views I'll refrain from stating here), but this phrase needs serious help.

June 13, 2009

reesetee commented on the word food advocate

Exactly! The Lorax of food!

June 13, 2009

jfk commented on the word food advocate

Where is the source of this objectionable stand-alone phrase? Whenever I have seen it, it is further modified by a word such as local, organic, etc.

June 13, 2009

chained_bear commented on the word food advocate

I heard it on the radio this morning, as a stand-alone phrase. As I said, I understand what it's supposed to mean, but it's not a clear phrase on its own.

June 13, 2009

pterodactyl commented on the word food advocate

Perhaps the person who uses this phrase is using Michael Pollan's definition of "food":

"...You’re much better off eating whole fresh foods than processed food products. That’s what I mean by the recommendation to eat “food.�? Once, food was all you could eat, but today there are lots of other edible foodlike substances in the supermarket. These novel products of food science often come in packages festooned with health claims, which brings me to a related rule of thumb: if you’re concerned about your health, you should probably avoid food products that make health claims. Why? Because a health claim on a food product is a good indication that it’s not really food, and food is what you want to eat."

-- "Unhappy Meals", as published in the New York Times.

Using this definition of "food", the phrase "food advocate" makes sense (it has roughly the meaning that chained_bear gave, below). The problems start, though, when you assume that your listeners are using the same definition of "food" that you are.

That's my theory, anyway.

June 13, 2009

bilby commented on the word food advocate

"...a health claim on a food product is a good indication that it’s not really food..."

Excellent.

June 13, 2009

reesetee commented on the word food advocate

I've found that to be quite true.

June 14, 2009

chained_bear commented on the word food advocate

Well, occasionally it's true. Cheerios are pretty good for you, as cereals go (for example). I imagine you're talking more about "fat free" on a package of Twizzlers. ;) (Of COURSE it's fat free; there's nothing in it but sugar!)

June 15, 2009

reesetee commented on the word food advocate

Right. Or "cholesterol free" on a jar of peanut butter--the assumption being that most people won't make the distinction between cholesterol and plain old fat.

June 15, 2009