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Jan 28 2010

The 1 Weird Thing Domino’s Pizza Taught Me About Eating Real Food

The other day, I saw a story about Domino’s Pizza and their “risky” new ad campaign. They were playing against type, admitting in the advertisements that their old pizza wasn’t very good, showing focus groups teeming with customer dissatisfaction, and pretty much saying — hey, you know that pizza we’ve been selling you for the past, oh, 25 years? It’s crap! And we know it!

Domino’s is Admitting Their Old Pizza Was No Good.

I’m not begrudging Domino’s marketing department (or whatever ad agency thought this up) — it takes some serious cojones to admit the one product you built your nationwide brand on isn’t really that good, and there isn’t exactly a storied tradition of companies doing this to great effect (New Coke).

But what really grabbed me was this — there’s something great about finding a new way to see an aspect of our lives (in this case, food): something that always used to trick you every time is suddenly exposed for what it is, and you feel like you’re seeing it, with all its flaws, for the first time.

What Domino’s is Trying to Convince Us Of.

Before, I might have watched the skillfully put-together documentary up on the Domino’s site and accepted some of its more subtle conclusions without batting an eye. Stuff like:

  • Professional chefs in white robes prepare Domino’s pizza
  • Said pizza is prepared in what seems like a kitchen
  • Real ingredients appear to be involved
  • Domino’s employs people who have been ‘making pizza’ for 25 years
  • They care about more than just “adding a little something to the recipe”

Even though I know Domino’s is, at heart, a fast-food franchise, you might have had me fooled (or at least curious) with that video, at least before. Now, though, after Food, Inc., and Michael Pollan, and all the conversation and discovery we’ve had here on the site about real food, I only see one thing in this video. And what is that?

Cheap centralization.

This Isn’t A Restaurant, It’s a Corporate HQ!

Nothing about this video says ‘food’. Rather, it’s a test kitchen on a corporate campus, or maybe just in a studio somewhere. It seems more like… a laboratory than a pizza joint.

And that’s the point — it is a lab. The sauce has sugar. The cheese has to last for months. The ham is cured with 5 different sodium-based curing agents. The sausage has corn syrup solids. God knows where the vegetables come from.

All of this stuff is sorted out at the corporate HQ, delivered from a central facility, nickel-and-dimed to the last degree to maximize return, and then marketed as great, honest pizza, made by passionate people who care about “really good ingredients,” which is probably why the first ingredient for Domino’s ‘white sauce’ is soybean oil, along with 7 other preservatives.

If an honest marketing campaign just went ahead and showed us the factory where all those ingredients are put together (yeah, this’ll happen), we might be a little closer to reality.

You Want Real Pizza?

In the meantime, take a look at this video right here (colorful language warning!). This is an example of pizza with passion, of true care about ingredients, of a dedication to ‘real’ food that can’t survive elaborate franchising and centralization.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz91GfoZ-Zs[/youtube]

It’s a great feeling — being able to decode, however simply, the truth behind the way our food is advertised, and the more you do it, the better you’ll eat.

What Food Marketing Drives You Nuts?

Have any examples to share of crazy food marketing that really drives you crazy? Typical food-like substances trying their hardest to convince you that they’re wonderful for you? Share them with us — there’s nothing we like more than a good comment venting session!

  • Scott

    Hi Frederick (notice I’m using Canadian English in the greeting),

    The one thing I can’t stand is ‘No Trans Fats!’ on a cheese danish, or store pie, or KFC, or whatever. People don’t know what it means but they think that means the food is healthy, “so it’s ok to eat right?”

    Even ignoring the fact that most foods that promote this have high saturated fat and tons of sugar, little do they know that the FDA allows up to 0.49 grams of trans fats to be labelled as 0 grams per serving.

    Look we’re not all saints with food, but for folks out there reading, avoid anything that has the term ‘hyrdogenated’ anywhere in the ingredients and you can be sure you are at least missing out on some delicious trans fats.

    Scott

  • ashleyfromtexas

    Hey Guys, I saw that pizza commercial too and thought it odd they were admitting that their pizza wasn’t so good. I can’t stand all these cereal commercials advertising to kids! The rice krispies commercial where they hear the snap crackle and pop together and then the mom and daughter hug. I don’t know why that drives me so nuts. Going to the grocery store with my kids is torture, they see the cereal isle like it is the toy isle. They don’t understand why I am so mean to not let them eat straight sugar in the mornings before sending them off to school. I hear on the news everyday it seems how overweight our kids are. Is this a shock to anyone? Look at what most people are feeding their kids. Sugar, sugar and more sugar later. I could go on and on with this topic, but I don’t wan’t to get in too bad of a mood so I will stop. By the way loved the shopping trip, especially that yellow top – too cute!

  • Heather

    Have you ever watched ‘Super Size Me’ ? I really suggest this show to those of you who haven’t seen it. It is a real eye opener. You can go to youtube and type it in and watch it there.
    It is gross and fast food restaurants sicken me. Taco Bell has a new drive thru diet! Yes, I’m sure that one works well (add some sarcasm). The lovely salads from McDonalds are full of sugars and crap that aren’t healthy. Their 100% white chicken breast nuggets for kids, um I don’t think so. I could go on and on, but why should I when you can just watch the video… Steer clear folks! Make your own food! Check your ingredient lists on the foods you buy. For that matter, check your laundry detergent, dryer sheets, lotions, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, multi vitamins, medicine cabinet contents… The list goes on and on. I just did a full sweep on all of these products in my house and got rid of them all! I researched the ingredient lists for hours since I didn’t know what any of the words meant, once I found the definitions they terrified me. ‘Hazardous, Toxic, Carcinogenic(cancer causing)’ were some of the definitions I found. In fact on one of my face lotions I looked up an ingredient I wasn’t sure of and this is what I found, “unhealthy, do not expose to skin. If exposed to skin wash off immediately and call a doctor.” ON MY FACE LOTION!!!! I am waiting right now for all of my new products in the mail, I am very excited for them to arrive since I have no other products in my house! LOL! The most alarming ingredients were on my kids’ products, shampoos and lotions to be exact. Parabens all over the place! Don’t know what that is, look it up, look it all up!

  • Cassandra

    I saw “Food Inc.” also. Very eye-opening and also infuriating. Few food commercials appeared the same to me after seeing that movie. Also the “Dr Oz Show” aired an episode based on that same topic. Foods pumped with antibiotics, preservatives, fillers,etc and diabetes, cancers and diseases are on the rise, wierd. Wake up people, most of your meats and vegetables are not grown on a thousand acre farm where cows roam, sheep graze, and chickens go cock-a-doodle-doo. They are mass produced as cheaply and quickly as possible because that the “American” way. Phew im done

  • Isaac Neubert

    The Unhealthy Mass Marketing of Soy

    Manufacturers are now aggressively marketing this imitation food with everything short of a soy mustache campaign, putting it in gable-top cartons and placing it right next to dairy products in the refrigerated sections of grocery stores.

    The overnight Soy industry has its hands in everything from chewing gum, chocolate and bread to microwave meals, frozen pizzas, processed meat, protein bars and shakes.

    The overall U.S. market for soy-containing foods reached $202 billion in 2009 and some project could go as high as $300+ billion by 2013.

    Sales of soy milks came to nearly $600 million in 2001 and are projected to reach $5 billion by 2012.

    Soymilk consumption did not pick up until the late 1970s when the soy industry began advertising soymilk as a “healthful, pick-me-up ‘energy drink’ for stressed workers and business people.

    Taste, not nutrition, is what most concerns the soy industry. As Peter Golbitz, President of Soyatech in Bar Harbor, Maine, puts it, “The challenge for the soy industry has been identifying and inactivating the components primarily responsible for the undesirable beany flavor, aroma and aftertaste in soymilk. The industry’s attempted solutions have included high heat, pressure cooking and replacement of the traditional presoaking with a fast blanch in an alkaline solution of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Major manufacturers have even “offed” the off flavors using a deodorizing process similar to that in oil refining, which involves passing cooked soymilk through a vacuum pan at extremely high temperatures in the presence of a strong vacuum.

    To cover up any “beaniness” that remains, processors bring out the sweeteners and flavorings. Almost all commercially sold soymilks contain barley malt, brown rice syrup, raw cane crystals or some other form of sugar. The higher the sugar, the higher the acceptability among consumers. Flavors such as “plain” or “original” are almost always sweetened, although perceived by many consumers as unsweetened.

    Most soymilks are also fortified with calcium, vitamin D and other vitamins and minerals inadequately representing Soy milks real nutritional value. The soy milk industry puts vitamin D2 in soymilk, even though the dairy industry quietly stopped adding this form of the vitamin years ago. D2 has been linked to hyperactivity, coronary heart disease and allergic reactions.

    Pleasing consumers–and milking more of their dollars — remains the challenge as the soybean industry seeks effective and economical ways to improve the taste, color and texture of milk-like and cheese-like soybean products. Plain, “natural” and traditional Asian products just won’t pass muster in the marketplace, and there is nothing natural about what will actually sell. As Peter Golbitz of Soyatech put it, “Soymilk is one of those unique food products that doesn’t exist naturally in nature, such as a fruit, vegetable or cow’s milk–it is, and always has been, a processed food.

    -Isaac

    PS. I am a nutritional researcher… email me at the_future_11@hotmail.com if you have any further questions… or want to compare research…

  • http://bodyrock.tv Louise

    I’m reading “The Omnivores Dilemma” right now and the first couple of chapters completely freaked me out! I am never eating red meat here in the US ever again after reading what they do to the poor cows. And did you know they spray the inside of McNugget boxes with lighter fluid! LIGHTER FLUID!!!

    But the thing I was most shocked about was how nearly everything processed is made from corn in one form or another. At first I thought “that’s not so bad, corn is good for you right?” But this is not the wholesome, yellow, yummy corn I first though of but processed so it’s basically just a chemical corn.

    Lo and behold I was watching tv the other night and what comes on but an ad from the corn growers association saying that additives derived from corn are fine in moderation! But here it isn’t moderation, the stuff is in EVERYTHING. Now that food marketing bugs me!

    Ok, rant over, but I’m freaked! Think of how much corn is in a Dominos pizza, I’ll bet there’s more corn products than anything else.

    P.S. Thank you to your amazing wife for the fantastic workouts, I think I have a girl crush lol.

  • http://bodyblog.tv Lish Weese

    This week my parents mentioned this video to me. I thought I had heard of it , maybe from you guys, but she said I HAVE to see it. Glad this is making some major news, and my family isn’t really big on watching documentaries or learning about nutrition so this really must be a great eye opener because they said it made them seriously examine food industries in a new light.

  • Matthew

    Got milk?
    Fat free (listed on a grain products like pasta or cookies which are loaded with sugar)
    Reduced sodium (still has way too much)
    Reduced fat (still has way too much)
    “Diet” anything (loaded with cancerous sweetners)
    “Light” anything (as if “Light Beer” is somehow a diet drink or worse Michalob Ultra Light wich is marketted as if it was a health tonic!)
    Bottled water.
    hmm… where do I stop?….
    Maybe it would be easier to list products with “honest” labeling…
    Nope, can’t think of any….

  • Nikki

    with all this said that big picture of pizza on the front page makes me crave pizza with hot peppers :P.

  • Jodi Kaylor

    Hi Frederick & Zuzana!

    They have been playing the Domino’s commercial here, in the states, over and over again. I agree with all your opinions on real food and wish that people could see how simple it is to be healthy with activity and natural food. Have you ever watched Food Inc.? It is a really good movie/documentary about the food industry, I suggest it for everyone. I am originally from Austria, now 25, and being from there I learned how to love and enjoy food and realize it is not my friend or my enemy, the way that it is mostly viewed in the states. I also run an online health based business because I want to show people that there are so many simple ways to be fit, healthy and feel good everyday with real, natural things. Not franken-foods, or chemical-laced meat and supplements. I adore your blog, workouts, and opinions. The circuit training has definitely made me more cut and helped my running endurance. I look forward to more!
    ~ Jodi

  • http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?ref=name&id=1263660689 Bill

    Fredrick your video quality is really great.

    I like the Pizza I make the best (wow what an ego).

    The “Chow.com” video was very interesting.

  • FitDiva7

    I have a question.. Zuzana do you ever eat Pizza and if so from what franchise or restaurant?? What are your other indulgences? Mine is vanilla or raspberry creme brulee and Hostess Sno Balls (as far as dessert treats go) :)) Thanks.

  • Diana

    So this is very concerning to me and I am very curious about this topic. Ok, I very rarely eat pizza so what does one do to get the best out of food and not all these horrible add-ons and junk. I mean I have not possibilities of growing my own food and can’t afford all these organic foods, so what does one do? Are all the foods that you get at store junk???

  • Heather

    Oh and lets not forget the ingredients in our cosmetics, lip balms and perfumes!

  • Heather

    I know what you mean! My kids LOVE the bright boxes and huge bags of chips! I am always saying no and feel like a jerk for it too. I don’t want them to be upset with me because I won’t let them eat bad foods, sometimes I feel like I am being too mean about it? Do you ever feel that way? I am always explaining why we choose the foods we choose, but they are still attracted to FF, chocolate bars and potato chips, who isn’t!

  • http://www.facebook.com/carlanunesdacosta?ref=profile Carla

    You have got to love Kellog’s advert that their cereals would lower your cholesterol and help you lose weight. YEah Right.

    Oh McDonals and its salads. You are supposed to be eating healthy but unfortunately the sauce they put in it has more fat than a McBurger.

    In NL a company called Unilever has put all these “i chose well” products out there. They have no fats but are fulllll or sugars.

    Or better yet, an advert for had candy: “it has no fat” really? but what about the fact that it is 100% sugar? Everybody is so fixated on the fat they forget to look at other ingredients like preservatives, colourants, sugars, corn syrup and get conned.

  • Soren

    Hi

    Food Inc was great! This is a great site thanks for all the great workouts and info.

    Another good film about food and health called, A Beautiful Truth, its pretty intresting and worth the time to view.

  • Melissa

    Cow’s milk is natural if you’re getting it straight from the cow, although how natural is it to drink the milk of another species in the first place?

    Cow’s milk is just as processed as the soy milks, if not more.

  • sarah

    What about all the food labeled ‘eat organic’ when the product itself is not close to being organic! You can find ‘eat organic’ hot chocolate… how does that work?
    Anyway, keep up the great job guys,

  • http://bodyrocktv jason landers

    i use to love dominos, but i cant bring myself to eat there anymore, i saw a video of some employees doing some awfull things to the food. i know i shouldent hold that against them forever but it just left a bad taste in my mouth. haha !!!

  • jaco

    The ones that really bothered me were the commercials saying that high fructose corn syrup isn’t bad for you at all (in moderation).

  • Oli

    Yes, I have one. Activia and their miracle “L-cassei imunitas” is only big one advertising hype. In fact it is an ordinary yoghurt sold in special little bottles and much more expensive than the other ones.

  • Danny

    I recall that McDonalds (in my country at least) did something quite similar to this a few years ago, running a series of ads proudly reporting that they were now using “real chicken” and “real eggs” in some of their products.

    I’m not entirely sure whether the marketing agency thought this would be a positive thing, but it seemed to leave most people pretty miffed as to why they hadn’t previously been using “real” products, and questioning what percentage of their remaining products contained “real” ingredients.

    As an aside, I have noticed while travelling in the US that advertising over there is particularly transparent – for example the white clothed “chefs” in the ad mentioned, and doctors in commercials wearing lab coats, as if that gives them an air of authority. Maybe it works over there, I don’t know, but to the rest of us it’s pretty laughable.

  • Dai

    The craziest thing I have seen lately is ads in the U.S. for Nutella. They’re making it seem like this chocolate, hazlenut spread is healthfood! I guess to make it more appealing to the U.S. market. I hope people check out the nutritional info and don’t just believe the ads.

    The other ad that is really bugging me is the ads for high fructose corn syrup. Basically they state that it’s fine to eat and that people don’t even know why they shouldn’t eat it so there’s no problem with it obviously. Of course, at the bottom it says this ad is sponsored by the Corn Growers of America.

  • Lydia

    Ok I cant stand the high fructose corn syrup commercials. Claiming that its not bad for you omg these adds are ridiculous!!!! How about that its as addictive as sugar or crack for that matter it inhibits your body from telling you you’re full thus contributing to obesity everywhere, I could go on. Oh yeah and there’s this kfc add claiming their 3.95 meal is better than subway….subway. They compared it of course to the worst subway sandwich you could get, and mind you they do show the nutritional info in super fine print on the bottom of the screen, little do they know the world now has dvr, I rewound the commercial and it has nearly 1600 mg of sodium yuk! I hate kfc, but thats a whole other topic.

  • http://www.myspace.com/contortionisterica Erica Ax

    the trans fat thing REALLY annoys me because it usually has a little trans fat. and the No sugar annoys me because it is usually articficial sweetner, which to me is worse! And I hate when they put that its healthy on the label when really its just really processed :(

  • Sabrina

    The Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet!!! WTF?!

  • Jenn B, Pueblo Colorado

    Hi Fredreick,

    just to get in on the conversation real Quick. What really gets me is that when you read labels on packaging that say(0g fat)what alot of people don’t know is that the same package contains 13g sugar. a lot of people don’t realize how much a gram is(a gram is one a sugar square that people put in ther coffee.)so if you think about it this supposed healthy snack contain 13 squares of sugar in a single serving.it’s crazy that they forget to broadcast that on the front of the label as well.

  • emily

    What I hate are al these greek food chains being built up. Me,being greek and cooking REAL greeks food since age 5 with my Yiayia, can tell you now that all of those chains are not authentic and they don’t taste good at all. The lamb is not lab. The meat for the gyros has not been rosted or shaved properly. They even screwed up french fries like really you can’t even make FRENCH FRIES!?!?!?!?! These problems are like for me the guy in the pizza video talking about how now one really makes it authentic pizza anymore. Because it’s true I have only ever been to one REALLY good greek restaurant and the lady who ran it was FORM greece and began prepping the food at 5 so she could open at 11. Not to mention that the meats all came from the local butcher and the veggies came from the market.

  • Pati

    I am now disgusted with soymilk. I admit I did fall for the taste of vanilla soymilk. I always did question its nutritional content, that’s why I began to alternate between regular milk and soymilk, to get the real vitamins from natural milk and get the taste of vanilla in soymilk that I sometimes crave. I never ended up doing any research on soymilk so thanks for you post.

  • http://www.carolynbellpilates.com Carolyn Pilates

    Issac,

    Where can I get similar info on almond milk?

    Thanks for such a great break down.

  • lulu

    A big problem I have is with the milk industry (COW’S milk). They are always boasting about how drinking milk can stop osteoporosis. WRONG. Studies have shown that the countries with the biggest consumption of dairy are also the countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis. It is my understanding that because of the high content of animal protein in dairy and dairy products, the blood becomes more acidic and requires calcium (which it leeches from the bones) to alkalize it.

    To quote from a book called Thrive by Brendan Brazier (Professional Ironman Triathlete) “Cow’s milk comes from a lactating cow. Natural unpasteurized milk from a mother cow is an ideal source of nourishment — for the calf. When the milk is fed to humans, it is no longer being used as it was intended. Many people, especially adults, experience digestive problems when consuming cow’s milk. The same holds true for goat’s and sheep’s milk, and products mad from all these milks. It is common for people to have a food sensitivity because their body is notg used to a certain food. Asians are most prone to dairy sensitivities since consuming dairy products has traditionally not been part of their culture: their bodies have not had as much time to build up a resistance to it. Most people, of Asian origin or not, who eliminate dairy products find that they feel better and lose weight more easily. Most healthy bodies are capable of building a resistance to small amounts of dairy; however, in doing so it uses energy and reduces the effectiveness of the immune system.” We are the only species on this planet that drinks the milk of another species…ew.

    Anyways, if you want to learn more about this and the devastating effects of a meat-based diet just get the DVD called Eating. You can buy it direct from the source at http://www.ravediet.com. Seriously, I think everyone should watch this DVD because it talks in depth about how people are being duped into believing that the government’s (America) recommendations for what is a healthy diet is in fact NOT and gives solid facts to prove this. Okay now I’m done.

  • Niki

    The food marketing that drives me nuts is the Jenny Craig, Weight watchers ads with all the celebs.. I mean come one..really?… Really? do they really think that we are so gullible to believe that the actresses and “customers” got those 6 pack abs and slim thighs simply by eating their prepackaged foods that by the way has so much salt and fat in them that they cant really be “healthy”? Ugg that just drives me mad… why the easy way out? when are people going to wake up and realize that it takes hard work, motivation, and self discipline to get the body of your dreams.. no potions, lotions, pills, or surgery… just good old fashion diet and exercise..

  • ES

    wonder bread “builds strong bodies 12 ways”

  • d

    well me and my dad really like to make our own pizza, so i think i’m going to show him this video because it was really helpful!
    but i remember when i lived in new york city i noticed that they had a lot better pizza than they do in,well,anywhere west of there! i think it’s because of all the italian immigrants that came over here and stayed in new york,because they r really the ones that know how to make pizza.
    i remember this one place though that was a total rip off because first of all it wasn’t real tomato sauce,the cheese seemed artificial,and it was EXPENSIVE!!
    then i compared it to this amazing place that sold quality pizza that was a nice,sweet,thin crust with a wonderful taste.it was still pricey but it was definitatly better.
    wat really bothers me though is how fast foods r starting add a “healthy menu” on to their order list.like how taco bell had just started this diet burrito deal,and shows a girl that lost so many pounds eating the food. or how other fast food resturants have their nice salad, but when u look at their nutrition labeling chart it could be one of the highest calorie/fat orders on the menu!
    i really just avoid the whole fast food attraction because even though they say its healthiER,doesnt exactly means that they are using quality ingrediants or are preparing it the healthy way,like maybe they are using lean chicken but then they end up frying it!! who knows!
    i would like to hear wat u think of this,do u agree? or are there some fast foods that u get sometimes when there is no other resource? thanks a lot for the article!!

    It really got me thinking

    d :)

  • Pieta, Melb., Aust.

    What drives me absolutely totally bonkers is seeing on packets of sweets, ie marshmallows, cheese, etc – 97% FAT FREE!!!!!! The food does not even contain any fat to start with, but it is full of sugar – which we all eat in humongous quantities. What happens when that food is digested??? – Yep it is converted to fat which is then stored on hips, thighs, and clogs up our arteries.

    The other one is for Omega 3 vitamins – eat in one go 30 sardines, 2 bags of spinach, 50 almonds OR take 1 tablet. What gets me is that the general public buys into this rubbish.

    But wait, there’s more – for another time.

    Zuzana and Frederick – you have really picked a terrific topic this time. The best way to beat this type of hype is not to join them but to not buy their products. And its thanks to you that, hopefully, the message will get out to more people who will make the right choice.

    Piet

  • Tabby

    I am soooooooo sick and tired of companies marketing their foods to be ‘sugar free’ or ‘low fat’ when they are full of chemically engineered substitutions that really just turn into sugars and fats in your body. The poor people out there really trying to eat right (in their eyes) are simply maintaining or gaining weight while putting terrible things into their body. I think it is unethical and really frustrating for companies to market their products as something that will help their customers when it really just hurts them.

    We had begun talking about foods in my class tonight and one of my students excitedly shouted out that she had found the best new cookie and it had NO SUGAR IN IT! Oh I sure cringe when I hear those words. After educating my class on this little issue, I explained to them that if you really want that cookie – make it yourself and use real ingredients. It is so much better than eating a test tube cookie from who knows where!

    The two biggest schemes and cruel jokes of all time (in my opinion) are coke zero and sweet n’ low. Sigh! I am so thankful for all of the food education that is going around thanks to people that are exposing the food industry for what it is.

  • Kevin

    The marketing ploy I find both fascinating/disturbing is the recent Taco Bell “Drive Thru Diet.”

    I watch the commercial and I can’t help but think if you need a decent meal and are short on time, is it that hard to make a quick salad with chicken or turkey on top of it and toss it in a Tupperware container?

    Or is it that tough to get some decent whole grain bread and make a sandwich?

    The tactic isn’t new, obviously. Subway’s been using it for years pushing Jared down our throats.

    Call me crazy, but I think if you need to lose weight that badly you’re a lot better off just avoiding those places altogether.

  • ~Mary Liz~

    I feel so lucky… we don’t have any fast food joints within two hours of where I live :D. I also don’t have T.V. so I don’t see or hear ads like most people do. I guess I do see some of them on the internet sometimes, but a lot of good it does me when all we have where I live are a few organic insistant bistros. (not complaining – they’re awesome)

    I do however make my own pizzas at home. If I need a quick dinner and want pizza I just put a couple slices of sprouted grain bread on a cookie sheet. Then I add spinach/tomatoes/artichoke/grn onion/garlic/salt/pepper, and whatever else I’m in the mood for. I top it off with a little cheddar cheese and voila, tasty healthy pizza. :)

    If I have more time I usually do spelt flour crust in a pie plate and fill it with all my favorites, top w/ a little cheese and boy it’s delish!!

    It’s funny, I drove through town the other day and was afraid to stop ANYWHERE to eat because I feel like I can’t trust the food people sell. I mean really, whats in it??? I ended up going to a mediteranian place, they let you pick your own raw foods and spices, then cook them for you while you watch :D… it was very tasty and felt a bit more safe.

  • Sarah

    This makes my so mad. I think the biggest problem is the half-truths people are told through advertising. For example giving children nuggets and chips because they contain protein and carbohydrates or giving kids ice creams after school for calcium or choc flavoured cereal for the energy to go to school or “high fibre” white bread because apparently kids wont eat brown/grain bread. OK yes these foods may contain these things but there are so much better ways of getting nutrition without these unhealthy sugary fatty processed options. And people are doing this regularly and believe they are doing the right thing! Oh my gosh i could go on and on. And isn’t it sad that a lot of this type of advertising is for childrens’ foods.
    Sarah in Aus

  • Purple Apple

    Wow i want to try his pizza!!!

    Hey I was wondering… do you think that some people’s genetic disposition might inhibit a person’s ability to get a lean body? Cuz all my dad’s side is pretty much fat (but i noticed they eat pretty unhealthy) n my mom’s is thin. I don’t think i have that problem, but my mom use to say i did. I was a chunky monkey back in the day. Oh and what do you think of Detox diets?

  • Sarah King

    What a great video, you inspire me with your workouts and you keep me going when I feel like giving up. Thank you so much for your hard work it effects other more than you know!

  • http://freedocumentaries.org/theatre.php?filmID=140 Ashley in Sweden

    Oh corporate America. I read some YouTube comments on the Domino’s pizza commercial and it’s interesting how much of a divide there are in opinions. Some people see right through the marketing ploy and others love the “new” pizza and even applaud Dominos for “changing” their old pizza. Like you said though, it’s still made with the same artificial shit the old pizza was made out of, if you can even call it pizza. I’m sorry, but so many Americans are just so ignorant. It’s sad really.

    Click on my name to see one of the best documentaries I’ve seen in a while about the origins of marketing and advertising in corporate America. It’s very psychological in that it explains how mass production is inherently and purposefully connected to our unconscious desires. It’s very Mad Men. Check it out…

  • http://QuimmAnaheim.com Kitty

    i absolutely hate ketchup advertisements. example, they (Hunts? Heinz? i can’t remember, but they’re all guilty of these kinds of advertisements..) have a commercial where there’s this tomato plant slowly growing up through a table. they show it grow a nice ripe, plump, delicious looking tomato and they talk about how they make sure the ingredients are as fresh as they can be. as the tomato hits the table there’s a bottle of their ketchup right next to it and they continue to go on about how awesome they are as a ketchup company. how do i _know_ they’re bullshitting? they use high fructose corn syrup in their product. why would someone take fresh tomatoes and then add a man-made product (or rather excitotoxin in this case,) in order to make it more sweet if they truly cared about the people that they’re selling their product to? rather, you don’t do that to fresh ingredients. and high fructose corn syrup is cheap to companies that wish to use it, so you know they’re being cheap with the funding for good, quality ingredients therefore it’s pretty obvious that they’re just saying “as fresh as they can be.. without cutting out the time they spent rotting in between the commercial farm (where they use pesticides and irradiation) and their facilities in which they add other crap to it to turn it into what they’re trying to sell you.” pretty infuriating, especially since their marketing probably works well.. :/

  • Zuzana S.

    Hi guys,

    this is a very interesting article you wrote and I completely agree with you!Personally I read ingredients list on the bottom of products when I’m buing something because I do not trust those healthy labels anymore!For example it drives me crazy to read this is all natural healthy drink,no sugar,etc….so you read it and you’ll make discovery that those foods,drinks are loaded with artificials sugars,corn syrup,etc.Even drinks for kids contains aspartman and corn syrup,etc?!?!?!?!labeled healthy of course.I always thought that artificials sugars is for people with diabetes mellitus…and even than it’s not the best choice for them.
    I also drink soy milk and it took me forever to find one where is only soy beans and water in it!Have to say it taste way diffrerent than the others but I like the taste of it;-)way more!
    My advice is read it before you buy it!;o))
    Guys have a great weekend!

  • Antonia

    Yes I dont like the ones when they have familys together laughing and stuff, be it a commercial on tv of a fast food or a pakaged food. Like it unites with love and its just so fake. I am looking in to raw whole foods latley. I just watch a utube this guy has called raw food.tv Ka Sundance. I watched the raw pizza one and another one. He is cool and I would like to get a dehydrater and food procceser to do these. The thing that keeps us liking the junk food it the high salt and suger I think. If you subtract these two ingredients you would prolly be tasting card board dough. So its really funny that the known food that will protect and nurish our health is the least popular. The raw food thing mixes the wholsome ingredients to get the taske and really feeds the body. Except I would not go 100 percent raw as I think some cooked food are benificial like salmon and sweet potatos..

  • Lucie

    What is healty about bread with some cheese on top?

    Pizza is not good for me.

    The only good pizza is raw pizza ;)))

  • Alana

    We have a domino’s here and its so unhealthy and crap food,the video was really enlightening I would love to try his pizza :) anyway my Bf and I normally go to a Italian Pizza place here in st.lucia its call KEY LARGO PIZZA and the pizza is made in a wood fire oven and the crush is so thin and the ingredients is so minimal and its cheaper,healther and taste great than eating the crap franchize foods.
    Fredrick I have one question what do you think about using microwaves I use them most days at work to hit up my lunch sometimes e.g I bring quinoa and grill fish and I need it warmed up, is there any harm is using them everyday? Oh thanks Zuz for getting me hooked on quinoa it fits in so well with my clean eating.

  • tess

    Heya,

    The big pet peeve for me right now is how they are marketing yogurt as the wonder food (at least in Canada). They say all the probiotics and cultures will keep you healthy and in 14 days you’ll be new again if you just eat one yogurt a day. What they don’t mention is the stuff is full of sugar, un-natural ingredients and most bacteria cultures don’t have a shelf life longer than a couple days. So the benefits are nill. Apparently one of them had to remove the claims from their ads because they were misleading but it hasn’t stopped the majority of them from making false and misleading claims.

    Ta,
    Tess

  • Keith

    My wife is doing a great job of converting us to a strictly organic diet, but even still, one must be careful to distinguish between “organic” (the literal meaning) and “Organic” (the marketing tool). Believe it or not, a fast food “Organic” place opened up here in Washington DC, called “Organics to Go” (I guess that is not really too tough to believe given that this is the USA). The food was crap-tacular, VERY overpriced, and about as healthy as a McNasty burger. Luckily, they went out of business almost immediately.

    ps- Freddy, your video technique is very good. What is your camera (format/brand/resolution)? What do you use for indoor lighting? What do you use for editing? Thanks!

  • Stephen

    I too watched “Food,inc” recently and boy did it change my take on what I eat (mostly). I have decided to search out local beef that are raised on pasture and butchered locally. In Minnesota it seems like the cost won’t be much higher than grocery store prices. However I will have to purchase something like a quarter cow at a time, worth it to know what I’m putting in my body though!

    Speaking of knowing what I put in my body, I recently made hamburgers. I wanted wheat buns, looking over ingredients, at a big chain grocery store, every single bun had high fructose corn syrup! In wheat bread!

    Thanks so much for such a great site, I’m so glad I stumbled onto it.

  • Rachel

    Have you read Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer — great book about what the food industries are doing to animals. Pretty shocking and really forces you to think about being better to your body.

    I think those Dominos commercials are so ridiculous… yikes.

    And I’ll second Louise in that I also have a slight girl crush :)

  • Tanyab

    AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh, yes! Food Inc. made me realize slaughter houses are the equilvilant of concentration camps for live stock, just sickening. I refuse to be part of that system. I live in Canada so when I go to the store to buy meat I make sure the package says “grain feed”.
    There are so many terrible things that happen through consumerism. Becoming educated in the ways of the world is the most effective tool under our belt. So, being a responsible consumer is the most any us can do, let your purchases do the talking.

  • Daniela

    Thre is a commercial that I HATE!!! I dont now if they show it in enny other country then Sweden, but it is about butter. You know that liquid butter you buy in a bottle to fry stuff?
    They say that in eggs, avocado, nuts and fish there are a lot of godd fats. And then they show a family carrying a huge fish (wiht the head and skin left), a sack of avocados and a wheelbarrow of nuts and ect. and then they show a stupid family eating food fryed in this butter. And people really belive that it is as healhty eating avocado and nuts as it is eating butter in a bottle!! But they never even use the word Omega-3 so it’s not even in the bottle!! THIS PISSES ME OFF!!!
    But people in Sweden are acctually quite healthy, and i’m really happy adout that. When I was in USA, I got really chocked by the food there! Everything was huge! And had sugar in it!

  • http://www.myspace.com/brockhiddenagendainc Brock

    Nice write up Frederick! I never really knew about all the agents and preservatives they add to the toppings. I Do LOVE pizza! The thing I love about it the most is the bonding time I have with my 8year old son when we make one at home together. Matter of fact… I think we’ll make one tonite! Cheers!

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  • Mickela

    I highly suggest that everyone here who is working on being healthy read the omnivores dilemma and fast food nation.

    It will open your eyes. After reading these 2 books I really started to basically make all my food from scratch.

    I used to have a bloated belly and now that I eat mostly fresh vegetables, whole grains and fresh organic meats in small quantities, I have lost all the bloating and not longer have problems with my stomach. be careful with processed food that is labeled organic, it is no different than regular junk food like chips and some of those sports bars. I am serious, just as a test or assignment go to the store and read some of the ingredients in some of those so called good organic snacks.
    I really enjoyed the wood oven pizza video. I need to find this place. all I know is that it is in NYC.

  • Vegan_Laura

    Zuzana,
    You are onto something significant, but it’s not just food…http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912# <3 Laura

  • http://bodyrock.tv Tania

    Hey Louise,

    I saw that same commercial and it literally left me with my mouth open. What really bugs the heck out of me are a few other commercials:

    1. Subway $5.00 footlong. Hey has anyone seen Jared lately? Looks like he’s putting the pounds back on. Not to mention how disgusting the fake meats they use are and don’t get me started on their gross tuna. YUCK!!!

    2. Lean Cuisine commercials where the ladies are discussing their previous night’s meal. Lean Cuisine along with the rest of those prepackaged meals have enough sodium in one dish to fill a salt water pool.

    3. Yoplait yogurt for dessert. The woman claims she needs to take her pants in a few inches because she has lost so much weight while eating them. Okay, I really believe that ;0

    So many others but too little time.

    Best regards.

  • yvonne

    I get so angry when I see ANY type of processed food being advertised as healthy in any way. I don’t care what vitamins or probiotic crap they put in it, it’s not healthy and it’s maddening to see people misled by this. I mean if you put fiber in tobacco products does that make it healthy????

  • Ruth

    Hi Z&F, Great topic!!

    First, I want to say that I will never again complain about my husbands food snobbery… it is nothing compared to Anthony Mangierri, LOL… I have to give him cudos, tho, cheese pizza has always been my favorite and after watching his interview I really want to try his pizza, *grin*.

    But anyhoo… Their are three things, off the top of my head, that annoy me the most,

    1. Marketing of children’s cereal/snack/lunch foods. I can’t stand that “they” (food marketers) care so little for our kids that they promote giving them what is essentially candy for breakfast and lunch (Lunchables, anyone? PLEASE!)

    2. Mis-labeling of nutritional values. Things like “I can’t believe it’s not butter SPRAY” show zero calories but in reality have like .9 per spray or something like that, this is true with the Pam spray, it’s very mesleading. I’ve gone so far as to weigh foods to see if the nutritional facts match the serving size they state, unfortunately they often don’t… Folgers Latte mix, for one. >{ *grrr*

    3. And the WORST, imo… Any and ALL fast food marketing & merchandising (ie. toys in kids meals!!!). I HATE fast food “restaurants”, it edifies me to see so many people finally finding out how horrible their “food” is. We still have a long way to go though… on my way home I have to pass by several fast food chains and there are almost always lines of cars waiting for their “food”, it makes me sick because not only are those people falling for the advertising but they are poisoning themselves with the worst possible choises of “food” available.

    My dream is that before I die McDonalds will go out of business. I know it probably won’t happen but until then I will still hope and participate in sites like this that help to educate people on healthy eating and the harm companies like those do.

    Love the topic, btw… On a side note, in the mid 80′s, when Dominos fist started delivering pizza in my area (I was a teenager), I used to spend my allowance to order from them for my after school “snack”. Back then I could eat an entire medium size pizza all by myself, it makes me sick to think of it now, *yikes*!

    Best to everyone!

    Ruth

  • nick from nyc

    Frederick,

    I really enjoyed watching the video. You know, I’ve heard of this guy and his famous pizzeria downtown, but I have yet to try it–heard it’s really crowded all the time and when the dough runs out, he closes shop, no questions asked. And he’s right on about buffalo milk mozzarella. They’re trying to make it over here, but they’ve really had no success in matching the Italian version. In fact, I know that every day Alitalia Airlines flies in crates of the wonderful stuff into JFK airport. Anyway, the motto of the day here should be “Keep it simple.” No use to complicate things.

  • Frederick

    Hi,
    I love it when you guys send us links to cool docs. Watching this now…

  • Ruth

    Here is one of my favorite you-tubers talking, albeit momentarily, about the taco bell diet…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6Nb1woJwzY

  • Michael

    Hey guys-All marketing is suspect!!! Clothes,food,make-up,soap….whatever. Very few gigantic companies that sell (sucessfully) products to the whole world do it for any other reason than to make MONEY!!! If it’s profitable they will sell it. If it’s unhealthy…they will find a way to make it apealing to kids (think McDonalds and fast food). It’s always about money….whatever you see being sold on a mass level…remember…someone somewhere is getting rich from that. That tells you all you need to know. If they are “aiming” it at kids…WATCH OUT!!! C.R.E.AM. stands for- Cash Rules Everything Around Me!!

  • eli

    GREAT EYE OPENING I LOOVE TO LEARN GOOD THINGS SPECIALY ABOUT FOOD, I GET HUNGRY WHEN I SEE ADVERTISING ABOUT THIS KIND OF FOOD BUT THIS REALY MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT HOW ITS IT REALLY MADE? AND I REATHER EAT SOMETHING MADE AT HOME..AT LEAST I KNOW WHAT IM PUTTING IN MY PLATE.

  • Kandi Crawford

    Well pretty much all advertising in America I can’t stand… Haha! Theyr’e such idiots! And (most) people fall for it! Like the brand “Total” cereal. Total crap is what it is! Bwahaha. And the whole Kellog’s “diet”, and K2O water. It’s completely bogus, and theyr’e making millions off of it. They sell it cheap, And then they charge us our friggin’ house to buy organic stuff, which should cost less since you don’t have to use all the artificial crud and stuff. Okay, i’m done…kinda. *Steps off soapbox*

  • Tom Fitz

    Food companies will sell you what you’re willing to pay for. I remember coming across non-fat half and half. I could not understand how half and half could contain no fat, when I read the label it was a list of chemical names. I’m sure a food company would sell fat free lard if there was a market. The good news is that if you will only buy natural and nutritious food they will sell you natural and nutritious food. Food companies believe that the customer is always right.
    The food nazis on the other hand believe that ordinary food customers are stupid fools and should be despised.

  • Pati

    What do you think of the Kashi Company? I like their products that are claimed to be natural and whole grain.

  • Lorrie

    What fast food campaign bugs me? “Subway, eat fresh”. Subway (and other fast food meats) are so packed full of hormones, they have the ability to disrupt women’s normal menstrual cycles and then that kind of lends information as to why so many women are infertile these days. They (along with other fast food joints) serve so many GMO veggies, they are indigestible and cause G.I. upset along with a whole host of problems. Most of the vegetables today are not even grown in soil. That is why they lack the nutrients they are supposed to deliver. Supermarket foods aren’t much better than fast foods.

    Want some GMO links…hehhe…have I got GMO scientific links for you. It’s a horror story. People have no idea how dangerous they are making the food supply. All along with keeping with the Codex Alimentarius http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?page_id=157

    http://truefoodnow.org/campaigns/genetically-engineered-foods/shoppers-guide/supermarkets-and-ge-foods/
    http://truefoodnow.org/
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/monsantos-gmo-corn-linked_n_420365.html
    http://www.gefoodalert.org/
    http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/05/monsanto200805
    http://www.wellnessresources.com/freedom/
    http://www.i-sis.org.uk/agrobacteriumAndMorgellons.php
    http://www.i-sis.org.uk/horizontalGeneTransfer.php
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC29349/
    http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/en/ec_jan2001.pdf
    http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/gm_alergies.pdf
    http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May99/Butterflies.bpf.html
    http://www.grist.org/article/jolly-gene-giant/
    http://www.livevideo.com/video/embedLink/1C4FB64D50354B9A856504954B453CC9/580798/the-world-according-to-monsant.aspx
    http://www.livevideo.com/video/Smokescreen/CD446798FECA4D4EB12217F2010EB73B/the-world-according-to-monsant.aspx
    http://www.livevideo.com/video/Smokescreen/C7EFF848C9BA4AE4AB91D6696ED23D41/the-world-according-to-monsant.aspx
    http://www.livevideo.com/video/Smokescreen/C7EFF848C9BA4AE4AB91D6696ED23D41/the-world-according-to-monsant.aspx

    If you are interested in more, contact me. I have done extensive research into this subject and if you think you don’t eat GM foods at least once a day, you are mistaken.

  • Marcin

    make sure you watch part 1 too.

  • http://www.phibetafit.com Tracy

    I also read Food Rules, Super Size Me, but I won’t watch Food Inc. I’ve seen so many documentarys that I can’t watch the chicken footage. I also love SKINNY BITCH. That book will curl your toes with facts about the food/ big phram industry.

    What ticks me off is the advertising for kids items like Gogurt or Trix. It’s loaded with High Fructose corn syrup. Before the kids even get to school they’ve had 4-5 servings of HFCS. It’s in the Snapple in the lunch room. It’s in their lunch room food and the ‘breakfast’ items that the kids can get if they can’t afford breakfast at home.

    Baby biter biscuits have more transfats than 2 big macs and Heinz says “Well, you ate them and you turned out ok”.

    If it says “healthy on the label” drop it like it’s hot. It’s a lie.

  • http://www.phibetafit.com Tracy

    Second thing that REALLY ticks me off

    My personal training clients are so distraught because they are eating ‘diet’ foods and can’t lose weight. All the Weight watchers meals, yogurts, special K (someone mentioned) things that make you think you are eating well are loaded with chemicals and sugar. HFCS is directly related to belly fat and diabetes!

    According to Tosca Reno in the “Eat clean diet” recharged 80 percent of the way you look is based on diet. 10 percent on genes and 10 percent on training. You are what you eat. People do not know that they are eating foods that will make them eat more and more and make them fatter! It saddens me and makes me mad at the same time.

    This video from Dr. Oz says so much.. If you have a few minutes.. pass it on especially to the men. It will shock you.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAHgChvUwh8

  • http://www.phibetafit.com Tracy

    Frederick: Have you seen

    King of Corn? Here’s the trailer
    http://www.zuguide.com/index.php#King-Corn

    The new one coming is Death by Sugar. It will be something to see.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH47sGmJZaQ&feature=channel

  • nirta

    Bottled water?

  • http://rhiarti.wordpress.com/ Rachel

    I think the one that really horrified me was an advert for Nutella chocolate spread (highest two ingredients: sugar and vegetable oil) aimed at mums, suggesting the presence of a small amount of milk and hazelnuts in the spread makes it a healthy, nutritious breakfast option to give their children.

  • http://www.commonsensedesign.net Nigel

    Hi, Ruth.

    I understand what you’re saying about “food” manufacturers who resort to unscrupulous tactics to market their junk. I’m guessing – from your comments – that you don’t succumb to the marketing and feed crap to your kids? If so, you’re just like me. We both see the same junk food ads as everyone else, but we know the value of healthy, nutritious food.

    My point is, don’t blame the food industry; blame the parents who simply don’t care. In Canada, the airwaves are blasted with ads for McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King and KFC in what seems like every commercial break (not to mention the candy cereal ads that you mentioned). I see the ads. And I ignore them.

    I estimate that my diet is at least 90% clean (I have an occasional treat, which makes up the missing 10%) and I exercise regularly. I’m not saying for a moment that anyone should mimic my lifestyle, but I know what junk is out there and I make educated choices.

  • Velina

    Well done, Zuzana!
    The theme is the fire alarm of our time!It just took me one hour talking about this with a friend of mine about the healthier foods and the whole crab that surrounds us.Also we’ve talked about the pharmaceutical industry which is killing us ‘softly’ with every new product they put on the market.We are victims of their tricky schemes and games ,-they are pretty good pchycologists.I mean they are inventing new diseases and of course, the “magic” remed for it!!!It’s kind like blackmailing the pacient, who’s scared to death from its desease and his rushing to take this magic thing-to cure himself…. Now i have some kind of gynecological problem , which is very famous and “fashionable” right now , and i’m in front of the dilemma: should i make or should i not make this famous vaccine , which provides at least 5 year immune defense.Will i be victim of their psycological methods to scare you and make you do it//!
    So , in general , its an endless and very painfull theme. I’d rather prefer not to think so much of it , cos i’ll go crazy ,and it’s deffinetly what i’m not mentioning to do .I won’t give up on their manipulations !Don’t give up on them you either!!!
    Take care, be healthy and enjoy every minute of happiness you feel in your life:))!
    Hugs and congatulations once again for the hottest topics you are hitting!

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/41740772@N06/?saved=1 Chris L

    Hi Frederick,

    I can’t believe the ad! I hope this starts a trend where McDoody and others start telling the truth about their products. Sometimes I wish we lived in the world shown in the movie “The Invention of Lying”! “Pepsi when you can’t have a Coke… Was very funny even though I don’t care to have either.

    Thanks and take care,
    –Chris

  • http://www.commonsensedesign.net Nigel

    Hi, Frederick.

    I love that Anthony Mangieri uses wholesome, nutritious ingredients, but his pizza bases look awfully thick!

    I was lucky enough to eat real pizza in Italy, where the bases were about as thick as a pita bread. It’s really only there to hold the ingredients together.

  • Montanna

    Hey Zuzana!

    It’s so nice to know that there are people that do not agree with the market schemes of some of these multi-million dollar fast food joints. Every time I see a MacDonalds campaign or smell it I feel sick. The only reason MacDonalds can tell everyone that the beef the use is “all beef” is because the company that supplies it to them is called All Beef Inc.! Thats how sick these people are at HQ’s . I’m sure that any of those executives at any Fast Food HQ’s do not eat their brand of food because they know what’s in it and they know how it is processed and prepared!

    I am going to school for business and am taking a strategic thinking class right now. The Professor stood in front of the class the other day to tell us these “framing” techniques to sway people to make the “right decision”(which is swaying people to MAKE your decision), and insisted that these techniques were not those of manipulation. When in fact that is exactly what they are! It’s amazing what people and businesses will do for a buck these days !

    I love your workout and your blog! You’re awesome!

  • Will

    F&Z,

    Along the same lines as this “food” thread someone once said “You are what You eat”.
    We can workout like crazy but until we learn how to eat the proper diet we will just be wasting time.
    Arnold Schwarzenegger says that 75% of what we look like is just our diet.
    Anyway, enough PC time – now I have to do today’s workout :)
    Thanks for sharing.

  • Stephy

    Ughh….”Activia” commercials!!!! If I have to hear one more time about how this “special” yogurt has Bifidus Regularus and how it keeps you regular I’ll just scream. That yogurt should be called “Diarrhea” I mean honestly, good old yogurt with Acidophilous in it will do just fine. I’m suprised these women don’t have patiki-eye from straining on the Loo from trying to go number two. Here’s an idea…why not introduce some produce into your diet, eat real food, exercise, and drink water instead of going on tv and admitting to the world that you can’t poop. :o)

  • Heather

    I’m not sure if this was the meaning for the bottled water, but I have read plenty of things saying that some brands of bottled waters are worse for you than the water that comes out of your tap.

  • Melanie

    Activia Yogurt’s commercials. The ones that imply that Activia is the only kind of yogurt that has digestion aiding bacteria…

    That bacteria is what makes yogurt, well… YOGURT and not (insert a different dairy product here).
    I’m sure Activia threw some “safe” strain of bacteria into their yogurt, to make it so the commercials are truthful; However, I’d be just as wary of a yogurt that claimed its milk is the only kind of milk that really has calcium in it.

    Definitely a pet peeve of mine.

  • Nicole D. Lopez

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ89JaxqVgI

    The Taco-Bell Drive-Thru Diet.

    Really now?
    …..really?

    This is one of the most annoying and embarrasing commercials ever.

    I hate it I hate it I hate it!

    Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet (Recharged) is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, thanks to you guys, of course. This is, I think, the only way to eat. It’s so easy and fun and yummy. I always feel so…clean…when I eat. I freakin’ Love it! And I have not been hungry in months nor had my usual 5 o’clock crash.

    I love this post and that video.

  • Durc

    I enjoy your workout programs and different routines, because I watch to see what things I can use. Just great work!

  • rose

    great topic.For me, ANY kind of packaged food that claims to be healthy and isnt REAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLY drives me nuts!The majority of “regular” people dont know the difference and it pisses me off that companies take advantage of that.For my clients, the rules are simple…..the only REAL food is REAAAAAAAAAAL food.if it comes in a package, some kind of chemical is keeping it “fresh”, and for the most part it contains some kind of chemical to make it tasty.lowfat items are usually high in sugar to compensate.What REALLY makes me angry is that over here in greece the majority of people are just NOW starting to learn about food and health and prevention.(honestly, most STILL dont care).This nation is full of smokers and drinkers and overeaters, most of which suffer from high blood sugar, high blood pressure, heart problems and many cancers are rampant here.There are ads on television for BECEL, toting different products that help to lower your cholesterol and blood pressure and the like….so people are filling up their fridges with becel and hoarding the stuff like its going out of style…but they STILL dont cut the stuff out of their diet that got them there in the first place.they still smoke.they still drink.they still stress…..they dont realize that these products are processed and NOT HEALTHY….and then they wonder why their cholesterol numbers arent changing…They have a long way to go over here to learn the things that we in canada have known for years(im canadian living here)…Through my personal training business i am hoping to make a difference. i educate my clients and am proud to make a difference. its amazing the things that people will believe through the media.!!
    xoxo
    ROSE

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  • http://www.crazylady.deviantart.com Rachel

    I can’t stand the marketing on supposedly “healthy” cereals. There are so many cereals in the cereal aisle that have huge “HIGH IN FIBRE” banners on them…but if you actually take the time to read the nutrition labels, you will find that they actually aren’t high in fibre at all. :( This makes the “HIGH IN FIBRE” banner on the packaging a blatant lie.
    I wish that everyone in the world was smart enough to read nutrition labels. Then I could laugh at the manufacturers and advertisers scratching their heads and saying, “But it says HIGH IN FIBRE” in 3-inch letters. Why isn’t anyone buying it?”

  • Sven Neumann

    Hey Zuzana,

    What do you think of the local, Napoli style pizzas? You know they ones with fresh tomatoes, some parma ham, ruccola and perhaps some buffalo. The are pretty close to the ones I had in Napoli.

    What about pizza in general, regarding carbs and calories?

  • Jordan

    Hey Nigel: he’s making pizza Naples-style, where the base is pretty thick. Rome is the opposite, and the rest of Italy basically does it in one of those two styles, with most places leaning towards the Roman style.

    So it’s a minority crust even in Italy, but technically it’s the “real” style, as it comes from Naples.

  • http://unbridledenthusiast.com Yelena

    The first part left my jaw on the floor. I’m totally convinced!

    Additionally, I watched a documentary on the History channel called Ancient Aliens, pretty much say that Jesus and all all the Angels were actually aliens and there’s crazy physical proof that still exists. And these weren’t like hocus pocus conspiracy theorists, these are Ivy League scholars.

    Man I love science.

  • lea

    to bolo naozaj zaujimave diky =]

  • http://www.commonsensedesign.net Nigel

    Thanks for the clarification, Jordan. I’ve only eaten pizza in the north of Italy, from Milan to Florence to Venice. It makes sense that other regions would make them in a different style.

  • http://www.bodyrock.tv beatrix

    Hey Frederick and Zuzana!

    Thank you so much for the great stuff I’m learning from you guys and for the healthy videos :)
    This is my first comment, I’ve been watching your videos for a month now and trying out the exercises that Zuzana is torturing us with :)
    About the topic: I found out 2 years ago that I need to eat gluten-free food and this brought with it giving up on a lot of food that I ate before and reading labels and all in all eating a lot more healthy.At first I was socked what kind of unhealthy food the supermarkets and stores in general are selling us and the thousands of commercials that bomb us with.The one that I am fed up with, besides the fast foods commercials, is the Activia yogurt commercial and the same old lie they want you to believe that you will loose weight and on top if you are not satisfied they will give your money back. Yeah right.
    I worked in a pharmacy for months and I’ve seen a lot of things there but one thing that makes me angry is that there are products for babies (not just creams but crackers and the powder milk) which are in fact very dangerous for them, so if the mother doesn’t know anything about healthy food and similar topics her good intentions for her baby are in fact bad choices.
    A lot documentaries appeared lately about food and one day they say soy milk is not good then they come up with new research and find that other food causes cancer and people are confused, it really bothers me that you don’t know what to eat anymore.And you really cannot verify how true that documentary is, is it real or it is in fact a hidden commercial for something. I buy my food in general from farmers and I hope it is a bit better than the ones you can find in supermarkets.
    I know it is a bit hard but I want to ask you something: if you could do a bit of research on things that the food labels say and tell us what to avoid. There are things written on them that everybody can understand but for the others you have to be a chemist :)
    Thanks so much for everything you are doing! Keep up the good work!

  • Matthew

    This conversation is pretty old by now so I’m not sure if anyone will read this but I’d like to clarify why I added bottled water to my list.

    Bottled water is a prime example of misleading labeling.
    The label indicates that the water in the bottle comes from some exotic location or pristine spring and is somehow more pure or healthier than your tap water. That is most often not the case. Not only is the water bottled localy often from municiple water supplies but it has been shown to carry more contaminants than local tap water in many cases. I’ve also read where you can get some chemical seepage from the plastic container into the water. That sounds nasty to me.

    In addition to paying too much for plain old water, you are also proliferating plastic bottles. Recycling them is a responsible thing to do but even more responsible is to not use them in the first place. Not all plastic bottles are made from recycled plastic and not all of them are recycled again. Plastic waste clogs our landfills and oceans for all eternity.

    If you don’t like your tap water, I suggest that you get a filter and a re-usable container and make your own bottled water. I personally don’t like the chlorine smell that my tap water has so I use a Brita filter that sits in my frig. It holds about a gallon of water and the results is better than any bottled water I’ve tried.

    Its funny how something as simple and innocent as water can be so controversial.

  • http://www.Visionimperative.com Andrew

    Hey Zu

    i worked for DOMINOS PIZZA

    i worked there for a good 2 years and found out some horrible facts about the stuff i’ll list them below.
    i still have friends at dominos and in england the ingredients havent changed

    One large pepperoni pizza: 2500 calories
    double your fat in take
    double your salt in take

    cheese and tom pizza 1800 calories
    double your fat and salt
    and alot of sugar
    potato wedge
    137 calories (the healthiest thing on the menu)

    There meat is 40% meat so those chicken strippers
    are made from 40% chicken

    we used to squeeze all of the water out of them.
    (it wasnt nice)

    dominos is by far the worst of all the fast food joints

    oh one other thing

    those little garlic and herb dips weight 28g’s
    i looked at the cart and they are made of complete fat!!!! thats 28g’s of fat

    sorry if i put you off dominos

  • stellarsoulartist

    yes, food is very political!

  • stellarsoulartist

    there is also a good BBC series on the future of food- concerning the realities of unsustainable production and the unsustainable import/export system of the global economy- very important knowledge if we are to make change through social action

  • Jordan

    I hate how all the latest McDonalds comercials make it seem like its a lifestyle choice. It say’s nothing about thier food, but just that you need to eat it cause the you have this trendy life, like the people in the comercials. It’s so stupid. Thier fries taste like soap, and I heard thier milkshakes are made with lard, thats why they call them triple thicks, not milkshakes. eww..

  • wormer

    Two words – Brown Sugar.

  • http://bodyrock.tv Tania

    Hey Frederick,

    Loved the concept this guy had on pizza and being a pizza lover myself and organic I decided to look up the pizzeria so that I can visit it while in NYC. FYI the guy sold the business to a small franchise and moved to San Francisco to hang out with the Yogis : ) at least that is what the article I read quoted him as saying. I don’t think the big apple was ready for his genious concept and pricey personal pizzas ($25.00) YIKES! Just thought it was something worth sharing with you. Keep up the good work!

  • http://bodyrock.tv Tania

    While on the subject, those of you who want to drink bottled water should consider the brand PENTA. Cheryl Crowe is an advocate of the brand since she went into remission from her breast cancer. The materials used to make the bottle are resistant to heat and other factors that create carcinogens and chemicals to leak into the water. The water is purified and stripped of harmful chemicals and impurities (i.e. syanide) that are sometimes found in water. Worth taking a glance at their website.

  • Audra Gatti

    “Straining on the loo” your too funny!

    It’s true though, great point :)

  • Brooke

    That is the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard. eew.

  • D

    We’re all complaining about the role of advertising and the fast food industry, and that’s a fair assessment considering the disproportionate influence big food has in government and industrial circles, but there’s a wider problem going on here.

    People aren’t educating themselves or their children about food any more. Consider the difference in European countries where the food culture is still very strong: France, Italy, Greece, and so on. While the effect of big food is still felt there it is not as influential as it is in countries without a strong food culture: the UK, US, and so on.

    In these latter countries there is a noticeable lack of awareness about food in general. Consider that in the UK a recent broad reaching survey discovered that around 25% of school children thought pork came from sheep! Obviously schools have a part to play in this, but more importantly it shows a degeneration in the role of parenting over the last 50 or so years.

    In the European countries mentioned, food is more than just something you put in your mouth – it is a part of the living culture – a facilitator of social interaction, an expression of self, and a matter of pride. If these things were present in other Western countries, we wouldn’t be hearing about ads like this ridiculous pizza commercial.

  • http://www.glutenfreeshoponline.com Lillea Woodlyns

    The pizza looks great in the video. :) I had to give up gluten and I do better on a ‘hunter gatherer’ type diet which means no grains at all, but agree that if you can eat pizza getting one that is made with quality ingredients, or using good ingredients to make your own pizza, is much better! I used to make my own and wow, it was delicious!

    When encouraging people to eat more ‘real’ food it can be quite a battle if they’re used to eating very cheap, highly salted, sugared and artifically flavored fast/ convenience foods. Real food simply won’t taste good to many of them because they’re used to the chemically taste ‘explosion’ of the processed stuff. Eventually they may come to appreciate the real thing, but it’s no surprise that with the added preparation time, cost and ‘different’ taste that real food has compared to the processed food they are used to, there won’t be as many converts as we’d like. Usually it takes some kind of serious health scare, not just obesity, for people to fully switch over and then compliance is not that great even so. Too bad. Real food is great. :)

  • Samantha

    The one thing that drives me absolutely insane is how so many produts boast “0g trans fat” and if you actually look at the ingredients list hydrogenated oils are listed (and often in the beginning of the list). Hydrogenated oils are unnecessary, I cannot believe how many products have them… there’s no need for them and they’re so very horrible. Gross.

  • http://www.bellyfit.ca/laurabergstrome Laura

    I’m wondering what your thoughts are on supplements. Like HGH and Creatine etc, do you use them or are you on a strict whole/real food diet?

    I’ve always been soft in the middle. I was the kid with the potbelly. Being a mother has helped me to justify this, but my youngest is nearly 6, not exactly a newborn anymore! I’m reclaiming my health and vitality, I would just like to be able to target certain areas!

    Thanks for the gift you offer!

  • http://www.bodyrock.tv/ Zuzana – BodyRock.Tv

    Hi Laura,

    I don’t really want to be trashing supplements, because there seem to be a lot of people who have been very happy with certain supplements and they like using them, however I don’t use supplements and I don’t even know anything about them. I got turned off by them after I purchased a fat burner couple of years ago that contained ephedrine. No one warned me and I was always wondering why is my heart beating like crazy. I also used to drink protein shakes which was only making me bigger and bigger.

  • Carissa

    Holy Hell. One of the most recent commercials that drives me batty is the Shampbell’s (name has been disguised) soup commercial regarding how other frozen meals have “SO MANY” calories at 340/meal. Yeah, because 120 calories for a meal of a can of soup is SUCH.A.GREAT.IDEA! :(

    Don’t forget that the can of soup is FULL of sodium and additives. Nope, skip over that entirely.

    Lord, people will never get a clue. :(

  • Kathryn

    I boycotted McDonald’s (yes, I would previously indulge in the occasional McRib) because of their commercials during the Beijing Summer Olympics (they’re on again for the Vancouver winter olympics!) trying to convince us that if we eat McDonald’s, we’re “eating like olympians.” The poor kids watching this with no one to tell them better…

  • http://www.bodyrock.tv/2010/02/20/is-there-really-a-fast-food-diet/ Is There Really a Fast Food Diet? | Fitness Advice, Workout Videos, Health & Fitness | Bodyrock.tv

    [...] the end of our article on Domino’s Pizza, we asked you to talk about some of the things you hate when it comes to food marketing, and one [...]

  • tbone

    Hey guy/gals if you juice use a blender and don’t spend your money on some juicer. the pulp is good for ridding the body of toxin in the intestines. You pass it in your bowels so don’t worry about it. Unless otherwise consulted by a doctor. I love to put together organic collard greens(more vitamin c than an orange) and red beets(helps reduce the chance of colon cancer. To hell with tomatoes!. I read about a study surveying colon cancer in Russia. It went on to say that the of all the men in different parts of Russia, there was one town/village that had the lowest occurrence of colon cancer. The researchers pin pointed that the men in that low risk town drank a lot of borscht. BEET JUICE!!!!!!
    Who loves you baby.

  • Annelie

    Maybe there is a long way to go to reach that goal, but it might make you smile to know that macdonalds actually went bankrupt in my hometown Umeå (Sweden) once due to massive resistens from the population of the city. Unfortunally they tried again and now they are up and running though.

  • Disco

    I never fed my child baby food that had been prepared by someone else in jars or anything. I always made his baby food right at home mushed up what I was eating and fed it to him or sometimes used a blender to mush it up. He is one of the biggest healthiest kids I have ever seen. he is 20 months and probably is bigger then some three year old girls and most 2 and a half year old. I am thankful that He is so healthy, and I think nursing and making my own baby food help wonders and made this possible

  • Oksana

    Hi, Frederick and Zuzana!
    Reading this, I remembered ads for Budweiser beer that are all over the place. I know, it’s not food marketing, but it goes along with the whole notion of big companies promoting bad stuff as something healthy. I think, I even saw the ads in sports magazines. One picture always shows a young beautiful fit girl running or doing some other activity and another shows the same girl drinking Budweiser. Now,this, I thought, was the most ridiculous thing.Do they really want people to buy the idea that drinking beer is going to make you look like that? If anything, it will give you a perfectly rounded potbelly…

  • Ann

    One type of commercial that grosses me out are those for mayo. Who really uses that much mayo?! It’s like mayo with a side of sandwhich.
    Another would have to be sour cream. Not only do they put a large dallop on every aspect of the family meal, but they even show it on fruit. Yuck.

  • Stephanie

    KFC chicken drives me nuts, rotten junk…and pretty much all meat, I refuse to eat meat, and pretty much ALL fast food. OH and foods that look like they are supposed to be healthy by the way the box is designed or whatever but its really all refined crap and sugar.:)

  • Stephanie

    LOL mayo with a side of sandwich hahahah

  • Stephanie

    I also did and eat clean diet. I follow Michi’s ladder (which you can find on beachbody.com) and I eat from the top 2 tiers :) You feel so much lighter and healthy.

  • Anna

    Hey guys,
    since you are in Prague and this post is about pizza, you have to go and visit this pizzeria, if I recall correctly the name is Ambiente in Revoluční very close to the mall, just across the street. I’ve been there an year ago and I had one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten (and I’ve been in Naples more than a couples of times, I’m Italian).
    Check it out and enjoy ;)

    Altro che domino….

  • http://www.justaskmedical.com Bradly Macedonio

    cheers lots, I have to announce that your blog is brilliant!

  • Yayeri

    The absence of food culture and the lack of affordable fresh food in low income communities adds to the food issues we have here in the US. NPR did a short story on the fact that Central California, where a lot of fresh produce is grown, has some of the worst conditions of malnutrition…One of the most shocking things was that the food is shipped out of the valley and then shipped back in to the supermarkets, so off course it’s too expensive for the pickers and poor to afford it…next stop..McD’s , TB (Taco Bell) etc…
    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106061080
    Something I noticed too was how easy it is to find a fast food restaurant in a low income community and how sometimes the prices are a little higher than in other communities…Feed the poor poorly right?
    It disgusts me!

  • Emilie

    I was born and raised in Québec and now live in English Canada. Even though québécois have some pretty aweful meals (Poutine anyone?) we eat small portions and most people just love anything local, which obviously includes fresh fruits and veggies.
    Since moving to the English side, I cannot believe how americanised it is! Stores were you can buy tires and milk while shopping for new underwear are the norm here and everything just seems bigger. We had american stores and chains in Québec, but Montréal mostly has small cafés and local eateries, and I used to go to the baker, the butcher and the grocer for my food needs…

    I used to worry about the slow spread of Walmart and the likes in Québec, but it is much more advanced here! And what impact does it have on our food!?!?! We don’t know where it comes from and how long ago were thos tomatoes picked off the tree (do they even taste like ‘sunny’ tomatoes?).

    I think that people need to become more conscious of what they buy. Sure, your food might be cheaper when bought in those mass size stores, but what do you exactly get for that price????

    Anyways, this was my rant for the day and my main concern with the food industry right now…

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