Don’t get duped!

I recently read an article in the Richmond Times Dispatch about an interesting tactic Chipotle is employing these days in an effort to revitalize their name.  They are sponsoring "Cultivate" festivals across the country that entice the consumer with music but also attempt to draw them into exhibits whose aim is to crusade against "Big Food."  Right away I was suspicious!  What was their true motivation?  When I read articles like this it really irritates me because this company and many other like it are disingenuous. They tout their company as different from other fast food companies for using quality ingredients and ethical sourcing practices but then serve soda that contains high fructose corn syrup.  These companies are constantly blurring the lines between marketing and advocacy for it's customers.  That's why you as a smart consumer need to constantly be asking yourself the question "who does this marketing strategy really benefit?"  The same can be said for a lot of the nutrition research out there today.  If you look at who sponsors the study it is often the very same entity that benefits from the findings.  Take for example the dairy industry's research on the benefits of drinking milk or the cattle industry's study on the benefits of eating red meat.  The results are often skewed to benefit themselves.  So what are you to believe as a consumer?  A valuable resource I have found is Nutritionfacts.org (http://nutritionfacts.org). This website was developed by Michael Gregor M.D. , author of How Not to Die as a way to reach as many people as he could about nutrition.  He has made it his mission to create a website that publishes videos and articles that are unbiased science.  If you find yourself confused in the age of information overload and are getting conflicting information about what to eat and what not to eat, consider this website.  Another valuable resource is attending lectures like One Day to Wellness created by Bruce and Mindy Mylrea. They have created a program that discussed the current research in nutrition and helps you tease out which information is accurate and which is biased.  You can find out more information about this program at http://bruceandmindy.com.  In both of these cases there are no corporate sponsors or underlying motivations.  I encourage you to be a discriminating consumer and not simply accept everything you hear and read as fact!