Harrop: Make America Healthy Again? I’d skip the raw milk

By Froma Harrop / Creators.com

What’s wrong with Sriracha? And, by the way, what is Sriracha?

Sriracha is a hot sauce of Thai origin made from chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. The rap against it centers on its high levels of sugar and sodium. But Sriracha is normally used in tiny amounts, so where’s the problem? The other complaint, that it’s “too hot,” has an easy remedy. Use less of it, or don’t use it.

Such debates are part of the sprawling MAHA movement. MAHA stands for Make America Healthy Again. The name’s nod to MAGA makes it sound like part of the Trump agenda.

MAHA is a rummage pile of diverse interests ranging from organic farmers to homeschoolers to anti-vaxxers. It has spawned a swarm of “influencers,” podcasters and, most definitely, entrepreneurs pushing products that nurture body, soul and gullibility. At the same time, its emphasis on fresh food and exercise is laudable.

Crackpot conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Donald Trump’s choice to head Health and Human Services. “Bobby” spreads unfounded accusations against life-saving vaccines and promotes dangerous “natural foods” such as raw milk. If confirmed, he would try to send health policy on a mission to planet Omicron Delta. Star Trekkers know Omicron Delta as a giant amusement park that can read people’s minds and make real anything they imagine, from fairy-tale characters to deadly threats.

Back on planet Earth, Trump wants RFK Jr. to “go wild” on health care. Bobby claims that a worm has eaten at his brain, which makes one worry for the health of the worm.

The claim that unhealthy diets are contributing to childhood obesity, diabetes and other scourges is solid. But some arguments over what constitutes a bad diet are far from simple.

“Ultra-processed foods” have become the all-purpose villain. MAHA holds that food conglomerates are forcing ultra-processed foods onto the American public. Two problems here: One is that no one is forcing anyone to buy or eat food they don’t want to. The other is that the term “ultra-processed” is both misused and hard to define.

The Washington Post and other classy news sources were recently suckered by a study claiming that consumption of ultra-processed plant foods, including plant-based meats, was associated with higher rates of heart disease and premature death. Researchers at the University of Sao Paulo and Imperial College London put out the report. Imperial College led its press release with a photo of plant-based burgers.

Trouble is, plant-based meats may be ultra-processed, but they can be healthier than the real thing. More concerning, plant-based meats were almost entirely absent from the study condemning them.

The report also used a cheesy method for categorizing foods. Foods with gluten were automatically put in the ultra-processed column, but gluten has long been a meat alternative (Seitan is made from wheat gluten.) Under these definitions, tofus with natural flavorings and thickeners can be categorized as ultra-processed.

“It’s a concept prone to illogical free association, lumping together Cheetos with ultra-healthy fermented beans,” Vox reported.

If the Senate confirms Kennedy, Trump would surely swat down any of his ideas that conflict with big money. He’s already announced that Bobby cannot get near oil drilling, thus nixing one of his chief environmental causes.

Vaccines are another matter. One can be assured that Trump and family have all their shots, but if other adults die from preventable diseases, well, that’s on them. And if their unvaccinated children die from polio or measles, I would not be alone in judging those parents guilty of child abuse.

Taking MAHA’s dimmer demands seriously would be a gamble with the public’s health. What happens on Omicron Delta should stay on Omicron Delta.