Universal Food: How realistic?

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I was watching a cat eat its canned food, and the idea pops into my mind: How difficult would it be to produce a "universal food" that was reasonably appetizing, reasonably inexpensive/cheap, safe, that can provide all of the basic nutritional requirements for a human, like a human version of cat food?

In the past there were predictions on food pills replacing regular food, but, in order to do that, you would need something nuclear, and the human body would have to be able to process that, because we need mass and fiber and so on and so forth. That being said, how are cats and dogs able to safely and comfortably live off of canned and dry food and be okay?

Imagine if all you had to do was to buy, say, 30 cans of "Human Food" each month, and there was your entire food budget. Aside from "that would be boring and monotonous", I would like to see what you all have to say: Is this possible? It would save on having to spend time on a variety of things, when all you have to do is eat a can a day and some water, and you're good.

[Evil D]

Well it's sort of already been done. There's a guy who created a protein shake type meal replacement that he calls Soylent. He's an engineer or something of the type, and went out and researched all of the essential vitamins and minerals that a person needs, and put together a powdered mix you can buy that completely replaces eating solid foods. He tested it on himself and has been on it for an entire year and has taken multiple tests and is remarkably healthy. Of course not everyone is ready to give up solid foods and taste/variety, but it's reportedly about 1/3 cheaper than the average person's monthly cost in food, so it may be a viable solution for feeding starving folks around the world.

As far as an all in one food, I'm sure it absolutely can be done, and quite easily I'm sure. The problem is people are too spoiled by taste and eat for reasons other than necessity and nutrition for it to catch on by the masses. It would be something interesting to have for worst case scenario "end of the world prepping".

[kbuzbee]

In addition to what David said about taste, etc... The problem is they really don't know what people need (and, IMO, no two people actually require the same things) The human body is a wonder and can exist on a wide variety of foods but to really optimize it requires a vast array of nutrients, many of which haven't even been "discovered" yet. Yes, there are the basic "essential" proteins and fats. There are complex and simple carbohydrates and the generally accepted vitamins and minerals. Food science is just now beginning to appreciate all the phytonutrients found in greens, berries etc. Who knows what other "stuff" they'll "discover" in food tomorrow? To expect a pill or a powder to provide things we don't even fully understand is not realistic, at least with today's science. Perhaps one day. Until then it's best to eat a wide variety of clean, healthy, organic food and let the human body do what it does best.

(BTW - this applies to pets too and the food you buy in a store is in no way optimized for the health of your pet, regardless of what the packaging says )

Ken

[Enkidude]

Soylent Green is people.....

I wouldn't trust a manufactured product to replace Nature's bounty.

[springnr]

Liver

[Evil D]

In addition to what David said about taste, etc... The problem is they really don't know what people need (and, IMO, no two people actually require the same things) The human body is a wonder and can exist on a wide variety of foods but to really optimize it requires a vast array of nutrients, many of which haven't even been "discovered" yet. Yes, there are the basic "essential" proteins and fats. There are complex and simple carbohydrates and the generally accepted vitamins and minerals. Food science is just now beginning to appreciate all the phytonutrients found in greens, berries etc. Who knows what other "stuff" they'll "discover" in food tomorrow? To expect a pill or a powder to provide things we don't even fully understand is not realistic, at least with today's science. Perhaps one day. Until then it's best to eat a wide variety of clean, healthy, organic food and let the human body do what it does best.

(BTW - this applies to pets too and the food you buy in a store is in no way optimized for the health of your pet, regardless of what the packaging says )

Ken

All that aside, it may not be perfect nutrition, but it would surely be better than starving, yes?

Soylent Green is people.....

I wouldn't trust a manufactured product to replace Nature's bounty.

On a scientific level, cells don't know the difference between vitamins that come from food vs. supplements...that's why we can take multi vitamins to support our diets. This simply takes it one step further and provides all vitamins from those supplements. It's also easier to digest and has none of the things you don't want like excessive sugars/fats/cholesterol/etc, so it can actually be formulated to be more healthy than solid food, if tailored to the individual's needs.

[kbuzbee]

All that aside, it may not be perfect nutrition, but it would surely be better than starving, yes?

Absolutely, if those are your choices. You can live for years on nothing but rice.

On a scientific level, cells don't know the difference between vitamins that come from food vs. supplements...that's why we can take multi vitamins to support our diets.

Yes and no. With purely vitamins, I'd agree with you. Now they are learning that "food" has many compounds that work synergistically with vitamins, minerals and macro nutrients. Any supplement made today is likely to miss some/all if these (or destroy/remove them in the manufacturing process) Remember when they thought it was a good idea to remove the bran and germ from wheat?

This simply takes it one step further and provides all vitamins from those supplements. It's also easier to digest and has none of the things you don't want like excessive sugars/fats/cholesterol/etc, so it can actually be formulated to be more healthy than solid food, if tailored to the individual's needs.

Sure, if they know enough to do that. Today, I'm saying they don't. I agree, today they could make something that would keep you alive and would be more healthful than a burger and fries or chicken nuggets from a CAFO, but still, that isn't saying much. I don't plan on eating it.

And THEN, you have to trust the company making it actually has your health in mind and isn't selling you something coated in Roundup.

I'd rather eat the sprouts growing in my kitchen. I'll subsist on THAT!

Ken

[dewildeman]

I think using "universal" food as a supplement to regular food would be a better idea. Something that could be "seasoned to taste". The idea of a universal or chemically manufactured food as been used in science fiction stories for decades. I remember Frederik Pohl writing about CHON food. Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen. The basic elements could be combined and flavored to be a universal food. He also wrote that these elements would be abundant supply in the solar system.

[Waco]

You could come with something that meets all the currently recommended dietary requirements and eat it every day, until you couldn't stand the sight of it anymore. Luckily, the experts keep changing their minds on what's good and bad for us, so you would be guaranteed some variety.

[The Deacon]

Could it be done? Possibly, at least to the same extent that it's now done with pet foods. However, if you think about it, there's really no such thing as a "universal" cat or dog food. Both come in a wide variety of flavors and textures, and are often geared to specific age groups or health issues.

Should it be done? Given that, aside from cases where tainted ingredients were involved, it's impossible to say whether your dear departed Fido or Felix may have lived a longer an happier life on a different brand of canned or dry food, or on a natural diet, am sure there would be similar issues with a human version. There's at least some evidence that the heath issue that brand Z's formula X is suppose to address was caused by feeding Fluffy brand Q's formula R for five years straight.

People feed their pets canned and dry foods for the same reason they feed their families packaged foods - convenience. They feed them dry because it creates minimal odor and mess. The hype about how good these foods are for pets is, for the most part, just that - hype.

Would I eat it? Not as long as I had a choice. Over the years I've given up most of my pleasurable vices, some voluntarily, some from medical necessity. Having to refrain from some of the foods I once loved is bad enough, I would not easily give up the flavors, textures, and aromas of the foods I love and still can eat.

[kbuzbee]

I think using "universal" food as a supplement to regular food would be a better idea.

I would agree with that but it would be just as important (to me) to know what's not in it as what is in it. No freaky chemical compounds I can't pronounce. No genetically engineered compounds that resemble food. I think the basic food we have is (used to be, anyway) just fine.

Ken

[kbuzbee]

Could it be done? Possibly, at least to the same extent that it's now done with pet foods.

Of course, then, for cost savings, production would be outsourced to China. What could possibly go wrong with that?

Ken

[kbuzbee]

Liver

Liver is interesting, isn't it? I mean supposedly liver has all these health benefits. But it's like the body's toxic waste dump. I never really understood.

Being vegan, it's not really an issue I have to deal with but it is interesting.

Ken

[The Deacon]

Being vegan, it's not really an issue I have to deal with but it is interesting.

Ken

Which raises another issue (or set of issues) that does not exist regarding pet food, at least AFAIK. By the time you omit all the things some religion or other "affinity group" will not eat and all the things some group, large or small, cannot eat due to allergic reactions, would there be anything much left that everyone would enjoy. Even if you did, the conspiracy theories would start to fly. The foil hat brigade would be making claims of mind control substances, agents to decrease sex drive, or, better yet, selectively chemically castrate certain groups, contamination from "impure" foods and/or ingredients from China within a week of it hitting the shelves.

[kbuzbee]

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you

Ken

[kbuzbee]

Which raises another issue (or set of issues) that does not exist regarding pet food, at least AFAIK.

Actually, it does, at least by proxy. You should read some of the posts on pet food on the vegan forum.

Ken

[The Deacon]

Actually, it does, at least by proxy. You should read some of the posts on pet food on the vegan forum.

Ken

Ken, please don't take offense, but there are some forums I avoid visiting because I know **** well that, if I did, I'd be unable to resist the temptation to join and troll.

[kbuzbee]

No worries, Paul. I totally get that. It isn't always easy

Ken

[bdblue]

Could it be done? Possibly, at least to the same extent that it's now done with pet foods. However, if you think about it, there's really no such thing as a "universal" cat or dog food. Both come in a wide variety of flavors and textures, and are often geared to specific age groups or health issues.

If you feed a cat the same food for a long time they develop allergies towards it. For instance if you feed a cat food that is made from chicken, they will sometimes develop an allergy to chicken and you have to switch them to fish or something else. Lots of cat food has corn and some other grains in it and they get allergic to that too. I don't know if this happens to people, maybe we have more variety in our diets. There are ways to process the protein in cat food so that the body doesn't recognize it as chicken anymore, you can buy those foods in the vet clinics for animals that have digestion problems.

There is more than just vitamins and protein- there are amino acids and other things. Some athletes claim that they need to eat a variety of different meats to get all of the different chemicals that they need. This can be a problem again with animals like cats- God invented them to get their nutrition by eating small animals, whole. When we make up cat food from pieces of meat and some corn, it doesn't contain all of the different things that they would get from eating entire small animals.

My wife used to work for a company that did rendering, and sent the byproducts to be used in animal feed. She would be very suspicious of any "universal" food.

[twinboysdad]

If you feed a cat the same food for a long time they develop allergies towards it. For instance if you feed a cat food that is made from chicken, they will sometimes develop an allergy to chicken and you have to switch them to fish or something else. Lots of cat food has corn and some other grains in it and they get allergic to that too. I don't know if this happens to people, maybe we have more variety in our diets. There are ways to process the protein in cat food so that the body doesn't recognize it as chicken anymore, you can buy those foods in the vet clinics for animals that have digestion problems.

There is more than just vitamins and protein- there are amino acids and other things. Some athletes claim that they need to eat a variety of different meats to get all of the different chemicals that they need. This can be a problem again with animals like cats- God invented them to get their nutrition by eating small animals, whole. When we make up cat food from pieces of meat and some corn, it doesn't contain all of the different things that they would get from eating entire small animals.

My wife used to work for a company that did rendering, and sent the byproducts to be used in animal feed. She would be very suspicious of any "universal" food.

Funny you mention this, my best friend from high school is a vet and said that the lamb dog food was originally submitted as an alternative for dogs with beef allergies. It is now so common place that it does not work on beef allergies. Now they have duck protein dog food and he swears it should be Rx only because it should only before dogs with beef/lamb/chicken allergies.