# WIll there be an 'evil food' for the new millenium? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922 "2003-01-11T07:15:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/1 "2003-01-11T07:15:47Z")
Ok, so I’m told by many different sources that each decade carries with it an “evil food” trend. We all know that it was fat in the 90’s, I clearly remember it being sugar in the 80’s, and I’m told that it was carbohydrates in the 70’s. So far it’s 2003 and we’re still cruising along with fat. Are there any signs that we might find another evil food to migrate towards hating while fat goes the way of sugar and carbs (still evil but less oft mentioned)? Also, what were the evil foods of previous decades? Did this start in the 70’s or were people watching out for certain ingredients back in the 60’s, 50’s, etc? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/2 "2003-01-11T12:45:12Z")
It seems that processed complex carbohydrates are (rightfully) getting some recognition as Bad Foods, with the [food pyramid](http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=0007C5B6-7152-1DF6-9733809EC588EEDF&pageNumber=1&catID=2) possibly being reworked. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/3 "2003-01-11T18:15:19Z")
A carcinogen, acrylamide, has been found in significant quantities in some foods, e.g., fried potatoes, chips, etc. This is so new that there have been no time to do studies establishing correlations which would indicate an overall risk factor. But it has a lot of people in food sciences _very_ worried. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/4 "2004-04-16T19:54:48Z")
Looks like it’s carbs. Definitely carbs. If I see one more low carb commercial I’m going to choke myself. Not to pat myself on the back too much but I _knew_ fat couldn’t stay in style much longer. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/5 "2004-04-16T20:34:09Z")
Funny; complex carbohydrates are still being promoted as a good thing here, mostly. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/6 "2004-04-16T20:36:05Z")
“Here” being the Kingdom of Butter? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/7 "2004-04-16T21:09:36Z")
The UK, sorry; breakfast cereals here are typically promoted with slogans like “Packed with complex carbohydrates, for slow-release energy to keep you going right up to lunch.” ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/8 "2004-04-16T21:26:49Z")
A lot of the low-carb dieters have tried low-fat diets and failed. Many of them will fail at low-carb diets, at which point some slick marketer with a low-fat campaign will be along to console them. This will continue forever. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/9 "2004-04-16T21:45:02Z")
Maybe low-fibre will be the next fad; the slogan will be “The Constipation Plan - you’ll be so full of shit, you won’t _want_ to eat!” ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/10 "2004-04-16T21:52:26Z")
I think the previous poster mentioned _processed_ carbs specifically. Like, white flour, white sugar. I agree with that one. (mmm… trendspotting) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-an-evil-food-for-the-new-millenium/147922/11 "2004-04-16T23:33:56Z")
I heard a new one on tv just the other night. The new “bad” food is _quantity_. The dietician said we eat too much of everything. Makes sense to me. I know a fat vegetarian. Check out the calorie charts for fruits sometime.