This is a call to action. Your freedom to eat real food—and even to hear the truth about it—are under attack.

by Heidi Stevenson

14 April 2010

In its latest salvo against our health and freedom, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to Diamond Foods stating that their claims for the health promoting qualities of walnuts have moved them from a food to a drug. At the same time, it allows Frito-Lay to advertise its health-destroying chips (crisps in the UK) as "heart healthy".

This is an attack on both your health and your right to free speech. The FDA is not interested in the science. It's not interested in your health. It's not interested in the truth. It's interested only in supporting its corporate masters. To this end, it uses its massive power to shut down the truth and ignore blatant lies when it's beneficial to big corporate players.

Diamond Foods' Walnut Claims

Here's an excerpt from the FDA's letter to Diamond Foods:

Based on claims made on your firm's website, we have determined that your walnut products are promoted for conditions that cause them to be drugs because these products are intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease. The following are examples of the claims made on your firm's website under the heading of a web page stating "OMEGA-3s ... Every time you munch a few walnuts, you're doing your body a big favor.":

• "Studies indicate that the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts may help lower cholesterol; protect against heart disease, stroke and some cancers; ease arthritis and other inflammatory diseases; and even fight depression and other mental illnesses."

• "[O]mega-3 fatty acids inhibit the tumor growth that is promoted by the acids found in other fats ... "

• "[I]n treating major depression, for example, omega-3s seem to work by making it easier for brain cell receptors to process mood-related signals from neighboring neurons." • "The omega-3s found in fish oil are thought to be responsible for the significantly lower incidence of breast cancer in Japanese women as compared to women in the United States."

Because of these intended uses, your walnut products are drugs

Presto ChangeOh! The FDA has magically transformed walnuts into a drug. Neat trick if you can pull it off—and at this point, they can. The FDA has sent out hundreds of these extortionate letters to food producers big and small.

Every claim that Diamond Foods made about walnuts is backed by scientific research. No exceptions. But the FDA isn't interested in the science. It's interested in its corporate masters' will.

Frito-Lay's Chips Claims

Frito-Lay's website contains the statement:

Frito-Lay snacks start with real farm-grown ingredients. You might be surprised at how much good stuff goes into your favorite snack. Good stuff like potatoes, which naturally contain vitamin C and essential minerals. Or corn, one of the world's most popular grains, packed with Thiamin, vitamin B6, and Phosphorous – all necessary for healthy bones, teeth, nerves and muscles.

Sounds good, but what goes into their products bears little resemblance to what comes out.

Frito-Lay manages to evade the issue of processing. By the time a chip rolls off the production line, it's hard to imagine much nutrition left, beyond health destroying highly refined grains, along with the pesticide gene in GM corn.

They completely fail to inform you that some of these "real farm-grown ingredients" are genetically modified (GM). A few years ago Frito-Lay made a big splash by saying that it would not buy GM crops. That resolve died a quick death. Today, the only product that their site claims to be GM-free is Natural Blue Corn TOSTITOS® tortilla chips.

The Attack on Freedom of Speech

The FDA is making a concerted attack on freedom of speech. It doesn't matter if a statement can be backed up. The suppression of the most basic right guaranteed by the Bill of Rights is under concerted attack. Worse, it's your health on the line.

Raw milk dairies are being shut down through the FDA's might. The companies that are most under attack are small—ones that do not have the financial might to fight back. At least, not alone. This attack on your right to know about and obtain good food is another front in the same war being waged by the FDA against the people.

That's where you come in. On 23 March, the Free Speech about Science Act, a bipartisan bill to stop the FDA's aggressions and assure open information about natural health, was initiated in the House of Representatives. You can send a message to your Representative asking that they support it. Just go to the Life Extension Foundation's petition that will help you send a message.

The FDA wants to keep you dumb and fat. Is there any other way to interpret what they're doing?