Oatly: The New Coke

“What was garbage in 1860, was fertilizer in 1870, cattle feed in 1880, and table food and many things else in 1890,” reported Popular Science1 about the evolution of the waste product cottonseed oil and how it steadily made its way to become a dietary staple in American society, alongside a host of other “vegetable oils.” This tale of two profitee

But even without the hydrogenation that makes them solid and shelf-stable, there are huge questions remaining around the health of vegetable oils. Should we be consuming them in any form, rather than simply eating real food? No, as we will see in Chapter 4 (and in even more disturbing detail in Appendix E).

For the average American or European, Coca-Cola poses a far deadlier threat than al-Qaeda.

One part of the report did survive: the suggestion to reduce saturated fat. Unfortunately, most people didn’t know what that meant, and they certainly weren’t aware that every kind of animal product includes this type of fat—even lean meats. The only way to reduce your intake of saturated fat is to cut back your consumption of animal protein.

This new, highly processed diet lacked fiber and the full spectrum of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and other nutrients. As a result, urban populations would grow sicker and smaller.