A chara, – Further to your editorial of August 18th, so now we can add salt to the list of foods that bounce back and forth on the lists of what is healthy and what is not. It seems like today's health food is tomorrow's poison and vice versa, much to the bewilderment and frustration of the poor punter who only wants to do what is best.
The whole confounded business reminds one of the scene in Woody Allen's Sleepers, where doctors in the future are laughing at the people of our era for not appreciating the health benefits of deep fat, steak, cream pie and hot fudge. Indeed.
At this point I would hardly be surprised if an article were to appear in a prestigious medical journal extolling the life-enhancing properties of deep-fried Mars bars washed down with generous helpings of caffeinated corn syrup.
It would be less confusing simply to eat moderate amounts of the foods we like – what we’d risk losing in potential health benefits would be more than made up for by the reduction in stress in dealing with all this conflicting “expert” advice. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer,
Co Kilkenny.