Is a universal food possible?

[Bolas 5]

Would it be possible to make one food source that all the world could eat that would give them 100% of their daily vitamins and minerals needed?

Kind of a People Chow, possibly in bar form.

To start, I know it would have to be:
Vegan
Nut Free
Gluten Free
Sugar Free
Caffiene Free

The thinking behind this is:
* Simplify nutrition
* Provide a low cost way people can choose to stay healthy
* Replace money for food programs with just providing food

What other restrictions would this food have to comply with as far as religious/allergic requirements?

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[SpeedRacer 1]

it's called Soylent Green

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[CanuckInUSA 0]

When do you want us to start lining up for our daily rations?

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[Bolas 5]

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it's called Soylent Green

I was waiting for that.

But I did say vegan which means no human meat either.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[Belgian_Draft 0]

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Vegan
Nut Free
Gluten Free
Sugar Free
Caffiene Free

No thanks, I'll just starve.

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

They are called bananas.
I know they are not complete, but that's as close as you are going to get.

[Bolas 5]

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Vegan
Nut Free
Gluten Free
Sugar Free
Caffiene Free

No thanks, I'll just starve.

Or work hard enough that you you can afford to buy and eat whatever you want.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[Andy9o8 0]

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They are called bananas.
I know they are not complete, but that's as close as you are going to get.

But in unprocessed form, they're perishable; etc., etc.

Off the top of my head (FWIW), maybe a soybean-based biscuit?

[Bolas 5]

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They are called bananas.
I know they are not complete, but that's as close as you are going to get.

Bananas don't keep long.

I'm looking at something manufactured with a Twinkie like shelf life.

MRE's are actually on the right track but don't meet the restrictions.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[pinkfairy 0]

Remember "The Matrix"?

"It has everything the body needs" "It does NOT have everything the body needs!"

I think most people would have problems eating the same thing every day, even if it did have all the nutrients the body needs. We have evolved to avoid malnutrition by eating varied food.

They made some peanut butter like stuff that they gave to starving children in Africa. It made them put weight back on fast, and was safe because it didn't have to be mixed with water that might be contaminadet. Tough luck if they had peanut allergy, though, I don't know how they dealt with that.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[muff528 3]

Ramen noodles. I'm sure they can be made to taste even crappier to meet your specs.

(I always suspected that Ramen noodles are Soylent Green)

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Pandas are an example who have a one food diet. Very poor survival prospects in the long run.

[kallend 1,648]

Sounds more like universal food for those with extreme food allergies. The majority don't need your restrictions and probably don't want them.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Belgian_Draft 0]

Potatoes and butter milk.

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.

[muff528 3]

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Pandas are an example who have a one food diet. Very poor survival prospects in the long run.

Yes, isn't it strange that nature selected pandas to eat bamboo exclusively. Our bears get to eat berries, seals, garbage, hikers and naturalists, nice fat salmon, and anything else that gets within swatting range.

[Bolas 5]

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Sounds more like universal food for those with extreme food allergies. The majority don't need your restrictions and probably don't want them.

In order to make something all could eat, all those factors have to be taken into account. Particularly if this was to be a food stamp replacement to prevent exceptions and loopholes.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[quade 3]

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Yes, isn't it strange that nature selected pandas to eat bamboo exclusively.

By all rights Pandas should be extinct regardless of human encroachment. I believe they're only not extinct due to human involvement. They're cute, but a seriously flawed animal.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[quade 3]

Not exactly "universal" since people with certain allergies would probably want to avoid it, but most people would be able to consist on this;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumpy'nut

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[champu 1]

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Would it be possible to make one food source that all the world could eat that would give them 100% of their daily vitamins and minerals needed?

To start, I know it would have to be:
Vegan
Nut Free
Gluten Free
Sugar Free
Caffiene Free

Most trace vitamins and minerals would be fairly easy with additives. A good balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat... not so much. Another problem you'll run into is that the balance of these things is going to change based on a person's age. You could get around this by making a "child/adolescent bar" and an "adult bar" though.

To stay both sugar and gluten free and still supply needed carbohydrates you have potatoes, bananas, rice, and corn to choose from. I'm not sure what portion of soy carbs humans can digest.

To stay vegan and nut free and still supply protein and fats you're looking at soy and avocados as potential major contributors. I know soy is missing an amino acid or two that humans need and sometimes they use additives, but I'm not sure what the additives are derived from and whether that would cause allergy problems. Avocados have the same perishability problems as bananas.

You'd probably end up making some sort of banana/rice/soy flour paste with a fatty substance like safflower oil or olive oil used as a binder and then enriching it with various chemicals to fill in any missing trace nutrients.

If you get rid of either the nut or gluten free requirements you have a lot more options that would probably taste better and provide more complete nutrition for the majority of people.

[kallend 1,648]

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Sounds more like universal food for those with extreme food allergies. The majority don't need your restrictions and probably don't want them.

In order to make something all could eat, all those factors have to be taken into account. Particularly if this was to be a food stamp replacement to prevent exceptions and loopholes.

I'd suggest this would be an unnecessarily expensive replacement simply to cater to to the minority that have allergies. More borrowing from China to pay for it.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Bolas 5]

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Sounds more like universal food for those with extreme food allergies. The majority don't need your restrictions and probably don't want them.

In order to make something all could eat, all those factors have to be taken into account. Particularly if this was to be a food stamp replacement to prevent exceptions and loopholes.

I'd suggest this would be an unnecessarily expensive replacement simply to cater to to the minority that have allergies. More borrowing from China to pay for it.

It's not just the minority that have allergies, but the ones that might claim to have allergies just to get whatever the alternative was.

If done right, even with subsidies it would cost far less than current programs so no Chinese loans. If truly universal it could be sold/provided to other countries and cut back on $$$ given.

As for the taste, just put a little hot sauce on it.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[JohnRich 4]

I'd be okay with steak and lobster - does that count?

[AggieDave 6]

Universal food?

As the the perfect food?

As in steak, potato and beer?

Perfect indeed. Vegetables is what the food eats (except for potato, that's ok)...

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[happythoughts 0]

It would probably work best as a combination of chemicals
with some type of bar as a transport mechanism.

Figure out which vitamins and amino acids are needed
and soak them into something.

This process would work best because it could be make
virtually tasteless. If something has a taste or texture,
someone won't like it.

[Skyrad 0]

How boring would that be???

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca