The man who lives without food

[Still Waters]

Last Christmas, Rob Rhinehart realised that food doesn’t work. At least, not very well. Its function is to deliver the energy and nutrition that the body requires for fuel, and yet it’s expensive to buy and takes time to prepare. Many in the world can’t afford to eat properly, whilst others eat so badly that they become clogged and obese and then they just die. Eating is a problem, in one way or another, for millions, perhaps billions of humans. So, a few months ago, the 24-year-old computer engineer began his quest to “solve” food.

http://www.telegraph...thout-food.html

[Mistydawn]

That made a very interesting read. Not wholely convinced that everything your body needs can be liquified and drank, natural chemicals in foods can have healthy effects on our brains and thought-patterns too. Besides, going out to dine with friends would be a bit boring, everyone with just a cup in front of them, the evening would soon be over!

Edited May 6, 2013 by Mistydawn

[Ealdwita]

Thanks, but I think I'll stick to 'clogged and obese' if you don't mind!

[Bendy Demon]

The body is not adapted to exist on a liquid-only diet. (yes, I know there are medical exceptions) and we have a mouth, teeth and saliva for a reason; it is all part of the digestive system.

Lack of money is not an excuse for a poor diet, if I have only five dollars in my pocket I can still buy some generic frozen veggies and even some ramen if I absolutely have to. I am quite capable of forgoing dairy, meats and all sorts of stuff to get by and I will not fill the void with junk food either.

Lack or awareness coupled by sheer laziness is the problem.

[libstaK]

The body is not adapted to exist on a liquid-only diet. (yes, I know there are medical exceptions) and we have a mouth, teeth and saliva for a reason; it is all part of the digestive system.

Lack of money is not an excuse for a poor diet, if I have only five dollars in my pocket I can still buy some generic frozen veggies and even some ramen if I absolutely have to. I am quite capable of forgoing dairy, meats and all sorts of stuff to get by and I will not fill the void with junk food either.

Lack or awareness coupled by sheer laziness is the problem.

I have to agree, there are plenty of good food options that don't cost the earth, nothing wrong with some frozen vegies as a backup for a rainy day but fresh fruit and veg is not all expensive-especially not the daily staples such as carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, onion, pumpkin and some potato (not too much). Also, rice (brown wholegrain), barley, semolina etc are great as side dishes and can fill you up quite nicely even in small servings, while relatively inexpensive to buy and they go a long way aka: many, many serves per kg purchases.

[Eldorado]

A liquid diet = a 'red-raw' butthole, in my experience, so I think I'll stick to solids. (only saying)

[shrooma]

wonder what colours 'soylent' comes in....?

:-)

[shrooma]

Lack of money is not an excuse for a poor diet, if I have only five dollars in my pocket I can still buy some generic frozen veggies and even some ramen if I absolutely have to.

Lack or awareness coupled by sheer laziness is the problem.

.

I doubt the people of ethiopia or the sudan, or some other famine-plagued, drough-riddled country would agree with you ryu.....

Edited May 6, 2013 by shrooma

[Lilly]

Personally, I think I'd just rather die than "solve" things that way.

Oh, and nice to see Eldorado around these parts.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Lilly
left out a word!

[shrooma]

Personally, I think I'd just rather die than "solve" things that way.

.

trust me, you wouldn't.

the human instinct to survive is VERY strong, and after a week without food, you'd be mainlining the nasty green muck given half a chance!

:-)

[+OverSword]

He invented the smoothie.

[danielost]

That made a very interesting read. Not wholely convinced that everything your body needs can be liquified and drank, natural chemicals in foods can have healthy effects on our brains and thought-patterns too. Besides, going out to dine with friends would be a bit boring, everyone with just a cup in front of them, the evening would soon be over!

Don't know about you, but in my world a lot of people go out for a cup of coffee or to a bar.

[danielost]

The body is not adapted to exist on a liquid-only diet. (yes, I know there are medical exceptions) and we have a mouth, teeth and saliva for a reason; it is all part of the digestive system.

Lack of money is not an excuse for a poor diet, if I have only five dollars in my pocket I can still buy some generic frozen veggies and even some ramen if I absolutely have to. I am quite capable of forgoing dairy, meats and all sorts of stuff to get by and I will not fill the void with junk food either.

Lack or awareness coupled by sheer laziness is the problem.

There are people in the world who don't have five dollers or even a sou kitchen to go to.

[danielost]

Personally, I think I'd just rather die than "solve" things that way.

Oh, and nice to Eldorado around these parts.

Science fiction has gone with pills, and I think there was a movie with a liquid drink too. But, I agree wit you.

[BiffSplitkins]

... we have a mouth, teeth and saliva for a reason; it is all part of the digestive system.

Don't forget about the taste buds.

I'm sure that drinking the same old thing day in and out would get old REAL fast. I like real food too much to even take this seriously.

[minera]

I love prepairing and consuming the food I cook. Nothing like a home cooked meal even if it is the 'healthy' variety that kids hate. But I can see it being used as a food supplement in some cases.

[freetoroam]

One at a time, he added extra magnesium, extra potassium, then extra phosphorous. “Every single one of those times,” he says, “I got very, very sick.” The potassium overdose wasn’t too bad. “I just had heart arrhythmia and really high blood pressure and my circulatory system was all out of whack.” The magnesium poisoning, though, was appalling. “I felt like my insides were burning.”

But by the end of week three, he realised he had it.

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He might of had it to suit him, but not everyone. Will see the results of this in a few years time, if he is still with us.

[Lava_Lady]

Why did he name it "Soylent"??? Is it people??

He should name it something That doesn't have cannibalism and government endorsed death at 30.

Anyway, you don't need most supplements if you way right.

[seeder]

So he has made another liquid shake, the likes of which (and complan was mentioned) have been around for some time.

Really the global food crisis is a big issue. And the past couple of years we have seen bad weather cause major problems for crops in the UK, US, Oz etc etc, and we cant really change the weather so that will always be an issue. But there are things that 'could' be done.

"Ugly vegetables and fruits" for example, cannot be sold commercially, when you go shopping you see perfectly straight carrots, and smooth nobble-free potatoes and perfect looking apples etc. The big chain buyers literally dictate to the farmers what they want, and veg thats just as nutritious, but 'ugly/bent' etc is unsellable. Totally barmy. I say give the ugly veg to the poor and hungry.

During the world wars, in the UK anyway, the entire country was motivated/advised to plant anything they could grow in their gardens, and people did so. But now people want to put wooden decking over any available greenery and go for a cool image rather than use their gardens for growing stuff. I have a small mostly concrete patio, but I have 3 hanging baskets on the wall with cherry tomaotes, which grow so abundantly I cannot eat them all and give lots away. I have two big barrel planters that grow tonnes of potatoes in, I grow peppers and many herbs.

It doesnt stop me from having to buy food of course, but it does help!

Eating sprouted seeds is another very quick harvest crop. Only 4-5 days growing without soil, in a jar - and you have "extremely nutritous food.

"Sprouting Seeds: The Ultimate Food"

"Sprouts are one of the most alkalising, nutritious and easily accessible foods know to man. Being rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and enzymes, they can be grown easily in four to six days and require no effort and very little cost".

A sprout possesses all of the energy, vitamins and nutrients and power that enables it to be transformed from a small seed into a strong plant. At this stage its nutritional value is at its highest for instance, sprouted seeds can contain 400% more protein than lettuce and over 3900% more beta-carotine.

Also, due to their size and taste you are able to eat hundreds of sprouted seeds at a time. In so many sprouts, you are eating the equivalent of hundreds of fully grown plants all at once – when else would you be able to get the goodness of one hundred mature plants in one meal?!

http://www.energisef...ng_benefits.php

see a short vid

and lastly, this guy grows a million pounds of food and fish, yes!!! 1 MILLION pounds of Food on 3 acres. ALL YEAR ROUND!! 1 pump, 10000 fish, 500 yards of compost

Pls watch all of this

[media=]

[/media]

just on the last vid alone, imagine some charity setting up that in poor hungry countries?? All you need is some land and a greenhouse

.

[Junior Chubb]

Soylent eh? Don't try it if its green...

[Mistydawn]

A liquid diet = a 'red-raw' butthole, in my experience, so I think I'll stick to solids. (only saying)

But did you absolutely have to?

[paperdyer]

Don't forget about the taste buds.

I'm sure that drinking the same old thing day in and out would get old REAL fast. I like real food too much to even take this seriously.

That's why most diets fail. Not enough variety that's tasty for everyone.

[FlyingAngel]

Does the body absorb it all? We don't need to go to toilet anymore?

[Grandpa Greenman]

Fine if your eating through a tube. I know people who do, not by choice. I like to cook and eat. Shopping is good exercise, too. They have diet shakes I really don't see were he has come up with anything new.

[Starseed hybrid 1111]

now here's a great idea i do believe it can help.me personally i say do it and go with the idea i would but it:)just don't add high fructose corn syrup and sugar to be even more truly healthy as well.truly make it healthy but with flavor and cheap not expensive and make it worthwhile too.no dairy products or etc