Cuando un caramelo y un bocadillo eran la libertad - Y por qué PuroMartínez lucha por algo mejor

“You’ll have to ask your father,” explained my mother, a third-grade history teacher at the same school my sister Claudia and I attended in Brownsville, Texas. What I was asking for was no simple thing. It was parental permission for a responsible sixth-grade boy, such as myself, to walk during lunch to an adjacent property to the school called the Snack Bar. 

I did my best to write down my request as eloquently as I could, stating sound reasons why I could be trusted. Why I used the face of a clean white paper plate for my letter, I’ll never know. I do remember being excited and embarrassed – excited that my father agreed, embarrassed that I had to turn in that paper plate to my teacher because that’s where my father signed his approval.     

The El Jardin Elementary gang who made those first walks with me down a dirt path worn into the grass were Charley Whitlow, Kimberly Adams, Mark del Castillo, Dennis Kuehler, and Susan Hauff.

In an old wood-framed house with a screened-in porch and sitting area, two Mexican American ladies served us hamburgers, hot dogs, and snacks. I remember we all being mindful of our “left over” food money to make sure we could all order from the candy window. My favorites were green Jolly Ranchers, Fun Dip candy, and Boston Baked Beans. Depending on the nickels and dimes we shared, we’d also splurge on Blow Pops, Ring Pops, Wax Whistles, Pop Rocks, Big League Chew, and hot chocolate with marshmallows. 

We’d finish with colored sodas from the vending machine—red, orange, or purple. We’d finish with laughter, conversations, and curious questions. We’d finish with running around playing tag or football while on our little sugar highs. We’d finish back at El Jardin with a sense of satisfaction, whether we truly understood it, that we got to be kids.

Those days I cherish. I knew those times were special. I didn’t know those were some of the best days of my life.

From Innocence to Poison

We thought all that food was harmless fun. Childhood fuel. Innocence wrapped in cellophane.

But looking back, it feels like we were the guinea pigs. What we thought was joy was really the testing ground for today’s ultra-processed food empire. And now it’s not just food. Snacks, drinks, tech, politics, even news—so much of what we consume is designed to addict us, divide us, and drain us.

The mighty dollar has become the main ingredient. And too often, it’s killing us.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

The World Health Organization reports that global obesity has more than doubled since 1990, with adolescent obesity quadrupling. One in eight people worldwide now live with obesity. Children under five—35 million of them—are already overweight. By 2030, the global economic cost could exceed $3 trillion a year.

Here in the U.S., many of the chemicals and additives banned elsewhere are still allowed in our foods. It’s not because they’re safe—it’s because profit has more power than protection.

What We Lost

When I think back to those mesquite-shaded lunch breaks, I don’t just remember candy. I remember freedom. Friendship. Innocence.

But that innocence is gone. Generation X was the test group. And the results are clear: diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and metabolic disorders. The systems we trusted with our childhoods betrayed us.

Why PuroMartinez Exists

At PuroMartinez, we are reclaiming what was stolen: wellness rooted in culture, community, and real ingredients.

Our mission is simple:

• Honor tradition with foods inspired by abuelitas, not boardrooms.
• Resist shortcuts that put profit before people.
• Champion resilience by offering products that heal, not harm.
• Educate and empower our community to question labels, demand better, and fight for food justice.

The era of being fooled by flashy packaging and fake health claims has to end. We recommend using apps like Yuka https://yuka.io/en/ or Open Food Facts https://world.openfoodfacts.org/ to understand product labels and the potential impact ingredients may have on your health.

The Future We Deserve

If you are Generation X, we may have survived the snacks of our youth. Younger generations are struggling. Recent statistics show a concerning rise in colorectal cancer (CRC) in younger generations, particularly those under 50, with cases increasing globally and in the U.S. since the 1990s. 

But survival isn’t the goal. Our kids—and their kids—deserve food that nourishes, not poisons. They deserve a culture of wellness, not exploitation.

At PuroMartinez, we fight for that future every day. A future where Hispanic resilience and ancestral wisdom lead the way toward something better. As one of my childhood toys, G.I. Joe, would say, “Knowing is half the battle.”

The processed candy window may be closing, but the door to change is wide open.

Citations: 

https://www.mskcc.org/news/why-is-cancer-rising-among-young-adults