“The diet of the people deteriorates as capitalism develops.”
Lenin was writing about artificial substances in food as it is more costly (less profitable) to produce healthy food. He continues:
“[...] workers earn so little that they have to buy cheap, low-grade, substitute food products.”
“[...] And so the output of cheap substitutes is growing daily and hourly, along with the unheard-of luxury of a handful of millionaires.”