According to a USDA report assessing the healthiness of consumers' at-home eating choices, the average American is failing with regards to nutrition. As troublesome as this is, it's even worse when you consider the fact that it is more difficult to eat healthy when outside of the home, and more than 40% of Americans eat fast food and roughly 25% of Americans eat out at least once a week, according to numerous research studies.
So why is this? Well, convenience and affordability have driven a huge increase in the consumption of processed foods. Any food that has a label and comes in a bag, box, can, or jar is considered processed. Some products are minimally processed and contain only a handful of ingredients (like canned or frozen vegetables), whereas others are pumped full of sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and dangerous chemicals in quantities that our bodies just cannot handle without major health issues arising. Just look at the massive increases we've seen in diabetes and obesity over the past few decades.
There are many problems with processed foods, particularly those that are high in saturated fat, sodium, sugar or artificial sweeteners and flavors, and preservatives. They are not only unhealthy, but can be addicting as well. Some of the artificial ingredients can be so potent that our brains begin to crave them. Unhealthy and addicting is a poor combination as far as our health is concerned. Some of the most abundantly used food additives cause or are linked to serious medical conditions like autism and diabetes, and can impact brain and reproductive health.
How did this happen? How are these dangerous chemicals in our food supply? While the public appears to believe that the FDA has significant power over food additives similar to the pharmaceutical industry, it is an unfortunate mistake. The FDA actually has very little legal authority over chemical companies, who basically approve their own additives and chemicals, and are not even required to notify the FDA when new ingredients are being added to food products. It is a broken system.
I prefer my food grown in nature rather than created in a chemistry lab. The unknown long-term effects of these chemical concoctions should give everyone pause (and don't get me started on genetically-modified organisms or GMOs). Why are Americans poisoning themselves? Ignorance? Short-term convenience? To save money? We need to pay closer attention to what we are putting in our bodies and stop listening to the food companies when they tell us about a new superfood or that something is good for us. They want your money. Your health is not their concern.
In order to understand what you're putting into your body, you need to learn to read food ingredient labels. If you can't understand the words or the list is too long, it's probably not good for you. The best approach to healthy eating and eliminating dangerous toxins from your diet is to eat organic, whole foods, lean poultry, meat, and fish, as well as healthy fats.
So why is this? Well, convenience and affordability have driven a huge increase in the consumption of processed foods. Any food that has a label and comes in a bag, box, can, or jar is considered processed. Some products are minimally processed and contain only a handful of ingredients (like canned or frozen vegetables), whereas others are pumped full of sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and dangerous chemicals in quantities that our bodies just cannot handle without major health issues arising. Just look at the massive increases we've seen in diabetes and obesity over the past few decades.
There are many problems with processed foods, particularly those that are high in saturated fat, sodium, sugar or artificial sweeteners and flavors, and preservatives. They are not only unhealthy, but can be addicting as well. Some of the artificial ingredients can be so potent that our brains begin to crave them. Unhealthy and addicting is a poor combination as far as our health is concerned. Some of the most abundantly used food additives cause or are linked to serious medical conditions like autism and diabetes, and can impact brain and reproductive health.
How did this happen? How are these dangerous chemicals in our food supply? While the public appears to believe that the FDA has significant power over food additives similar to the pharmaceutical industry, it is an unfortunate mistake. The FDA actually has very little legal authority over chemical companies, who basically approve their own additives and chemicals, and are not even required to notify the FDA when new ingredients are being added to food products. It is a broken system.
I prefer my food grown in nature rather than created in a chemistry lab. The unknown long-term effects of these chemical concoctions should give everyone pause (and don't get me started on genetically-modified organisms or GMOs). Why are Americans poisoning themselves? Ignorance? Short-term convenience? To save money? We need to pay closer attention to what we are putting in our bodies and stop listening to the food companies when they tell us about a new superfood or that something is good for us. They want your money. Your health is not their concern.
In order to understand what you're putting into your body, you need to learn to read food ingredient labels. If you can't understand the words or the list is too long, it's probably not good for you. The best approach to healthy eating and eliminating dangerous toxins from your diet is to eat organic, whole foods, lean poultry, meat, and fish, as well as healthy fats.
0 comments:
Post a Comment