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.
There are many reasons for this. Perhaps the most important driver has been busy schedules leading consumers to search out convenient meals ranging from takeout to processed foods. What is a processed food? It is the opposite of a whole food, meaning anything that comes in a separate package with an ingredient label. Some aren't all that bad, it depends on the actual ingredients, however, many processed foods are filled with salt, sugar, fat, preservatives, and other harmful chemical concoctions that are foreign to the human body, or at least they should be. One doesn't have to look long to see a dramatic increase in so many serious illnesses.
The problems with processed foods obviously lies with the latter type- foods that are high in sugar, saturated fat, salt, artificial sweeteners and flavors, food dyes, and preservatives. This makes them not only unhealthy, but addicting as well, a most unfortunate combination when considering one's long-term health. Many of the food additives that are most commonly used are linked to dozens of illnesses and dangerous conditions in addition to those already mentioned, including autism, Alzheimer's, cancer, infertility, neurotoxicity, among others.
It begs the question as to how these chemicals made it into our food? Although many believe that the government provides solid oversight of the chemicals used in our food and consumer products, that is not the case at all. The current structure basically allows the food manufacturer or chemical company to greenlight its own formulations and gives little power to the FDA to stop them, even when significant risks arise. The process makes zero sense and puts us all at risk.
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.
Reading food labels is a great way to start so that you can truly see what you're eating on a daily basis. Eating organic, whole foods, coupled with lean proteins and essential fats is the best way to avoid harmful chemicals and future illness.
There are many reasons for this. Perhaps the most important driver has been busy schedules leading consumers to search out convenient meals ranging from takeout to processed foods. What is a processed food? It is the opposite of a whole food, meaning anything that comes in a separate package with an ingredient label. Some aren't all that bad, it depends on the actual ingredients, however, many processed foods are filled with salt, sugar, fat, preservatives, and other harmful chemical concoctions that are foreign to the human body, or at least they should be. One doesn't have to look long to see a dramatic increase in so many serious illnesses.
The problems with processed foods obviously lies with the latter type- foods that are high in sugar, saturated fat, salt, artificial sweeteners and flavors, food dyes, and preservatives. This makes them not only unhealthy, but addicting as well, a most unfortunate combination when considering one's long-term health. Many of the food additives that are most commonly used are linked to dozens of illnesses and dangerous conditions in addition to those already mentioned, including autism, Alzheimer's, cancer, infertility, neurotoxicity, among others.
It begs the question as to how these chemicals made it into our food? Although many believe that the government provides solid oversight of the chemicals used in our food and consumer products, that is not the case at all. The current structure basically allows the food manufacturer or chemical company to greenlight its own formulations and gives little power to the FDA to stop them, even when significant risks arise. The process makes zero sense and puts us all at risk.
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.
Reading food labels is a great way to start so that you can truly see what you're eating on a daily basis. Eating organic, whole foods, coupled with lean proteins and essential fats is the best way to avoid harmful chemicals and future illness.
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Please check out an article on a similar topic: Why Are Artificial Sweeteners Bad For Me
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