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.
Unfortunately, Americans have chosen fast and cheap over quality. This means highly processed foods with low-cost, unhealthy ingredients with long shelf lives. The most concerning processed foods are those with dangerous chemicals added to them to add flavor, texture, sweetness, or to preserve the so-called integrity of the product. The typical processed food contains unhealthy amounts of fat, sodium, sugar or artificial sweeteners, and other dangerous ingredients, many of which we don't know the long-term risks about. It is easy to see something has gone wrong when you look at the substantial rise in health issues among Americans in recent years.
The processed foods that carry these health risks are not dangerous only because of their lack of nutritional content or the chemical exposure, but also because they can be addicting as well. Some of the artificial sweeteners are so strong that our brains can't handle the impact. They can also have a damaging effect on the brain such as neurotoxicity, as well as other troublesome conditions, including cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson's.
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.
As much as technology has evolved over the past few decades, I'm likely to remain old fashioned when it comes to my food. I want whole foods grown on a farm not in a beaker. The risks related to processed foods and the current food additive approval process should be an eye opener to everyone. I'm not sure why Americans continue to poison themselves. Is the truth too hidden? Are we too busy to find out or put in the extra time to make a clean, healthy meal? I'm not sure what the answer is, but I do know that we need to pay closer attention to the food supply and the dangerous chemicals being added to it every day. The corporations will continue to make hefty profits from these additives and processed foods for as long as we allow them to. We have to stop making poor choices.
It is imperative that you read food ingredient labels and understand what's in your food. Ideally, a diet consisting of organic whole foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats is the healthiest approach to eating and avoiding dangerous chemicals and future illnesses and other health conditions.
Unfortunately, Americans have chosen fast and cheap over quality. This means highly processed foods with low-cost, unhealthy ingredients with long shelf lives. The most concerning processed foods are those with dangerous chemicals added to them to add flavor, texture, sweetness, or to preserve the so-called integrity of the product. The typical processed food contains unhealthy amounts of fat, sodium, sugar or artificial sweeteners, and other dangerous ingredients, many of which we don't know the long-term risks about. It is easy to see something has gone wrong when you look at the substantial rise in health issues among Americans in recent years.
The processed foods that carry these health risks are not dangerous only because of their lack of nutritional content or the chemical exposure, but also because they can be addicting as well. Some of the artificial sweeteners are so strong that our brains can't handle the impact. They can also have a damaging effect on the brain such as neurotoxicity, as well as other troublesome conditions, including cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson's.
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.
As much as technology has evolved over the past few decades, I'm likely to remain old fashioned when it comes to my food. I want whole foods grown on a farm not in a beaker. The risks related to processed foods and the current food additive approval process should be an eye opener to everyone. I'm not sure why Americans continue to poison themselves. Is the truth too hidden? Are we too busy to find out or put in the extra time to make a clean, healthy meal? I'm not sure what the answer is, but I do know that we need to pay closer attention to the food supply and the dangerous chemicals being added to it every day. The corporations will continue to make hefty profits from these additives and processed foods for as long as we allow them to. We have to stop making poor choices.
It is imperative that you read food ingredient labels and understand what's in your food. Ideally, a diet consisting of organic whole foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats is the healthiest approach to eating and avoiding dangerous chemicals and future illnesses and other health conditions.
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