Natural, earth grown foods are an essential part of every living being’s health. However, in the past century, people have begun to eat food made by man rather than from the earth. Recently, finding natural, organic, or raw foods has become more difficult than finding foods that have been processed in some way. Due to the bad eating habits that have become common in today’s society, people are living shorter, less fulfilled lives than people who eat healthy, well balanced diets. The article “Ultra-processed foods in human health: a critical appraisal” written by Michael J. Gibney, a nutrition scholar, explains how processed food consumption has increased dramatically, which in turn has caused an increase in chronic diseases and obesity rates. …show more content…
argument, CA Monteiro et als. article is entitled “Nutrition and health. The issue is not food, nor nutrients, so much as processing”, and argues for the importance of controlling the amount of processing allowed in foods. The main point Monteiro is trying to portray is the lack of knowledge people generally have on processing versus nutrition. He expresses this information by writing, “What is generally overlooked in such approaches, which currently dominate official and other authoritative information and education programmes, and also food and nutrition public health policies, is food processing,” expressing his complaints about the inadequacy in nutritional education systems (Monteiro et als., 729). The food pyramid is seen as a guide to healthy eating to many people. However, this pillar of health does not include processed foods in any categories, which allows for people to factor it in on their own. The absence of this determining factor can lead to people believing that foods such as prepackaged vegetables and raw vegetables have the same health advantages, whereas in reality the health benefits are significantly less in prepackaged …show more content…
Cogswell et al. in the article “Modeled changes in the US sodium intake from reducing sodium concentrations of commercially processed and prepared foods to meet voluntary standards established in North America: NHANES,”, with a focus on sodium overconsumption. Although there has been a limit to the amount of sodium used in foods, the guideline created by Dietary Guidelines for Americans was not very well enforced. Consuming more than the recommended amount of sodium in a day can lead to high blood pressure, which is a “major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which are the first and fifth causes of death, respectively, in the United States” (Cogswell et al., 530). Cogswell chose to write this article to show how simple it could be to reduce the amount of sodium permitted in foods. The less sodium there is in foods, the less sodium people will consume overall, helping to lower the risks of obtaining diseases associated with sodium overconsumption such as diabetes. She writes, “Our analyses confirm NSRI predictions that an average twenty-five percent reduction in the sodium concentration of these foods would result in a twenty percent reduction in US intake,” which shows how little of a change would be necessary to reduce sodium intake and improve the overall health of the people in
In recent studies, it was discovered that most of the foods that Americans consumed are foods which had gone through so many processes and thereby losing most of its nutritional values. Unhealthy nutrients are also been added to foods as additive during production to either preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance. An individual cannot simply trust what he or she is consuming at a fast food restaurant or even a cheap prepared meal at a grocery store. Processed food or western diet needs to be replaced and totally taken out of the American life and diet; this will help the Americans to live a healthier life, and spend less on medical bills.
In Escape from the Western Diet, Pollan discusses how Americans have become obese due to their diet of mainly processed foods. He makes the case that for Americans to once again become healthy, we must return to eating “whole foods”. Pollan brings up the fact that Americans don’t spend as much time nor as much money on
The problematic aspect of processed food is all the added hormones, preservatives, and antibiotics that are injected into the food. Organic foods have none of these additives, and the pure characteristic of organic food is a valuable thing. Pollan (2008) agrees with this when he writes, “instead of worrying about nutrients, we should simply avoid any food that has been processed to such an extent that it is more the product of industry than of nature” (p. 424). I have a medical condition in which I am not supposed to eat any foods that have added preservatives, hormones, or antibiotics. This is because my body is hypersensitive to chemicals and, especially, added hormones. It can easily cause serious health problems. Pollan (2008) also added an opinion made by a food politics and policy lecturer, Gyorgy Scrinis, who believes that, “the most important fact about any food is not its nutrient content but its degree of processing” (p. 423). If everyone would stop their constant consideration in nutrient content and turn their attention to additives; America could become a much healthier
In her essay “In Praise of Fast Food”, Rachel Laudan discusses the differences between natural and processed foods and which are healthier. She also discussed her personal experiences with the topic. Laudan knows a great deal about this particular debate because she grew up on a farm eating “natural foods” as well as using natural recipes herself. “My culinary style, like so many people’s, was created by those who scorned industrialized food; culinary Luddites” (Laudan 331). She does not, however, completely agree that all natural foods are healthier than processed foods, using history as a large part of her argument. This essay had a very clear motive and made numerous key points about this debate, making it
The article that I read on “Processed Foods: What’s OK, What to Avoid” say “It’s blamed for our nation’s obesity epidemic, high blood pressure and the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes.” (Jill Kohn, 2015) It also says that it is surprising to “learn that whole-wheat, homemade soup a chopped apple are also processed foods.” (Jill Kohn, 2015) Even some of the conveniences we have could be considered processed like our bagged spinach or even the roast nuts. The conveniences that are not so good are like canned fruits, vegetables, because of the sugar or sodium that is in them.
In the United States, Food is one of the basic needs of life.We tend to spend tons of money every year to buy food. Consuming food reflects America’s culture in the United States. In America, Fast food is a way to enjoy delicious food made with sugar, fat and salt. It’s impossible to back away from eating good tasting food. Unfortunately, this is leading to major destruction. In the human life, food procurement, preparation, and consumption have devoted to an art form.Spite the terms of “America has a food problem,” it shows that our nation is unable to produce and supply safe, nutritious food in a way where it sustains our global population. Health Issues are a result of over consumption, which lead to portion sizes, and food production.
David Robson unites chocolate lovers and ecologists alike with his article asking if junk food is better than healthy food for the environment. He researches the carbon footprint for the production of one hundred calories of food. He doesn’t include any macromolecules in his research, his research is aimed purely at measuring the ratio between carbon dioxide production and calories. Regrettably he reminds readers that this is not an excuse for a root canal, but a thought to keep in the back of our minds when we consider a well-balanced diet (Robson, David). The general field of study his article best represents is Ecology. It relates to the information covered in the textbook and this course through metabolism and ecosystems.
The population in the United States as of 2009 was 307,006,550 the younger population is projected to slightly increase and eventually plateau though the older population has been steadily increasing and projected to continue on an upward trend (Vincent & Velkoff, 2010). The lack of a healthier diet is something that has been highlighted in the media for the past decade and more often than not we are seeing the effects of overindulging and the consumption of highl...
For years, I have been eating what I want. Food choices are a significant factor that affects our health. What we like or crave, often, is the determining variable in what we eat. Finding the right balance of food choices is the key factor in improving our health benefits. Choosing nutrient-dense foods will provide more nutritional value than foods that are found to be low in nutrient density. Making the right choices in foods, however, is extremely difficult. Often, I find myself enthralled in the latest fad, not considering the subtext of the foods I am eating, such as nutrients, vitamins, healthy fats and unhealthy fats, cholesterol and minerals. The diet project underlined a three-day food entry intake that provided a dietary analysis report
We Americans are always on the go, no matter if it is on our way to work, school, or exercise. Most people are eating some types of processed food usually for almost every meal due to how quick it is to prepare. However, most Americans do not realize that the nutrition facts on the other side of their granola bar shows the ugly truth about what they are eating. Michael Pollan who is a highly esteemed author on this subject refers to the “Western Diet” as mostly processed foods. Pollan’s main argument is that Americans need to reduce the amount of processed foods that are consumed so that health risks will be reduced.
The only problem with Michael Pollan’s outlook on nutritionism is the fact that he is completely against scientific research on the subject because history in this matter has not been reliable. With any good, there is also bad that follows. This relates to scientific research on nutrients which have provided many useful things to society, yet brought some evils such as processed foods which have plagued the American Diet for many years. Amongst all the countries in the world the United States of America has a population in which two-thirds of their people are obese. When it comes to processed foods, people should take this chemically engineered food with a grain of salt, take a more traditional approach and use current knowledge to promote a healthy
"Global Dietary Changes Threaten Health." World Health Federation. Medtronic Foundation, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. .
Many people in America, from toddlers to the elderly, have shown numerous signs of bad health. People have the desire to keep on eating due to more, new things being merchandised as “new and improved items” from the producers. For example, nowadays, people are eating pure junk that they find satisfying on the grocery food shelf. As, stated by Michael Pollan, in his article, “Eat Food: Food Defined” he affirmed that “real food is the type of things that our
Food has been a common source of necessity in our everyday lives as humans. It helps gives us nutrition and energy to live throughout our life. Over several decades, the development of making foods has evolved. They have changed from natural to processed foods in recent years. Nowadays natural ingredients are barely used in the making of foods like bread, cheese, or yogurt. The food industry today has replaced natural food making with inorganic ingredients. The cause of this switch is due to processed foods being easier, cheaper and faster to make. Artificial nutrition and processed foods have been proven to last longer in market shelves then natural foods. Also, due to artificial additives in processed foods they help satisfy consumers taste more than natural ingredients. The method of producing processed foods is common in today's food industry and helps make money faster and efficiently for companies. Examples of this can be found in all markets that distribute food. Even though processed foods may be easier and faster to make, they are nowhere near as healthy for consumers compared to natural foods. Natural foods are healthier, wholesome, and beneficial to the human body and planet then processed foods.
Food is “composed of synthetic chemical additives, such as colorings, preservatives, sugar substitutes and trans-fats” (Fitzgerald, 2006, p.72). Fitzgerald reported that by the “1970s most meats and dairy products that were factory farmed were laced with growth hormones, antibiotics and a range of pesticides” (p.72). Furthermore, food that is frozen, packaged and canned is considered processed food. A brief explanation of the chemical additives in processed food. 1.