The United States Should Subsidise The Production Of Processed Foods

The United States alone is known as one of the most unhealthy nations in the world. Having that label is extremely sad and embarrassing. According to the CDC in their article “Heart Disease Facts,” over 600,000 people in the United States die each year from having a heart disease. Many of these deaths have been caused by simply people not being able to afford fresh produce and the additives in processed foods. The United States government has helped contribute to the domino effect of health and economic issues by using taxpayer money to support the production of harmful additives in processed/fast foods. The U.S. should not subsidise the production of processed/fast food; it is causing problems resulting in our countries economy and health.

$19.2 billion has been spent on subsidies for junk food such as corn and soy. Corn is one of the largest grown crops in the United States, especially in the Midwest. Corn is easily grown in the Midwest because of the climate and growing season. It is especially easy for farmers to grow corn because of the support they are getting from our government. Much of our money we spend on taxes is supporting these big corporate farmers in growing corn crops that are sent to fast food and processed food industries. A huge majority of the corn grown in the U.S. is produced into High Fructose Corn Syrup that eventually ends up in our processed foods and then is later consumed by Americans. We are essentially paying our government to support these corporate farmers. This is preventing small businesses from selling their fresh, healthy produce in grocery stores and supermarkets across the U.S. The Corporate farmers do not need this money. They make plenty of money through the many crops they grow each year. They are running the small farmers out of business, who do not get support from

Many of these additives are produced from corn products that come from the large corporate farms that are using subsidies from the government. These additives include: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Starch, Corn Syrup, and many others. High Fructose Corn Syrup is the main additive that is in many foods that we consume daily. Some main examples are: cereal, soft drinks, salad dressings, canned/processed fruits and vegetables, bread, etc. Yes, even bread contains High Fructose Corn Syrup! Many processed foods contain High Fructose Corn Syrup whether we know it or not. Fructose is naturally formed in fruits. However, High Fructose Corn Syrup is not a natural substance. It is produced from corn and glucose sugar that is chemically produced into High Fructose Corn Syrup. High Fructose Corn Syrup is used as a filler in food and are “empty calories.” This means that food containing High Fructose Corn Syrup hold absolutely no healthy nutritional value. According to Brenda Goodman in her article “Fructose May Affect Hunger Cues,” people in the U.S. each consume 440 calories from sugar, which is equivalent to 28 teaspoons of