Although, food companies are leading us to believe these “less fat” or “no fat” products are the healthier options. Meanwhile, waistbands expand nearly as quickly as corporate
In recent decade, the United States has seen supermarkets continuously get filled with packages labeled with things like “Low sodium” or “No Trans Fats.” Companies stick these labels on their food to match the current fads of what is good for you and what is not. In his essay Unhappy Meals, Michael Pollan advocates a return to natural and basic foods, and deplores nutritionism. Pollan argues that nutritionism does not actually tell people what is healthy or not, and that the only way to be sure you are eating healthy is to eat natural, fresh food.
Many of us enjoy fast food restaurants because they are quick, cheap and the food is appeasing to our taste buds. It would be very hard for many of us to turn down junk food for veggies. In the article, How Junk Food Can End Obesity, David H. Freedman presents, “Demonizing processed food may be dooming many to obesity and disease. Could embracing the drive-thru make us all healthier?” Freedman believes in the process of making prepackaged foods healthier.
Obesity is a prevalent issue within the United States. “According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) (2009-2010), approximately 69% of adults are overweight or obese, with more than 78 million adult Americans considered obese”. Today’s society is inundated with a firestorm of information regarding the types of foods that are healthy and will decrease obesity. The most prominent voices in today’s food culture, primarily the wholesome-food movement, believe eating unprocessed food is the only way to live long, healthy lives free of obesity. However, journalist David H. Freedman argues that individuals should not fall prey to these false misconceptions.
This appeals to our physiological needs because naturally, humans need to eat food and to hear from a professional that there are other influences outside of food that are giving cause to the obesity crisis gives Americans a slight sigh of relief when it comes to the degree of toxicity of our foods. Furthermore, that people eat a more wholesome diet versus those that do not, tend to be healthier than that live on fast and processed foods,there are also stark differences to recognize between these classes that should be taken into account as well such as the tendency to engage in exercise, air quality, and other health considerations such as smoking and
Although high fructose corn syrup may be a contributor to obesity, it is not the main cause. H.F.C.S. may not be the culprit, overeating is one of the most crucial factors of obesity. Most Americans eat portions that are beyond healthy. Studies show that over the last twenty years, food portions in American’s restaurants have doubled or even tripled. This distorted the amount of food people think is healthy for them at home and when eating out.
In the 2004 academy award nominated documentary Super Size Me, director Morgan Spurlock presents unsettling information about the health risks associated with a fast food exclusive diet (McDonald’s specifically). During this film, Morgan Spurlock uses several different field research methods to test his hypothesis and validate his findings. In one particular scene, we are shown the decomposition of McDonald’s food over a ten week span. Using observation-based research, we can clearly see how McDonald’s hamburgers and fries decay compared to hamburgers and fries lacking artificial preservatives. After a ten week period, we are shown that McDonald’s fries are seemingly unaffected.
Michael Pollan is the author of “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual”. Throughout his career, Pollan has been investigating about the hazards that industrial foods pose to us, and how we can avoid them and replace them with a healthy diet. He believes that “The way we eats represents our most profound engagement with the natural world.” (Shetterly, Robert. “Michael Pollan.”
“Definition of a trans fatty acid: (noun) an unsaturated fatty acid of a type occurring in margarines and manufactured cooking oils as a result of the hydrogenation process, having a trans arrangement of the carbon atoms adjacent to its double bonds. Consumption of such acids is thought to increase the chance of health risks.” Although certain fats are considered be part of people’s health, there are certain types of fats that should be closely assessed and ignored out of our diets. One of which has drawn an array of controversial issues is trans-fats. Trans-fats can be mostly found in many food sources such as vegetable oil, crackers, cookies and margarine.
From the oozing bacon wrapped doughnut for breakfast, to a double-meat burger blanketed with mayonnaise and the side of French fries for lunch, and finally a salad ornamented with a full all food groups and drenched with Ranch dressing, fats imprison Americans every waking meal of the day. In fact, they seldom pass by a drive-thru without the obligation to fulfill the needs of their enslaved stomachs. Finally, when they wipe these essential oils onto a napkin, their body is already aching for another dose. With every meal, these poor inmates are steadily cutting off years of their lifetime, sucking the funds to cure real epidemics rather than a self-inflicted obesity. After many years of collaborating, analyzing a hefty amount of data, Big
In “How Junk Food Can End Obesity,” by David H. Freedman, he claims that processed foods can help fix the obesity crisis in a more realistic manner, rather than whole-some foods. The popular opinion emphasizes whole-some foods because they aren’t informed about the similitude between processed and unprocessed foods. The essence of the essay is that people believe processed foods are bad and unhealthy for us, therefore whole-some foods are highly recommended for the health of an individual. Freedman mentions many prominent authors who wrote books on food processing, but the most influential voice in the food culture Freedman makes a point of is, American journalist, Michael Pollan. The media and Michael Pollan indicate that everything should be replaced with real, fresh, and unprocessed foods, instead of engineering in as much sugar, salt, and fat as possible into industrialized foods.
Nutrition Topic: Nutrition Organization: Topically Specific Purpose: To inform my audience the importance of proper nutrition I. INTRODUCTION A. Attention getter: Did you know that more than two thirds of adults are considered to be overweight or obese in the United States? If obesity rates stay consistent, about 51% of the population by the year 2030 will be obese.
Accurate, easy-to read and scientifically valid nutrition and health information on food labels is an essential component of a comprehensive public health strategy to help consumers improve their diets and reduce the risk of diet-related diseases. Consumers often compare prices of food items in the grocery store to choose the best value for their money but comparing their purchases using a comprehensive food label can help make the best choices for their health. That is what makes food labeling a public health issue – inadequate food labels may lead to poor quality food choices. Indeed today food labels could not confidently be referred to as accurate, easy-to read and containing scientifically valid nutrition and all necessary health information. They are often referred to as misleading, containing flawed or inaccurate information and sometimes very difficult to understand by various health specialists.
One can eat an excess amount of french fries and become unhealthy. The same concept applies
Processed includes chemically processed, refined ingredients, and artificial substances. They have many artificial ingredients with many to zero real food. Using preservatives manufactures can stop spoiling, colorants to make desirable, with flavor and text rants. The production and consumption of processed foods and the artificial ingredients has lead to numerous health related problems in today’s society, including low nutritional intake, over consumption, obesity and illness. II.
