Health and Diets Today: Changes in Food Habits

 

Eating today

Are you eating an affordable, balanced diet? In today’s fast-paced living, people consume various selections of foods; especially on-the-go. How healthy are their meals? Will they ensure the overall health and safety of the consumer?

According to the book, Acting Out Culture, unhealthy nutrition habits are more noticeable now than ever before. “Some 47 million Americans receive food stamps, some who would otherwise go hungry. A recent government study found that about 5 percent of American households have very low food security, which means that food can run out before the end of the month.” (Kristof 172) This raises the question whether the Food Stamps program is effective? In my observations as a foreign student in America, I believe that this program is helpful and necessary because it assists in meeting a basic, daily need that would otherwise be difficult for a financially-challenged person to meet. In fact, it affords the possibility to satisfy other basic needs of life such as affordable housing, season-appropriate clothing, utilities, & etc. Another issue of concern are people who unfortunately take advantage of the program; gradually becoming dependent and lazy. Why would they work hard if they can continuously manipulate the government system to support their livelihood?

Over 56 billion farmed, land animals are killed annually by humans. Fish and other sea animal deaths are so great they can only be measured in tons. Animals are not simply food sources but thinking and feeling creatures that bring necessary balance to our eco-system . An animal’s life is as important and irreplaceable as ours in the circle-of-life. As children, we are conditioned to view cows, pigs, chickens, sheep and fish as inferior. This way of seeing other species is known as speciesism. It’s time for us to change our view on animals with which we share the planet. We need to stop thinking of them as simply resources and start viewing them as sentient beings whose lives deserve to be respected and valued. The solution is veganism. We can prevent a great deal of animal suffering by adopting a vegan diet. We can personally save up to 95 animals a year and thousands during our lifetimes by adopting a vegan lifestyle. Many people believe that animals should not be harmed unnecessarily. By consuming animal products we are participating in harming and killing them. Eating animal products is not essential for human health. Choosing a healthy, varied, vegan diet means respecting the lives of animals and refusing to take part in their exploitation.

Organic food is a booming new trend of many consumers due to better food safety practices and product quality. The production of these foods must adhere to specific standards regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In other words, the production of these foods is very closely monitored to ensure quality and safety. “About 70 percent of Americans buy organic food occasionally, and nearly one-quarter buy it every week, according to the Hartman Group, a market research firm (Redbook 2016).” Consumers are looking for food they can trust.  Organic products have a reputation of offering the highest level of safety and nutritional value by eliminating the practice of using:  fertilizer, pesticides, growth hormones, irradiation, biotechnology, and antibiotics. Studies have shown that these additives are known to cause everything from headaches-to-cancer, & birth defects. With that being said, eating organic may be a bit more costly but has proven to be a wiser choice for consumers healthwise.

Junk food is a term people often use to label foods and beverages high in calories and sugar. Calories are measured as units of energy and are found in most foods. Sugar or high-fructose (especially of corn syrup) is found in carbonated soft drinks, confectionery, chocolate, fatty oils, many trans fat, and preservative chemicals. These foods and beverages contain little or no fiber, minerals, or vitamins. In America, Junk food is everywhere! Frequent consumption of junk food often leads to health problems such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. For example, there are several McDonald’s Restaurants conveniently located in most U.S. cities. Their famous fries are deep fried and saturated in hydrogenated vegetable oil. They also contain preservatives, citric acid, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate color retention agents, and salt. Frequent consumption of these highly saturated fries will, unfortunately, put you at risk for heart vessel blockage and heart disease.

In conclusion, Americans must be mindful of how their food choices affect their health and their planet as a whole. Governments should pay better attention to the food issues of this generation in order to maintain a healthy country for generations to come. Implementation better food habits and practices will surely lead to a healthier world, body, & mind; which leads to an overall healthier and better life.

Works Cited

“It’s How We Eat, Not What We Eat.” Psychology Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

Neporent, Liz. “Organics Safer, No More Nutritious Than Conventional Foods.”ABC News. ABC News Network, 2012. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/organic-food-cleaner-nutritious/story?id=17138185

“Free Essays Must Be Free!TM.” Food Stamps Essay. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

By Adopting a Vegan Diet We Can Personally save up to 95 Animals a Year, and Thousands during Our Lifetimes. Most of Us Already Believe That Animals Should Not Be Harmed Unnecessarily Yet Eating Animal Products Harms and Kills Animals and Is Unnecessary for Human Health. Choosing a Healthy, Varied Vegan Diet Means Respecting the Lives of Animals and Refusing to Take Part in Their Exploitation. “Food.” Animal Equality. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

Kristof, Nicholas.  “Prudence or Cruelty?”   Acting Out Culture, edited by James S.Miller.

Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2015, pp. 172-174.