Why is eating healthy so hard?
Most people want to eat better, feel better, and live longer. However, it seems that manufactured food is geared toward convenience and taste, regardless of the nutrient value. According to www.worldheart.org, high consumption of salt, unsaturated fats, and low consumption of fruits and vegetables account for 1.7 million deaths per year. Here are 5 reasons why it is so difficult to stay on a healthy eating trend, and what to do about it.
Manufacturers are very good at using buzz words to entice customers into buying their products. “Low fat”, “whole grains”, and “heart healthy”, are a few examples of how mere words can make you feel that you are choosing good, healthy products. However, unless you know the facts, consider them advertising gimmicks. A recent edition of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association speaks of conducting a study where it was found that television food ads were slanted toward unhealthy foods.
When Fresh Food is Chemically Laced
When you see a bushel of fresh tomatoes, it may seem obvious that they are good for you. However, farming has become a game of growing the best-looking in the shortest amount of time for profit. Fertilizers that have harmful chemicals could be the real reason that fruits and vegetables appear so large and vibrant. They may also be grown in foreign countries where the same federal regulations do not apply as in our own nation.
Have you ever wondered why canned food has such a long shelf life? Preservatives are used to keep contents tasting fresh and lasting longer. But many preservatives were never meant to end up in the human body. Ending up in the bloodstream, over a period of years, they can do harm to organs and the overall function of our system.
Decreasing Vitamins and Minerals
Food processing often uses sterilization methods that remove most of the significant vitamins and minerals that are known to be in foods. While you may read that vegetables such as green beans and carrots deliver an excellent way to receive needed nutrients, they may, in fact, be mostly gone through processing.
Working on the Taste Buds
Having a sweet tooth is difficult to tackle. Craving sugar, breads, and soda is one of the number one causes of heart disease and diabetes in our country. Changing the way our taste buds react to foods is a tough habit to break. By eating less refined sugar, however, this habit can be broken.
Growing up in a world where time seems all-important, it is not fair to blame farmers and food manufacturers for delivering less than quality foods. It takes more time and money to raise foods that are full of the nutrients that our bodies need. To learn how you can become more educated on what is in your food, visit the Center for Science in the Public Interest at http://action.cspinet.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1927&ea.campaign.id=37773&gclid=CNjUivHdlscCFQuQaQodqq4Kxw. When shopping for vitamin-enriched products, try to select frozen over canned, organic vegetables and fruit, and locally grown. Substitute honey for sugar, when possible, and stay away from refined table salt.