Since a Ferrari is a performance-oriented vehicle, it must have ongoing maintenance, higher octane fuel for speed, and is known as a symbol of elegance and success. And I am sure we all agree that the human body, like the Ferrari, must also have ongoing maintenance and high food nutrition to create energy for daily optimal performance. In a recent episode, my guest who is recognized as the world’s class authority on Processed Food, is raising international awareness of the overwhelming scientific evidence to processed food dependency, the many unhealthy causes, the progressive seriousness of this addiction, yes, food can be a slippery slope. In this blog I will be sharing what was revealed on the show and what I discovered in my own research which is not a secret but an enormous preponderance of evidence of when processed foods had its inception, why it took place, today's societal health repercussions and what we can personally do about it.
Do you know what drives every economy? Dollars and more dollar bills which is by in large called nefarious greed, unquestionably, there is an obvious profit-seeking agenda. Of course, I am not condescending the motivation and the ability for anyone to provide for their loved ones of which many do it honorably without harmful repercussions to our fellowman. To make financial gain, the manufacturing cost must be lower than the expense for the consumer, this is called economics 101. However, in fairness, I must say that there are exceptions where the food industry is concerned with the overall health of the public. My guest indicated that the issue with the food industry had its beginning in the 1980s, which other guests I have had on the show with medical background have also corroborated this fact. During this time, many Big Tobacco corporations began to invest in major food companies since the tobacco industry saw the writing on the wall brought on by relentless public scrutiny of smoking, thus, the precipitous decline in cigarettes sales became evident. Currently, Philip Morris International owns Kraft, and purchased Nabisco in the early 2000s, not to mention RJ Reynolds is also heavily invested in the food industry. And, when you include the computer age into the equation in the 1980s which converted many into a sedentary lifestyle, this also explains the serious health issue of today's society. The objective of these tobacco companies, as we know, is to sell an addictive product, and the same business model has been adopted in the food industry for excessive consumption, which translates into huge profits. What did the implications of the food industry takeover have on society? To begin with, they had many years of experience in the development and promulgating the use of tobacco in how fast nicotine was delivered to the human brain, and they proceeded to harness this neuroscience into their food products as an addiction as well. These big food conglomerates have, like tobacco during its peak of popularity, have a tremendous marketing and research squad that are fully dedicated to optimizing the preferred taste receptor, the most appealing color, the right smell, texture, packaging, and making sure it is at eye level where you shop for groceries. In fact, did you know that most of store profits come from where the food industry wants their product situated on the shelf? These so-called food products are produced intentionally to be extremely addictive. Can you just eat one pringle? I would venture to say, no! They are engineered to be highly hyperpalatable, and admittedly, I cannot just eat one. Therefore, I stay away from them entirely. These foods are meant to have a long shelf life which Longevity is not in itself a harmful thing. Do you remember your grandma's delicious peach preserves in those cute mason jars that lasted forever? Additionally, it is a matter of record that the ancient Egyptians were experts in preserving their meats with sodium or salt, and similarly, many other cultures have utilized icy mountaintops as de facto refrigeration. In fact, since refrigeration came into the kitchen, it has enabled us to be less wasteful with food. Keep in mind that some processed food, however, does not always mean tons of additives. For example, Canned tuna is tuna in water, and chopped vegetables in a bag are still just veggies. However, what should we understand about ultra-processed foods? Long shelf-life does not always translate to quality or to our well-being. I mentioned Pringles earlier, who does not love Pringles as an adult let alone as a kid? Once you pop, the pleasure never stops! Pringles has an impressive fifteen-month shelf life. But wait a minute, pringles also contain extremely harmful chemicals such as acrylamide which has caused cancer, in studies where animals were exposed to this chemical, acrylamide, in extremely high doses. Can you just eat one pringle? Obviously, this is a carcinogen that becomes present when starchy foods, such as potatoes, are cooked at super elevated levels of temperature. We must learn to think beyond our taste receptors and think of what these ultra-processed foods are doing to our health. Not surprisingly, an economic Researcher has discovered US consumers prefer expedience over quality in food. In contrast, in Asia for example, the process of fish products is usually only cleaning and refrigerating, whereas in this country, we add chemicals and preservatives for longevity. And did you know in Europe, your everyday Pop-tart for breakfast has failed miserably? Someone is getting it right! To continue to make the argument, one Oreo cookie has fifty-three calories, and a cup of grated carrots contains forty-five calories, one cookie vs. one cup of carrots. Allow me to ask you, why is it so easy to devour an entire pack of Oreos in one sitting? There is no question, these so-called food products are made to be intentionally addicting, yes indeed, once you get hooked it can easily be compared to nicotine addiction, we cease to be a Ferrari and become a jalopy, respectfully. What is so diabolical from my perspective, is that these tabaco companies are targeting our children. For example, Philip Morris had developed at least thirty-six child-tested flavors for Kool-Aid products with integrated colors and captivating cartoon characters. This tobacco giant also purchased Capri Sun and Tang using the same child targeting integrated marketing techniques to garner sales at the expense of the well-being of children. Many ultra-processed foods leave out important fiber in the process. The refinement of wheat into bleached white bread or white pasta is conducive to absorbing more glucose way too fast for our body to absorb. Therefore, elevated glucose creates lethargy, creates an insatiable appetite, your hunger is never satisfied, your ongoing struggle to lose weight continues, or worse, Type 2 Diabetes becomes consequential. Furthermore, as a result, the effect of this fast absorption, robs our gut microbiome of what is necessary for a healthy gastrointestinal track, hence, leading to what we know to be a leaky gut which opens the roadway to more toxins and harmful bacteria, and in time can lead to increased inflammation which is the precursor to many diseases. Think of it for a moment, we are guinea pigs eating foods that is safe, and yet filled with ingredients that have not been thoroughly investigated, and the FDA, historically, has not been a stickler to what enters the food supply. That said, I trust you can devise counter measures to food addiction and become an advocate of your own muscle car, you!
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