You Are What You Eat or Are You What They Eat?
As I continue to read Marion Nestle’s book, let me just share with you a few of her findings about nutrition.
Meat: The Choices
Organic versus “Natural”
The rules for organic meat production expressly forbid feeding animal by-products to other animals. They also forbid the use of antibiotics and hormones and require animals and birds to be raised under conditions that appear more humane than those of typical of commercial feedlots and batteries.
“Natural” does not mean organic.
“Natural” meat – may mean that the producers follow some or all of the organic practices, but they do not have to. “Natural” is on the honor system.
There are no rules that require “natural” animals to be fed organically grown grain; to be allowed freedom of movement and access to the outdoors; to be raised without using antibiotics, hormones, or other animal drugs; or to be inspected for adherence to such practice.
Grass Fed Cows
Cows are supposed to eat grass, so it should come as no surprise to learn that grass feeding affects the nutritional content of meat. Eating concentrated feed made from corn and soybeans makes cattle grow faster and fatter, but it alters the mix of bacteria in their rumens. This gives them the equivalent of cow indigestion; the animals are not as healthy and need antibiotic treatment more frequently. These sicknesses and the antibiotics can be passed on to the humans that consume the meat.
With so many issues to be evaluated and balanced against one another, the choice of meat and poultry seems especially complicated. When price is no object, my hierarchy of choices for people who consume meat goes like this:
First Choice: Certified Organic because the rules make sense and production is monitored by regular inspections that hold growers accountable for their practices
Second Choice: “Natural” when it is near organic, meaning “no antibiotics, no hormones, no animal by-products,, humanely treated, and grass fed”
Last Resort: All the other kinds
Fish Facts
If you are going to follow heart healthy advice to eat two servings of fish a week, you will need to know more than you ever wanted to about the diets of fish as well as your own. The adage “you are what you eat” goes for people, cows, chicken, and fish, too. If you consume any animals it is important to know what they have consumed, because that is what constitutes your nutrition.
The PCBs in fish cause the same type of dilemma as the one involving omea-3s and methylmercury, but with one unpleasant addition: all fish have PCBs, but farmed fish – those fed fish meal and fish oils have more.
When you see a shark or any other predatory fish of impressive size, you have to assume that the meat is loaded with toxic chemicals. Shark is for nonpregnant adults only!
If you are pregnant, methylmercury crosses the placenta and goes right to the brain and nervous system of your developing fetus, with potentially dangerous consequences.
Commercial fishing is no longer a business that people expect to pass on to their children. They know that the fish will be gone from the sea and too few will be left for anyone to catch.
Indeed, salmon farming is so controversial that it has spawned its very own opposition groups. One, the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform, runs a “Farmed and Dangerous” campaign to encourage you to think twice before eating farmed raised salmon.
Farm raised salmon are confined in pools of antibiotics, pesticides, chemicals, and wastes, which then spill the equivalent of raw sewage into local waters.
Knowing what fish to eat means knowing
Where the fish comes from
Whether t is farmed or wild
Where it is on the food chain
Whether it is listed in a state advisory
How much fat it contains
About 75% of the fish and 90% of the shrimp sold in US supermarkets and restaurants are imported, and most come from developing countries in Asia and Latin America.
When I ask the managers of fish counters if they are complying with COOL, most have no idea what I am talking about.
EGGS
If you see the Certified Organic seal on an egg carton, it means the eggs come from hens that eat organic feed, are allowed access to the outdoors and sunlight, and are inspected to make sure the rules are followed.
FROZEN FOODS
Researchers who work for the frozen food industry have looked into the hearts and minds of supermarket shoppers. Their profound insight: you want hot food on the table no more than five minutes after you begin preparing it, and never more than twenty.
If you want healthier frozen foods, look for packages with a short ingredient list.
Frozen fruits and vegetables with a single ingredient are the best nutrition buy.
If you would like manufacturers to explain more about the chemical ingredients listed on food labels, take up this matter with your congressional representatives. Congress tells the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) what to do.
Oh there is so much more to share with you, so much information and so little time to blog….Thanks to Ms. Nestle.
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is think about and care about where your food comes from. If you eat meat, fish, and fowl try to think about what the animal eats before you eat it. If the fish is a bottom feeder…how much nutrition are you going to gain from eating a bottom feeder? Think about your food. Think about the ingredients that you consume. If you eat foods that are not nutritious, eat them in moderation.
Are you hungry?
QotW
Why is it critically important to understand exactly what you are consuming when you eat? Does it really matter? What do you think?
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Eating smart is so easy and yet so hard at the same time. While it is obvious what is better for your health, the healthy options seem hard to come by for most. Another factor is the affects we have on the environment which is often overlooked because of potential monetary profits.
ReplyDeleteIn Biology 103, I learned that our oceans are over fished and that we are practicing unsafe levels of fishing for most areas and species of fish. Any opposition or restraint upon this market is the subject of a lot of controversy. However, figures show that we are catching fish that are way smaller than those in the early 1900s because we are forced to accept smaller, less mature fish because of our overfishing problems. The domino effects of our practices are devastating to the environment. It seems like a good alternative to affecting wild life would be to create our own fish farms. However, the habitats of the fish end up being chemical pools which in turn affect the health of the fish, pollutes the water supply, and, in turn, affects our health as we end up consuming all of the chemicals.
Similar problems occur in the dairy and poultry industries. The animals are fed "fake" food which is supplemented with hormones and medications. The food that they eat also contains pesticides and chemicals. So, by the time we consume meat and dairy products, what started off as being not good for you even in moderation, ends up as a completely horrible meal for your health!
My biggest worry is the health effects that this food has on my health and the generations before and after who have been the consumers of this type of "food." It raises a lot of worrying questions. Have I already eaten too much to avoid developing cancer or other illnesses? Am I going to be able to stem my intake of unhealthy foods to avoid/lower my health risks while living in such a remote area? How to completely avoid these cheap food substitutes when they seem to be so common in today's world? It seems like the best way to change is to increase awareness of the origins of our food, to increase the pressure on producers to be more accountable, and to petition government who is mainly responsible for food policy.
Before we began the chapter on nutrition, I can honestly say that I had never considered some of the things we’ve discussed. I never realized how much a difference it can make to your health depending on what happened to your food before it got on your plate.
ReplyDeleteI’ve learned that just because a food may say “whole grain” or “vitamin rich” doesn’t mean that it actually is. You can go to the store and pick up any can, and often the ingredients aren’t even words you know! I just happened to pick up a box of pop tarts in the store, and the first four ingredients were enriched flour, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and dextrose. I don’t even know what all that is and I eat it for breakfast! I’ve come to realize that it is vitally important to know what you’re eating! Just because they’re called Mini Wheat’s doesn’t mean it’s just wheat!
Whenever you buy something to eat, you really need to look at the ingredients label, and it’s safe to say that if you don’t know what some of those words mean then you shouldn’t eat it! When it comes to your produce that doesn’t come with an ingredients list, you need to find out where the food came from and how it was treated before it got to the store. If you don’t know what it’s in what you’re eating then you don’t really know what you’re eating! You could be ingesting all kinds of chemicals and harmful things your body doesn’t need and knocking years off of your life!
It is so important that you understand what’s in your food, where it has been, and how it was treated before it got to your plate or local grocery store shelf! If you want to live a healthy life you don’t need to ingest things you don’t know what they are. Taking in chemicals or other types of things can only be negative for your body! So, do you’re self a favor and the next time you decide to buy something look and the ingredients label and see if you’re actually eating what you want or if it’s just a mix of chemicals and sugars. Your body will thank you later!
From all the information you stated, it is important to understand what we are eating, because it does in turn take a toll on our health and well-being. It makes sense. This might sound silly, but if roles were reversed and the animals WE eat started to eat US, they might be wary of the foods we eat, as to not affect their own health. It really does matter, but it is easier said than done. Most people today do not have animals or fresh fruits and vegetables in their backyards. We all rely on fast and convenient food that tastes good, but is not good for us. Statistics clearly showed a relation of diet and health in the movie "Forks Over Knives." If we were to go back to how it was in the past, we would most certainly see a difference in everyone's health.
ReplyDeleteThis blog was very interesting. It showed how important finding out where food come from is. That is something that I really plan to try to do in the furture.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it is hard to tell rather I'm hungry. I make mistakes by eating late, eating because someone else is, or eating because I'm bored. This is very unhealthy and I really need to work on that.
It is critically important to understand exactly what you are consuming when you eat because you need to make sure it won't be damaging to your health. It is important to know how much nutrients that the food will give your body. It is also important because animals that are frequently treated with animal meds can spread sicknesses and antibiotic to humans. It may also contain mercury.
Yes it does matter. It matters because it can stop you from going through sicknesses and keep your body safe from longterm damage. This way you can live a long healthy life.
I think it would be a lot easier to become a vegatarian than to find out where your meat come from. Many supermarket workers don't know, they just package them.It would be very hard but it could be done. To me I don't really think many people ask so when someone does their not perpared to answer. I think it should be the law for all ingedients and where animal or fish came from, along with what they consumed should be on the package. I also think that there should be more oraganic foods sold in supermarkets.
When it comes to meat I rarely eat enough to say I eat it. As a twenty-one year old I really don’t think about where did my meat come from, let alone what did that animal eat before processing, because that’s not my focus at that point. When I go into the grocery store to look for meat for my mother to cook or whomever the only things I look for is the expiration date, and does the meat look neatly packaged.
ReplyDeleteHearing all these things does make me wonder why, now in America, we have all these different types of cancers and diseases popping up. Then hearing about all of the hormones these animals are being feed and injected is quite nasty. So it’s like okay if we make the animal larger we can get more meat and money, but when it should be okay if I feed this animal healthy and clean my consumers will not get sick or unhealthy.
Now I do think it may be very important for consumers to know what they are eating. Because by doing this if you get sick there is a way of backtracking what probably made you sick, or contributed to making you sick in the first place. Also, consumers’ need to know what they are buying just for general purposes of everyday consumption.
It is critically important to know exactly what you are consuming because of the things that might be in the food that you are consuming. Many foods are grown with certain types of chemicals to make them stay “fresh”, look better, smell better, and enhance their taste. These things being added to food are called additives. These additives are not healthy and may cause serious damage to not only your food but also your body.
ReplyDeleteImagine that you are pregnant and toxic chemicals have been added to your food to help them stay “fresh” longer in the stores and those chemicals harm you and your unborn child. It is CRITICALLY IMPORTANT to know what is in your food because you never know what could harm you.
Does it really matter? Yes it REALLY matters. People die every day from unknown causes, and we may never know if those causes could be from the food that they were consuming and the chemicals or additives that were put in those foods. It matters because children are growing up believing that they are eating healthy, when in all reality the “healthy food” is just as bad as the not so healthy food, because of what is growing inside of them. It matters because elderly people have been eating certain diets for years believing they knew what was good for them and what wasn’t and now they are on 10 different medicines at a time because they suffer from so many diseases that could have been prevented from the food they consumed.
I think that consumers should start looking into the effects of the chemicals and the things that they put into the foods that they give out to people and see what they actually do to food and those who consume it. After reading this article I feel as those I have not only cheated myself through the foods I have been eating but I also feel as if I have been lied to by these consumers. I plan to start eating healthier and putting a lot more “green” in my diet. It’s going to take time but I believe I can do it, I mean if you think about it…I have to.
It is important to understand what I consume when I eat because some animals are not as healthy as others. Eating animals that were stressed, tortured, or pumped up with hormones to grow faster is completely horrible to my health. This can affect my health in developing diseases at an early or late age. This can also affect my hormones by what was given to the animal befor it died. This does matter because all of what the animal been through during its life span can affect my health. If the animal lived a stress free life and was fed organic food than I would consume the right nutrients and proteins that I need to have a well balanced diet
ReplyDeleteIt is critically important to understand exactly what we eat, especially if we are what we eat, because how can we be sure if the food we consume is nutritious if the food we consume didn’t eat nutritious, too? There is no other way to know. It makes sense: if the animals we eat didn’t eat well then they will not be well for us to eat. Also, if that produce we love, love, love was grown in poor soil and treated heavily with pesticides then it is safe to say that produce is not healthful. I mean, think about it, who wants a gut full of chemicals!?
ReplyDeletePrime example, I went grocery shopping today, and it took me almost twice as long because I found myself not only looking at the “advertising” all over the front of the packages—‘No trans-fat!,’ ‘No high fructose corn syrup!!,’ ‘Gluten free!!!’—but also flipping the packages over and reading the actual list of ingredients. I was amazed. But I was amazed mostly because the advertising all over the packaging didn’t say zilch about the healthfulness of the product. For instance, the products claiming no high fructose corn syrup listed either molasses or brown sugar as an ingredient instead, and usually as ingredient number two. Bottom line, sugar is sugar and being ingredient number two probably means the nutritional value of that product is low, low, low.
On the other hand, I was surprised to find some pretty healthful products at my local grocery! While looking at the olive oils I spotted coconut oil!!! I have never seen that before. I don’t know if it’s because they never carried it before or because I was blinded by all the pretty packages. But there it sat, “All Natural, Pure, Coconut Oil” and the only ingredient listed was… coconut oil (: I also found organic, unsweetened soy milk, who knew. And there were several frozen veggies that didn’t include any ingredient aside from the produce included in the package. P. S. Wheat Germ was on the cereal aisle!!!
I know I have a long way to go before I become any kind of expert on this healthful diet stuff, but I do believe it matters. We should take more effort to know what we are consuming. It’s sad to think we take more care to know what type of fuel we are putting in our cars than in our bodies. I must say, while it has absolutely ruined my ability to blindly enjoy a mouthful of anything ever again, I am grateful to have had this class. I have been a Christian for over two decades, but after having this class, I honestly feel like I have been given the gospel message for the first time. That’s what I equate with this both daunting yet exhilarating power of knowledge. Jesus nourishes my soul like wholesome, organic (mostly plant) foods can nourish my body. And now that I know the truth, it’s my responsibility to tell others, unless I want them to die an untimely, unnecessary death.
I do think it is important to know where your food comes from. The statement “you are what you eat” makes a lot of since to me. I mean think about it what we eat affects the contents of our bodies so why wouldn’t the same go for the animals we eat. If we eat unhealthy our bodies are unhealthy. We would have more fat less nutrition and the same goes for the things that I eat. I want my food to have eaten well so that I can be healthier. So I think organic food is a good option to look into for your own health. I don’t know why people are not taught more about food backgrounds. If more people were aware or if more people wanted to be aware there would be a lot more organic food being made. But as sad as it is a lot of people don’t want to be aware of the health problems with the foods we eat today. We want what we want how we have always had it and we don’t want anyone to question that. A lot of people don’t think you can eat good and healthy. This is a problem Americans need to overcome. I think where you get your food and what your food eats maters and I think this information should be easier to assess by the public.
ReplyDelete301 Blog 8, Page, Giles
ReplyDeleteWhy is it critically important to understand exactly what you are consuming when you eat?
It is important to understand exactly what you are eating, because you need to know how it was grown, raised, or processed. Now, when you are looking at meat the word processed means how it was killed and cleaned before, during, and after it went to a locker plant. Another thing if you take it to a locker plant, are you getting your beef or pork back? Or, is the meat you got someone else’s who raised it in a manner you didn’t raise yours.
Does it really matter?
Yes, I think it matters what you are consuming. It would be nice to know that the meat isn’t full of drugs and antibiotics. It is nice to know that that the steak you are eating didn’t come from a diseased cow. I have heard horror stories of cows being taking to market or locker plant because they were sick.
In cases of mad cow disease, if I remember correctly, the cows infected had been being fed feed that was made using cow by products. The fed contained bone meal and animal parts that they didn’t use for human consumption. Even all the antibiotics they were mixing in the fed didn’t protect the cattle.
In fish, I had read that farm raised fish had increased levels PCB’s and mercury. The reasons the study stated came for the fact that the food fed to the farm raised fish were fed feed that was made with fish by products (bones and guts). This gave them more protein and calcium but it also gave them mercury that doesn’t dissipate.
When I was growing up we raised our own beef, pork and chicken, as well as our own vegetables in our garden. Our chicken would have been considered “free range”. I don’t remember that much about the chickens, but several people would come help my mother kill and clean the chickens to put in the freezer. Our pigs were fed corn on the cob just like they would eat if loose. In the fields that we cut the corn the pigs were turned loose to go eat the corn that the combine missed. Our cattle would eat grass and when one field was over eaten, they were moved to another pasture to eat to allow the other one to grow back. We also cut our own hay to feed during the winter.
I would like to have a few cows on the farm to raise for beef. I think raising chickens for meat would be a pain. I think it would be nice to have a few chickens to have fresh eggs when you want them, but if I had to kill and clean chickens, I probably would give up eating chicken.
301 Hudson
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is critically important to understand exactly what I am consuming when I eat because of the different reactions that can occur by eating a particular food. Majority of the time “our favorite foods” contain the exact pesticides, chemicals and hormones that Ms. Nestle informed us about. Its important to understand what your body is consuming because whether you know what your consuming or not it could still affect your body in a negative way, so why not be aware of it before hand. That way you at least have the choice of whether you want to eat it or not verses not even knowing its there. Because of the simple fact that when people intake any foods or beverages that they are allergic too, they are put at risk of being hospitalized or even death if no one is around to help them, I believe it does really matter. I am sure that a person, who does not intend on dying wouldn’t choose to eat something that could risk their health, or even death in extreme cases. After reading and assessing chapter seven in our health book, I completely understand the importance in understanding what my body consumes. I have honestly considered giving up animal based food; I never bothered researching food that I brought from Wal-Mart, or the salad I purchased from Zaxby’s. I automatically assumed that everything was healthy or fresh, but I obviously had the wrong assumption. Although I live in the residence halls, from now on I will try to cook products purchased from the local supermarkets. I think that everyone should know about these findings because I believe it could help reduce chronic diseases and obesity in society today. Food markets owe that to the people after all of the damage they have and will cause due to pesticides, chemicals and hormones that they decide to treat foods with.
After reading this blog post, it definitely makes me want to go out and buy only organic foods. I always knew that the chicken I buy had hormones in it, but I never thought that it was this bad; No wonder the kids that are growing up today are going through puberty at a younger age. I think that it is critically important to understand exactly what I consume when I eat because I’m the one that is consuming it. I need to know what I am placing inside my body, and I need to know if it is harmful in any kind of way. Dr. Mcwayne mentions in her blog post, “you are what you eat, and animals are what they eat.” This made me stop and think. It is true; you are what you eat. When we eat meat we consume everything that the animal has ingested and been injected with. Therefore, I think it is important to know how these animals were maintained. What I don’t understand is why everything can’t be organic. If consumers know that it isn’t safe for us to ingest these hormones that they are using on animals, then why do they do it. Why not treat the animal as you would a human, and let them grow naturally without injecting them with chemicals to grow faster. I don’t see how they can get away with injecting animals with hormones or how they can treat them as prisoners. Being treated like a prisoner can put a lot of stress on an animal, in which may cause that animal to become ill; then after it dies they feed it to people. It really disgusts me how people can get away with this. I have noticed when I consume chicken on a daily basis I will itch; I was told from my doctor that this was due to all the hormones in the chicken. I stopped eating chicken for a while and it went away. Now when I go grocery shopping I will be sure to check the labels to make sure they say organic because I want to consume food that hasn’t been chemically treated.
ReplyDelete"you are what you eat" i believe in this statement. when you eat animal products or any other foods, what ever they have eaten becomes a part of you. if a animal was treated with antibiotics for a disease or treated with hormones it affects the human body. if the animal had a disease a person is more likely to get the pathogen from the animal and can become sick. it definitely matters to know what you are eating and where it has come from. some treatments that food goes through, to extend shelf life and preserve longer is harmful to the human body. I think we should be more cautious about the foods we consume and find out where they have came from and what types of food the animal ate before it was package for human consumption. if we make it more important to know what we are actually consuming and the ingredients, we can make a healthier diet and reduce the risk of heart disease and food bourne illnesses.
ReplyDeleteIt really does matter what you eat because at the end of the day you really are what you eat. If you eat foods that are unhealthy for you, more than likely you won't be very healthy either. I'm so glad at this moment in time that I don't eat fish AT ALL. It disgusts me to think that even fish are being raised in environments that can be considered harmful and inhumane. That the fish that are farm raised, that we think are actually better for us, in reality can make us sicker and are more unhealthy because of the conditions in which they are raised.
ReplyDeleteI don't really eat eggs by themselves. I only eat them in things and more than likely they aren't organic so, I'm probably going to become a diseased chicken in a sense.
The rules for organic meat production expressly forbid feeding animal by-products to other animals. They also forbid the use of antibiotics and hormones and require animals and birds to be raised under conditions that appear more humane than those of typical of commercial feedlots and batteries.
I also don't eat a lot of red meat so the cow issue really isn't a problem for me food wise, but the fact they people can actually sit there and breed an animal with the sole intent of getting it fat to feed other people really bothers me. That they don't really care about the animals at all, which means in a sense that they really don't care about people either. It makes me not want to eat the cow products that I currently do.
Another issue for me is that producers can sell food and put the label "natural" on it and it potentially really isn't. Producers aren't going to follow the honor system, they are going to follow whatever system makes them the most money. So, at the end of the day; I don't think I want to eat food at all. I'm going to sustain myself by drinking water since most vegetables and fruits contain pesticides and now I think all meat is evil.
It is important to know what you are consuming in order to reduce consumption of toxic chemicals, antibiotics, hormones, and pathogens. Animals fed plants with pesticide residues will probably carry some of those residues in their meat. The practice of feeding cows the brains of other cows led to outbreaks of neurodegenerative Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease in Europe. Livestock raised in over-crowded, unsanitary conditions are more likely to carry pathogens and need antibiotics to keep them alive until slaughter time. Some suspect that hormones in meat and dairy products might be partially responsible for lowering the age of puberty, but I don’t think this has been proved yet. Fish that live in waters contaminated with mercury, PCB’s, and pesticides will carry those chemicals in their flesh, especially if they are larger fish species higher on the food chain.
ReplyDeleteThe way some animals are grown or caught can also cause significant environmental damage. Runoff from feedlots contaminates water supplies with bacteria and excess nutrients. Species after species of fish has been over-exploited until it is no longer commercially viable. The Monterey Bay Aquarium publishes a list of fish that are caught or farmed in environmentally friendly ways and those caught or farmed in ways that harm other marine life or the environment. They also note fish to avoid because of mercury and other contaminants.
Chickens with access to green plant leaves are likely to have higher levels of the antioxidant lutein in their eggs. What animals eat impacts the ratio of fat to protein in their meat. Grass-fed beef tends to be leaner than grain-fed beef, for instance. The quality of an animal’s diet may have some limited effects on its content of vitamins and minerals, but I would need to see peer-reviewed research to be convinced that the effect is significant enough to endanger human health. As advised on the Harvard School of Public Health website, I take a multivitamin as insurance against vitamin deficiency in addition to attempting to eat a healthful diet.
Another issue is treating the animals we exploit humanely. Many animals suffer in ways that are difficult to think about to produce meat, eggs, and eggs cheaply. Two steps I have taken are to buy cage-free eggs and reduce the amount of animal protein I consume. I am looking for a place to buy locally produced, organic eggs without having to drive too far out of my way. It would be hard to fit local organic meats into my food budget because they are quite expensive.
It is important to understand exactly you are consuming when you eat because you should know what it is that you are eating, where it came from, and what it ate. I think if we are trying to be healthy we should consume foods that are healthy and foods that eat what they were meant to eat. I feel that since cows were meant to eat grass then that is what they should be eating, not grains and corn, just for the simple fact that their bodies cannot digest anything other than grass in a healthy and proper way. I also feel that is you want to eat fruits and vegetable that it should not be contaminated with chemicals and altered in appearance. I don’t think that you can really consider them to be healthy when they a filled with so many chemicals and pesticides.
ReplyDeleteI feel that it really does matter because I think that if it didn’t there would not be labels on food and people would just eat anything without considering where it came from or how it was prepared before it was brought to their local grocery store or dining room tables.
I think that we should all learn to be aware of what it is that we are we are actually eating because in a sense you are what you eat. I think that people do care what they put into their bodies but since so many of the foods we are consuming has a stamp of approval form the FDA they think that even if it is not the healthiest choice it is still a good one. I think that many people may feel that someone else has their best interest at heart when in fact they only their wallets and bank accounts on their mind, not the consumer, or their health. I think that if people begin to realize that these major brands that are being placed in stores only want one thing we all can begin to become better aware of some of the changes that we need to make. I think that some of the changes that need to be made would be having foods that are actually good for use without the usage of chemicals and drugs to make them grow faster or last longer placed in the stores or even more local farmer markets in the community.
Hi everyone! I must say that bit of information along with the Forks Over Knives movie, has changed my total perspective on the the things I eat. I believe it is CRUCIAL to know what you are consuming in the foods you eat. Obviously, whatever goes into these animals are passed along to you once you eat them. All of these chemicals and added ingredients are the primary cause, I now believe, in at least 90% of health issues in human beings. People do not think about what's in their food, in depth, simply because no one has ever brought it to their attention. Yeah everyone knows the basics, or what we call the basics, that sweets make your teeth rotten, greasy foods give you heartburn, salty foods give you high blood pressure, etc. this is all most humans consider the facts that need to be known when doing "healthy eating". The problem is, there is so much more to the effects certain foods have on a person's health due to how the food was prepared. It is also detrimental for pregnant women to know what they are consuming in their food because they are eating for two! So not only will healthy eating be beneficial for them, but also to their unborn child. This is definitely an issue that should matter to everyone. I wouldn't go as far to say that people just don't care about what they eat, they just aren't aware of what they are eating. I never thought in depth about each piece of my meal until watching the Forks Over Knives film. Even with professor McWayne stressing her views on healthy eating did not change my mind about my Percy and Willie's marinated steak, but that film opened my eyes to things I wish I had known a long time ago. I also feel that if more people could be exposed to these nutritional facts and guidelines that are implemented in the film, that a lot of people would think twice about what they are putting in there mouths. Thinking I was on the healthy tract, I was going to bake me a piece of tilapia after this blog, reading this has now curved my appetite! Congress really does need to push for nutritional facts to be shared about all foods in depth and I think this will promote healthy eating and aid in preventing a lot of health issues in humans.
ReplyDeleteIt is critically important to understand what we are consuming because what we eat constitute our nutrition. Knowing where food comes from and how it was produced plays a major role in any individual’s health. Eating foods that are processed organically is the best choice. Organic foods are more nutritious and richer in vitamins and other essential nutrients than non-organic. Organic foods are safe. When we consume foods that are not organic we take a risk at consuming harmful substance that can cause health problems. The harmful substances may not have an immediate effect, but just think, if these substances have been consumed for many years, it would really cause detrimental issues to our health. Pregnant women should really be cautious about consuming non-organic foods because the developing fetus is susceptible to toxic substances that can be found in the food. Knowing where and how foods are produced will help people understand what’s being consumed. It gives individual the option to choose what foods they should consume and what they shouldn’t. Eating pure organic foods can help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteIt is critically important to understand exactly what we are consuming when we eat so that we can understand how it will impact our bodies. Cows that likely faced digestive problems due to an unhealthy diet likely transfer their diseases and lack of health to anyone who consumes them. If a person knows what they are consuming, they will likely make more conscience decisions regarding their diet. It matters because it is the right of an individual to know if they are ingesting something harmful. If something is marketed one way but in reality is likely contaminated and unhealthy, it’s not fair to the consumer. I think that it is every persons right to know what they are eating. I think that if people knew what they were eating they would take the time to make better choices.
ReplyDeleteIt is critically important because many of the foods we eat today are processed with some kind of chemical or are being produced in a plant. There should be a great deal of matter when you are considering eating, because should not only think about the calories and fat you are consuming, but you should also think about the impact the food will eventually have on your health. For example, if a person only eats meat and nothing else, the fat and the salt are going to eventually take a toll on his heart. Many doctors are recommending a plant-based diet, while other simply says watch your intake of certain foods. I believe that eating more vegetables and less animal-based products can help people become healthier and less at risk for diseases, but how will a world that is so used to a Western diet, embrace to a new, improved, and healthy way of eating? Children especially today will have a hard time adjusting because they are so used to not being told to eat certain foods that can benefit their health. Instead of a nice home cooked meal, with plenty veggies on the plate, I is replaced with McDonalds and Burger King kids meals, that do not give the children the nutrients they need. Even if a person cannot stay on a plant-based diet, buying organic foods and whole foods can help positively impact your health. Learning about what happen to the cows or chickens that you may eat daily will help you decide if you want to keep eating those same animals. If they have been injected with hormones or any kind of chemical, it is probably not safe to eat. Asking questions about where your food comes from, how it was grown, and what was used in the process, can be an influencing factor to help change the way you eat. “Food” that comes from a plant, is really not food. Not only do they mix the food with unknown ingredients, but it is made by a machine. Many people do not realize the dangers of processed foods from plants. Just like in the Food rules book, Pollan says, ‘If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t”. Ultimately since plant-based foods, do not come from a plant, you have a better chance. On the contrary, make sure they were organically grown and did not involve the use of pesticides. Learning how to eat is a hard process and learning what to eat is just the same. As a person who wants to improve their health, it is up to you to decide what you want to eat.
ReplyDeleteOf course it matters what we consume on a daily basis. The things we eat contain substances that may or may not be good for our wellbeing. That’s why organic meats should be the first choice. Because those cows get to eat the proper foods and they most likely get to go outside. They aren’t fed concentrated corn materials that make them fatter quicker. I personally don’t eat fish, so I really don’t have to worry about where my fish comes from. I know that I should start trying to look for organic eggs. I like to eat eggs regularly. On the plus side, when I go home I have organic eggs, or at least the most organic that I can get. My mother keeps chickens, and they get fed and watered every day. They have their own large pin to run around in and are exposed to sunlight. They all have their own coops to rest in, and they seem happy enough to me. As far as frozen foods are concerned, I try my best to stay away from those. It’s critically important to know where our food comes from because we need to know how they were treated before they were slaughtered and packaged for our consumption. If we know how they were treated beforehand we will now what kinds of things to expect going into our bodies by the consumption of those things.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important that we know what it is that we are consuming because statistics show so many people that are facing health issues with the Western Diet. Right now I do not really focus on what I eat because I do not have any health issues. If I ever had a health issue, I would focus more on the things that I eat. I have lived so long eating fried foods, meats and sweets that I feel like it is impossible to try to eat healthy. My mother has just started paying attention to the labels and purchasing almost all organic foods. I went home to eat dinner with them and everything was so bland. I am so used to eating salty, greasy foods, when I tried to eat the healthy things that they were eating, I couldn't. My dad has lost a whopping THIRTY pounds and has been taken off his high blood pressure medicine in the past three months. Not from portion changes, but from a few small things that my mom did to choose the healthier brands from the grocery store. She still buys boxed, processed foods, but buys things that are low in sodium and fat content. These can't be the healthiest foods out there, but they are working for them right now. Even after all of the disgusting things that we've learned in class about processed meats, I would probably still eat them. The organic foods my mother bought didn't satisfy the craving for unhealthy foods that I have been so accustomed to my entire life. If I could break away from this need to have fried, salty foods, then I think I could live a very healthy lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteIt absolutely matters what we put in our body. Our body should be thought of as a machine and we should be very careful what we use as fuel. If we treat our bodies the way some of us treat our cars, we would all be in almost perfect shape. We have to watch what we call food, food to our body is the same as fuel to a vehicle and we as humans need "fuel just to exist. All this junk food that is being advertised as real food should not even be considered as something that should be placed in a human body. In order for something to be organic, it has to be raised in a respectful manner, no chemicals involved in the feeding process, and be able to roam around freely. The animal has to be happy. In order for us as humans, the brain of the machine we call our "bodies" to understand what we are eating we have to be sure exactly what it is that we are eating. We must also stop calling these edible objects food.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important to know exactly what we consume when we eat. When you think about it, when every you eat meat, you are consuming whatever they consumed or had artificially injected into their bodies. For example when you eat a steak, unless the meat is completely organic or you raised the cow yourself , the cow was more than likely pumped with steroids and kept in a pen that was just big enough to fit the cow itself and was fed highly processed feed that probably had mostly corn and no grass at all. therefore when you eat that steak that is probably big enough to feed three people you are also getting steroids, corn feed, and really nothing natural. This is why I have decided to go "organic" and buy only meat that was grown either natural or organically grown. Also my husband and I have decided that soon we are going to buy chicks from a local farmer and raise them for meat and eggs and therefore I will be able to monitor what my kids eat.
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