Final (Countdown) - Haven

   (First post to not be in Verdana! Wait...)

   What did you have for lunch today? I myself rely on the chicken sandwiches the school serves regularly. I’m not entirely sure how the bird meat was pressed into the circular shape, nor what parts of meat were used if any, but a few words on a computer screen informed me one patty was more fats than anything else; about 60% in all. I also had an apple. I figured it came from a tree, and I learned though the fruit was quite sugary there were few if any number of fat percentages to speak of. It’s a  fair estimate a majority of students in Henry Clay share a similar meal everyday, and if a high school accurately reflects the diets of America, then I am not surprised our health and happiness is slowly declining.

Progress has been kind to the processed foods industry. From the first instance of canning foods in the 1700s to grain refinement a century later, these processes help to enhance their tastes and extend their shelf lives. The technology, unfortunately, didn’t stop there. Another hundred years passed and oil refinement was introduced, raising the percentage of unnatural oils and fats by an alarming 400 percent. Along with it a rise in degenerative conditions arrived, - obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease -  neatly reflecting the effects of diets consisting of processed foodstuffs. The most vile part is the health risks are either endorsed or hidden beneath empty words entirely. Many, many companies entice their consumers with words like local, natural, GMO and organic, when in reality the food contains more dyes and unnatural fats than true whole foods. Yet other companies don’t bother with hiding their products’ _______ - they put it on a pedestal, claiming their product is more convenient and cheap than the competition. And they work. More and more people turn to process foods to feed themselves, their families, and of course their schools.

The question become, then, what can whole foods bring to the table? Better yet, what defines a whole food?  Ideally they consist of one ingredient, though multi-ingredient foods still count as long as they’re refined as little as possible. Consuming whole foods rids dyes and additional sugars that are added in processed foods, as well as providing natural nutrients. Referring back to the patty and the apple, would you believe me if I told you the fruit was not only more nutritious but more filling with fewer calories? Perhaps the processed chicken tastes better, but with health as the essential concern an apple isn’t a bad trade-off. Of course, physical health isn’t the only benefit. By integrating nutrients  and eliminating excess fats you help fend of depression and promote energy more than a couple cups of coffee ever could.

Our choices and preference in processed foods is not a mental illness. We can actively make choices to improve our personal health. The simplest answer is to replace more processed foods with whole ones. These can be found in farmer markets or, closer to home, around the perimeter of your average grocery stores. Do some independent research on specific items on your shopping list to help compare nutritional values and consider healthier replacements. If food’s origin is a major concern for you, garden it yourself! It is a time commitment, but with the right resources you can grant yourself a guilt free meal. It’s incredibly easy to convert to a wholesome diet, yet still many people fall back into the familiarity that is processed foods (are you sick of that phrase yet?). We must resist temptation, and do be prepared to spend a bit of extra money.

Processing our food has it’s benefits, but with today’s technology it becomes more harm than good. Luckily, unrefined foods are still an available and ready option, with more benefits than common alternatives. I’m asking all of you, and pledging myself, to incorporate more whole foods into your diet, be it once a week or once a meal. Do it for our health, and do it for our satisfaction.