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The United States has a controversial history of dietary habits that are not determined as the healthiest ones. A separate topic on this matter is fast-food and its popularity among all age groups of the population. This amount of cholesterol and sugar has negative consequences for the body and has to be significantly reconsidered together with the number of vegetables and grains averagely consumed.
Hot dogs and donuts on the go have become the norm for always rushing people. A 2004 US Eating Habit Survey found that about 75% of meals were from fast-food cafes (Hellas and Calder). Almost half of the ordered items were hamburgers, and about a third of them included sodas. Americans continue to consume about 20% of their daily calories in the form of hard-to-digest sugars like sodas (Hellas and Calder). All this negatively impacts well-being and leads to many severe issues like obesity.
Healthy eating habits are incomprehensible without an adequate intake of vegetables. However, the consumption of vegetables is low: only 13% consumes the recommended amounts. Potatoes and tomatoes only make up 39% of the vegetables consumed by Americans (Hellas and Calder). According to statistics, boys aged 9 to 13 and girls aged 14 to 18 consume even fewer vegetables (Hellas and Calder). This topic demands to be discussed since it affects the nutrition of children and teenagers.
The same questions arise when analyzing the consuming grain products. Whole grains should make more than half of total grain consumption, but 85.3% of the grain comes from refined products (Hellas and Calder). Refining grain is free of bran and germ, which are a source of nutritional fiber and vitamins. Many people buy bread from processed grain, inaccurately considering it more organic (Hellas and Calder). However, this is a delusion due to the lack of acknowledgement.
Modern trends are introducing new dietary habits, which are widely advertised as the recent trend in healthy eating. However, some products only sound like a good option and have many damaging consequences for the body. One example is almond milk, which reasonably has some beneficial characteristics. However, most types of almond milk contain food additives that may be harmful to the body: locust bean gum (E410) and gellan gum (E418). These additives are considered safe, but an extensive amount may provoke side effects such as diabetes, diarrhea, allergy, rapid weight gain, migraines, and so on (Aguilar et al.). Such things should be openly brought to the public attention, so people can consciously manage their diet with no harm to the body.
Another striking example is the rather popular gluten-free diet. Gluten consumption is harmful to people with only individual intolerance; for the rest, it is more likely another trend in conscious eating. The gluten-free diet gained so much popularity among Americans that almost everyone now tries to bypass this much-needed source of protein and fiber. Instead of gluten, manufacturers of many products add double doses of carbohydrates and sugar, which cause even more harm to the body (Niland and Cash). Every decision to consume or refuse any food item should be well-founded and supported by relevant scientific evidence.
On the other hand, food is increasingly becoming a matter of choice. A variety of goods and services are freely available; there are stores with organic food and diet centers where specialists help with habits regulation. There are still many concerns demanding detailed study, but a person with a focus on a healthy lifestyle can get help in this direction.
The mentioned reasons serve as a warning about the severe eating habits violation. It is essential to take this topic thoughtfully and educate people. Comprehensive educational work has a high potential to improve the awareness and well-being of the entire nation. It is also necessary to monitor the financial availability of good quality products through market analysis and extensive surveys.
Works Cited
Aguilar, Fernando, et al. “Re-evaluation of Locust Bean Gum (E 410) as a Food Additive”. EFSA Journal, vol. 15, no. 1, 2017. Web.
Cena, Hellas, and Philip C. Calder. “Defining a Healthy Diet: Evidence for the Role of Contemporary Dietary Patterns in Health and Disease”. Nutrients, vol. 12, no. 2, 2020.
Niland, Benjamin, and Brooks D. Cash. “Health Benefits and Adverse Effects of a Gluten-Free Diet in Non–Celiac Disease Patients”. Gastroenterology&Hepatology, vol. 14, no. 2, 2018.
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