Was Food Healthier 100 Years Ago?

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Claims
Counterclaims
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Over the years, there has been considerable evolution of food diets worldwide. This has been due to changes in farming practices, cooking methods, and food storage techniques. Research indicates that presently, over 75% of global food sales are processed foods (Coad & Pedley, 2020). The distribution of food markets, particularly the supermarkets, has risen sharply over the decades, even in developing nations (Geissler & Powers, 2017). Technological advancement has also sparked a significant increase in the share of processed products. In addition, globalization has accelerated the tremendous growth of fast-food restaurants worldwide, influencing consumer food choices. The media and marketing strategies have also augmented the adoption of non-traditional diets. Food was healthier 100 years ago than in modern-day due to organic farming and the consumption of natural and unprocessed products.

Claims

The widespread organic farming in the twentieth century led to the production of healthy and highly nutritional foods. During the last century, most foods were grown on a small scale, free of chemicals. However, currently, the food production methods have considerably evolved following the need for sustainable and effective mechanisms to provide adequate foods for the growing populations. As a result, the small and medium-sized farms are now using new farming technologies to increase the maize, wheat, and rice yields. Such farming practices rely on high input of fertilizers, agrochemicals, and pesticides (Coad & Pedley, 2020). Similarly, many farmers have adopted genetically modified (GM) crops that are more resistant to pests and drought. The use of chemicals in farming practices may cause harmful health outcomes because consumers may ingest the chemical residues, causing health problems. The consumption of genetically modified produce has been identified as a cause of allergies and may also transfer toxicity to the consumers (Delaney et al., 2017). Therefore, the current food products are less healthy than the organic ones grown in the twentieth century because the farming practices utilize many chemicals in crop production.

The current extensive manufacture of meat products may pose adverse effects to consumers. In the twentieth century, animals were raised in expansive lands providing fresh meat for the local and urban areas. The animal feeds such as grass were cheap to grow and healthy for the animals. Nevertheless, in modern-day, many medium-sized farms have been transformed into huge industrial factories designed to raise, house, and slaughter animals based on the market demand. Additionally, the common animal feeds include corn silage, brassica, fodder beet, grass hay, and grains such as barley, corn, and wheat (Lee-Jones, 2018). Most of these animal feeds have been grown using chemicals, thus may transfer some residue to the animals, which the consumers may also ingest. Similarly, to meet the increasing demand for meat products, some farmers use steroids and other chemicals to grow the animals faster. For instance, Zeranol, Melengestrol, Progesterone, and Testosterone hormones have been linked with increased meat and milk production in cattle but can also cause cancer (Hirpessa et al., 2020). Hence, animal products in the twentieth century were healthier than presently because the animal feeds and rearing practices were free from chemicals.

The traditional diets were more nutritious and healthy than the currently processed foods. Traditional foods include nuts, legumes, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables (Greta, 2018). Such foods were highly nutritious and acted as an energy source for the consumers. However, presently, the consumption of such traditional foods has considerably reduced due to the increase in processed foods which constitute 75% of foods sold today (Coad & Pedley, 2020). Ultra-processed products also account for over half of energy intake in developed nations (Coad & Pedley, 2020). The increasing consumption of processed food can be attributed to the escalating growth of fast-food restaurants and media marketing. Additionally, because of the high cost of living, individuals are working many jobs, and due to their busy schedules, they no longer have time to cook. Research shows that most processed food have high sugar and fat levels (Coad & Pedley, 2020). The long-term consumption of such products may predispose a consumer to several health complications such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiopulmonary diseases. Therefore, the food choices in the last century were healthier than modern-day processed foods.

Foods were healthier, cheaper, and more accessible in the twentieth century than today. In the last century, many families had farms or small gardens next to their homes to grow vegetables, fruits, and some crops. The inclusion of vegetables and fruits in diets served as essential sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and various bioactive compounds, thus promoting the consumer’s general health (Rush, 2019). Nevertheless, due to the rapid urbanization across different parts of the world, most individuals live in towns or cities where they are obliged to buy food from food stores or supermarkets. In many cases, food prices highly influence consumers’ food choices (Vandevijvere, 2018). Research indicates less consumption of vegetables among consumers globally (Rush, 2019). Healthy diets consisting of fruits and vegetables are very costly; hence many low-income earners cannot afford them. Consequently, they are forced to rely on cheaper, unhealthy diets, which may cause undernutrition or malnutrition among consumers (Coad & Pedley, 2020). Thus, currently, most affordable food choices are unhealthy compared to the healthy foods that characterized the twentieth century.

Environmental pollution has adversely affected modern-day farming, making crops less nutritional than in the twentieth century. Rapid industrial growth is one of the major characteristics of modern society. Nevertheless, as industries continue to expand, they emit high levels of greenhouse gases, causing significant air pollution. According to research, air pollution adversely affects crop production (Bedos et al., 2020). It has been linked to stunted growth of many crops, such as wheat, corn, and rice, and is connected to reducing nutritional values in some foods. In addition, research stresses that due to the depletion of soil minerals over the years, the nutritional values of modern-day crops are lower than that of foods grown in the past (Burgher, 2017). The current agricultural techniques have eroded the soil’s nutrients, making the crops less nutritional. Alternatively, research shows that crops grown in the previous years have more minerals and vitamins compared to those consumed in the modern day (Burgher, 2017). Therefore, it is evident that food grown in the last 100 years was more nutritious than today’s food products.

The consumption of traditional foods, predominant in the twentieth century, has been linked with increased life expectancy. The consumption of legumes, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables not only increases longevity but also reduces mortality (Greta, 2018). Such foods have increased antioxidant power, anti-inflammatory characteristics, lower circulating homocysteine, and help to lower body weight (Greta, 2018). Conversely, the increasing cases of Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have been attributed to the consumption of processed foods in modern society (Greta, 2018). This may explain why some consumers prioritize traditional foods over modern ones. Therefore, foods in the last century had enhanced health benefits compared to those consumed today.

Counterclaims

Some critics believe that modern-day food is much safer and healthier compared to the food consumed in the twentieth century. This is because, currently, different regulatory bodies worldwide guarantee the safety of food distributed to consumers (Bordenave & Ferruzzi, 2018). Additionally, most processed foods today contain elements critical to consumers’ health. In this case, these products may have vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, making them healthy as long as they are consumed moderately (Bernstein & McMahon, 2017). Alternatively, there were no effective food standards in the twentieth century; thus, individuals may have been consuming unsafe food products, leading to chronic illnesses. Nevertheless, even though there was no clear food safety in the twentieth century, it is evident that traditional foods are more nutritious than processed foods. This is because essential vitamins and minerals are lost during the manufacturing process, and the additional additives included in such foods are detrimental to human health (Schlenker & Gilbert, 2018). Therefore, foods consumed in the twentieth century provide better nourishment to consumers than modern-day processed foods.

Some scholars argue that there is no significant difference in nutritional value between foods consumed during the twentieth century and today. Research suggests that fruits, vegetables, and grains, have lost substantial nutritional values over the years due to soil mineral depletion (Burgher, 2017). However, such claims may be unfounded because research indicates that nutritional differences may vary based on the breed varieties but not due to the depletion of soil minerals (Marshall, 2020). This implies that modern-day foods contain the same nutritional content as those grown in the twentieth century. Some critics believe that foods consumed during the twentieth century were healthier than modern-day foods because they were not genetically engineered. Nevertheless, research shows that the current GM crops, such as corn, fruits, and vegetables, have equal nutritional values as the original crops consumed during the last century (Delaney, 2017). Despite the slight variations in nutritional values between past and present foods, it is apparent that modern-day farming practices greatly rely on chemicals that are harmful to consumers (Coad & Pedley, 2020). Thus, food grown in the last century remains a healthier choice than today’s food products.

There is a growing perception that modern-day foods are more improved than those consumed during the twentieth century because they are informed by scientific and professional guidelines. In this case, nutritionists and scientists guide today’s food consumption habits (Coad & Pedley, 2020). This information directs consumers to choose healthier foods such as lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits. However, such insights were unavailable in the twentieth century, and as a result, most individuals consumed large quantities of meat that was unhealthy. Furthermore, the slight nutritional differences between foods consumed in the last century and those eaten today can be compensated through various supplements in the form of capsules, liquid formulations, and tablets (Burgher, 2017). The supplements are mostly used to replenish vitamins and minerals. Scientific methods, professional directives, and supplements may be fundamental in ensuring that consumers’ health needs are met. Nevertheless, the natural and unprocessed foods consumed during the twentieth century were safer and more nutritious. Thus, there was no significant need for nutritional directives nor the necessity of being supplemented. Hence, food consumed in the last century was fit for consumers’ health than what is produced today.

Other scholars maintain that today’s food products are healthier than in the twentieth century because of the increased globalization. Consumers worldwide can enjoy diverse and highly nutritious delicacies from different cultures (Sproesser, 2019). The diversity of food products provides consumers with a broad range of foods from which to choose, making healthier diets more attainable. Additionally, some traditional foods consumed in the last century, such as nuts and legumes, are available today. Alternatively, consumers in the twentieth century may have had limited food options due to the lack of globalization. This implies that presently, more nutritious food is available to consumers than in the last century, making today’s food products healthier than those produced in the past. However, even though increased globalization may have provided a variety of food choices to the consumers, many of these products are processed, making them harmful to the consumers. In addition, it is difficult for consumers to obtain traditional foods such as nuts in their natural forms because most of them have been processed.

Conclusion

Food was healthier 100 years ago than it is today. This can be attributed mainly to organic farming techniques and the consumption of natural and unprocessed foods. Nevertheless, most consumers have currently embraced the consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods, most of which have been associated with unhealthy fats and carbohydrates, which predispose them to NCDs like diabetes and obesity. In addition, due to the need to produce mass food products to satisfy the increasing populations, most farmers have adopted new techniques that involve the excessive use of chemicals, posing negative health outcomes. Environmental pollution and depletion of soil minerals have also gradually lessened the nutritional values of several crops. It is evident that the existence of regulatory bodies and advancement in technology has made food safe, and also the use of supplements is crucial in replenishing critical vitamins and minerals. However, the escalating incidences and prevalence of NCDs associated with the current food choices can only prove that food is no longer healthy as it was in the past.

References

Bedos, C., Génermont, S., Castell, J. F., & Cellier, P. (Eds.). (2020). Agriculture and air quality: Investigating, assessing and managing. Springer.

Bernstein, M., & McMahon, K. (2017). Nutrition across life stages. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Bordenave, N., & Ferruzzi, M. G. (Eds.). (2018). Functional foods and beverages: In vitro assessment of nutritional, sensory, and safety properties. Wiley-Blackwell.

Burgher, N. (2017). The creator’s diet explained. Pneuma Springs Publishing.

Coad, J., & Pedley, K. (2020). Nutrition in New Zealand: Can the past offer lessons for the present and guidance for the future?Nutrients, 12(11), 3433. Web.

Delaney, B., Goodman, R., & Ladics, G. (2017). Food and feed safety of genetically engineered food crops.Toxicological Sciences, 162(2), 361-371. Web.

Geissler, C., & Powers, H. (Eds.). (2017). Human nutrition. Oxford University Press.

Hirpessa, B., Ulusoy, B., & Hecer, C. (2020). Hormones and hormonal anabolics: Residues in animal source food, potential public health impacts, and methods of analysis. Journal of Food Quality, 2020 (ID 5065386), 1-12. Web.

Lee-Jones, D. (2018). New Zealand livestock feed situation 2017 to 2020. Foreign Agricultural Service.

Marshall, B. (2020). Grow yourself healthy: Gardening to transform your gut health all year round. Frances Lincoln.

Rush, E., Savila, F., Jalili-Moghaddam, S., & Amoah, I. (2019). Vegetables: New Zealand children are not eating enough. Frontiers in Nutrition, 5 (134), 1-5. Web.

Schlenker, E., & Gilbert, J. A. (2018). Williams’ essentials of nutrition and diet therapy. Mosby.

Sproesser, G., Ruby, M., Arbit, N., Akotia, C., Alvarenga, M., & Bhangaokar, R. et al. (2019). Understanding traditional and modern eating: The TEP10 framework.BMC Public Health, 19(1606), 1-14. Web.

Vandevijvere, S., Young, N., Mackay, S., Swinburn, B., & Gahegan, M. (2018). Modelling the cost differential between healthy and current diets: The New Zealand case study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15(16), 1-10. Web.

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