We live in a country with a fear of fat. A fear of being fat, of eating fat, of looking at fat, just thinking about fat is making me anxious. Well, here's the truth: We're fat. Over one third of Americans are obese and we're spending $150 billion a year to deal with it.
Why are we so fat? French food is full of cream and butter and croissants, and they're not as fat as us. Italian food practically can't be made without cheese, and they're not as fat as us. Mexicans fry EVERYTHING, and they're not as fat as us. So what the hell is going on?
In a nation so obsessed with staying thin, we're making products that we think will keep us skinny, but are actually making us giant heaps of lard that waddle around trying to figure out why we're so fat. Sound confusing?? It is. Because we're making it confusing. Here's how we fix it. Eat real. Stop eating so much artificial, processed crap, and start enjoying nature's gifts to us. Let me explain.
In the 1950's and 60's, science gave butter a bad name. Health experts determined that a diet full of the saturated fat in dairy and meat products is bad for you and can raise your risk of heart disease. They were right. They also found that plant oils that are unsaturated are better for you and reduce your risk of heart disease. Right again. Here's where they went wrong. They thought that when you chemically process these healthy oils to make them more shelf stable and solid, they would retain the same benefits. They thought that hydrogenation of these oils would allow more versatility of a healthier product. And so trans fat (a manmade kind of fat) started being used with increasing frequency. Then it became prevalent in all kinds of food. It wasn't until 40 or so years later that we realized that trans fats are WORSE than saturated fat and create a whole list of health issues, including raising "bad" LDL cholesterol levels. So by fearing unhealthy saturated fat, we created deadly trans fat.
The next disaster of frankenfoods came from out fear of sugar. Artificial sweeteners are basically the worst thing you could ever put in your body. Their history is one full of self-funded safety studies, corruption, and data lacking scientific support. Most of these sweeteners probably should never have made it on the market. Why are they so bad? First of all, they trick your body. When you eat something sweet, your body gets ready for the glycemic impact. It thinks you're ingesting a lot of sugar, so to combat that, it releases insulin. When you consume artificial sweeteners, the sugar never comes so that insulin is just hanging out in your body screaming, "Feed meeeee!!" This causes more cravings for sweet food, and then when you eat more sweets, more release of insulin. Continue this cycle for a little while and congratulations, you have diabetes! Not only do artificial sweeteners make you fat and give you diabetes, they also give you cancer. Multiple studies have shown the link between these chemicals and cancer. In fact, of the major sweeteners produced, 3 have been pulled off the market by the FDA for links to cancer, BUT big corporations stepped in and forced their products back on the shelves and in our food. So 2 of these carcinogens are still being used today. I could go on and on about these and other cancer and fat causing chemicals, but I'll spare you... today.
There are a whole host of other manmade chemicals in our food that are making us sick, fat and tired. So here's my plea to you: Eat whole, unprocessed food, full of natural flavors and taste that just can't be manufactured. Indulge in real flavors and healthy preparations. Cooking your own food can really be super simple and will taste much better than picking something off the shelves. It may be a little less convenient, but I promise there are so many meals that are quick and easy and satisfying, and I would personally be willing to take a few extra minutes to ensure I'm giving my body something healthy rather than wolfing down a cancer-causing mystery food. Trust me, I have a full-fledged obsession with food. I love food. Being healthy doesn't have to be bland or boring. Cooking with real ingredients (even sugar and fat) will make you healthier and happier. So stop fearing fat, and carbs, and sugar, and dessert (and basically everything good in life) and start embracing them in a healthy way.
There will be more recipes to come using REAL ingredients that will nourish your body and be totally yummy.
This is an excellent article!
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