Many of us shop at a grocery store and buy food products without comprehending what we are buying, and how it will affect our overall health in the future. Here is an interesting fact on processed foods, 70% of American diets consist of eating processed foods. Heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, sometimes called “bad” cholesterol, and even brain fog, are common health conditions and symptoms in United States. Processed foods have poor nutritional value and are big contributors to our increase sugar and salt intake. It makes sense that we do the things that lower our chances of developing any of the health conditions and symptoms mentioned.
70% of the American diet consists of eating processed foods
Reading the nutritional label and learning how many grams of sodium and sugar is adequate for your age, is a good first step, before buying. Many of us take a quick glance at the food label, then throw the food product into the basket without giving it a second thought. The nutritional facts label helps us make an informed decision on what is exactly in the food. We may not realize that a few seemingly minuscule grams of sodium and sugar can make a huge impact on our health. There are many reasons why understanding and reading the nutritional label is important. One of the top reasons is to keep you feeling healthy, meaning feeling good, energetic and strong. With knowledge comes the power for you to make informed decisions about the product’s calories, nutritional value, and the salt and sugar you will be consuming. More than 70% of the sodium Americans eat come from pre-packed, processed, and prepared restaurant foods. You may live in a community where you primarily only have access to pre-packaged, processed, and prepared foods that are primarily found in convenience stores, and fast food restaurants.
Many Americans also consume 17 teaspoons of added sugar everyday which is more than the recommended amount for men and women. World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research — suggest people should limit free sugar intake to less than 25 grams, or about 6 teaspoons, per day. There are many ways to combat this by substituting fresh fruits and reducing intake of baked goods, packaged and processed foods with added sugars like breakfast cereals, fruit drink, soda, etc. etc.
The human body only needs about 500 mg of sodium daily for the body to function.. Unfortunately American’s consume at least 1.5 teaspoons of salt per day, or about 3400 mg of sodium. Much of that salt/sodium comes from prepackaged foods like chips, soups, process meats, etc. Through Beauty’s Community Garden year-round programs, we look at herbs grown in the garden as alternative seasoning sources and learn how to make low-sodium condiment options. As you eat less salt your taste buds will adjust to less salt intake.
sodium requirement (500 mg per day) -vs- American’s sodium intake (3400 mg per day.)
It’s clear, looking at nutritional labels helps us make healthier choices. Now, at the very least, you can start to compare foods, read the nutritional labels, and learning more about what you’ve been consuming. Knowledge is power, you now can start paying attention to how you feel after you eat. Everything we learn about what foods to eat and how to eat them, will contribute to a healthier and long-term outcome. It can take a while for your taste buds to adjust to the changes, but your body will thank you for making healthier choices!
The Green Seedling Magazine (link below) is a good resource to support your path toward making healthier for choices. In addition, check out our calendar for upcoming Beautys’ Community Garden’s year-round nutrition and healthy food programs.
