Do you care about the future American diet? Does life expectancy and diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer, cardiovascular, and diabetes concern you? You can become informed and find ways to live a healthier lifestyle by following a few easy guidelines. Agencies are currently working with world leaders to help promote healthy nutrition.
Where do you get your protein? According to the New York Times, roughly 70 percent of American protein requirements are obtained through the consumption of meat. The Chinese, on the other hand, consume roughly 20 percent. Diets high in meat protein are linked to many chronic health problems. These problems include: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and many types of cancers (to list a few).
Did you know?
What is Protein and how much of it do we really need?
Complete Proteins: Are comprised of all the essential amino acids a human body needs. Examples include: meat, dairy products, and poultry.
Incomplete Proteins: Contain many of the same elements of complete proteins, but are devoid of all of the same amino acids. Therefore, you cannot meet all of your daily protein requirements from these sources as they do not contain all the essential amino acids. Examples of incomplete proteins include: whole grains, and plant sources.
Are all Proteins created equal?
Protein is an essential component of our diets. It is commonly associated with meat, fish, and poultry. While meat is certainly an obvious choice for protein, it’s not always the best, and for those who are vegan or vegetarian, it isn’t even an option. For those who choose to follow a meat-free diet, they will need to be more conscious of how they will be supplementing the proteins they would consume if they were to be eating meat.
In the era of quick easy meals, many don’t have time to spend hours in the kitchen. As a result, most of those quick meals prepackaged in our local grocery stores are highly processed carbohydrates. According to the Harvard School of Public Health website article, “Nutrition Source: What Should You Eat,” cutting back on processed carbohydrates and raising the amount of protein you take in can help to lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular diseases.
It is essential to lower processed carbohydrates and attempt to eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. These foods can be found in nature or home grown and are considered unprocessed carbohydrates. Take advantage of your local farmers market. Unlike the fruits and vegetables found at grocery stores (typically travel thousands of miles to get there) farmers markets are comprised of locally grown items which are healthier for our bodies and environment.
So What Can Consumers Do?
References
Bittman, Mark. "Re-Thinking the Meat-Guzzler." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News. The New York Times, 27 Jan. 2007. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?pagewanted=all>.
Brody, Jane E. "Huge Study Of Diet Indicts Fat And Meat - New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/08/science/huge-study-of-diet-indicts-fat-and-meat.html?pagewanted=all>.
"Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources | PETA.org." People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): The Animal Rights Organization | PETA.org. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. <http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/meat-wastes-natural-resources.aspx>.
"Worldwide Hunger." An End to World Hunger: Hope for the Future. Think Tank. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. <http://library.thinkquest.org/C002291/high/present/stats.htm>.
Where do you get your protein? According to the New York Times, roughly 70 percent of American protein requirements are obtained through the consumption of meat. The Chinese, on the other hand, consume roughly 20 percent. Diets high in meat protein are linked to many chronic health problems. These problems include: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and many types of cancers (to list a few).
Did you know?
- Did you know it takes protein to make protein?
- It’s true; the American diet is literally “robbing from Peter to pay Paul!”
- This is why more than 70 percent of the grain and cereals we grow in this country are fed to farmed animals (PETA).
- The practice is also largely ineffective and produces food shortages throughout the world.
- “It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of meat, and even fish on fish farms must be fed up to 5 pounds of wild-caught fish to produce 1 pound of farmed fish flesh” (PETA).
- “It takes more than 11 times as much fossil fuel to make one calorie from animal protein as it does to make one calorie from plant protein” (PETA).
- According to World Hunger: “Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is the most lethal form of malnutrition/hunger. It is basically a lack of calories and protein. Food is converted into energy by humans, and the energy contained in food is measured by calories. Protein is necessary for key body functions including provision of essential amino acids and development and maintenance of muscles.”
- “Every year 15 million children die of hunger” (World Hunger).
- Basically, one third of the world is starving. Meanwhile, the United States is using fossil fuels, and other finite resources to maintain an unsustainable diet. Our agricultural industry is using roughly 16 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of meat.
- In 2007, the world's gross meat supply (poultry, pork, fish, cows, etc.) was “estimated to be 284 million tons” (NY Times). This means that in 2007, the world’s agricultural industry used roughly 908,800,000 pounds of grain and cereal or 454,400,000 tons to produce the meat we are eating! We assume that 454,400,000 tons of grain would go a long way to eliminating hunger worldwide.
What is Protein and how much of it do we really need?
- Protein is the principal primary building blocks for every cell in the human body; it is an essential part of one’s daily dietary requirements.
- You may be asking yourself, where do I get protein, and are all types good?
- These are good questions and ones we can answer quite simply.
- There are two basic types of proteins: Complete Proteins & Incomplete Proteins.
Complete Proteins: Are comprised of all the essential amino acids a human body needs. Examples include: meat, dairy products, and poultry.
Incomplete Proteins: Contain many of the same elements of complete proteins, but are devoid of all of the same amino acids. Therefore, you cannot meet all of your daily protein requirements from these sources as they do not contain all the essential amino acids. Examples of incomplete proteins include: whole grains, and plant sources.
Are all Proteins created equal?
- We’re glad you asked, the short answer is no.
- Caged chickens, for example, do not contain the same amount of protein as “roam free” chickens. This affects their ability to harbor the same levels of complete proteins.
- Also, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains that are shipped to distant geographic regions go through rigorous processes to ensure longevity. Many of these treatments wash away the nutrients and render these foods almost null and void of needed proteins.
Protein is an essential component of our diets. It is commonly associated with meat, fish, and poultry. While meat is certainly an obvious choice for protein, it’s not always the best, and for those who are vegan or vegetarian, it isn’t even an option. For those who choose to follow a meat-free diet, they will need to be more conscious of how they will be supplementing the proteins they would consume if they were to be eating meat.
In the era of quick easy meals, many don’t have time to spend hours in the kitchen. As a result, most of those quick meals prepackaged in our local grocery stores are highly processed carbohydrates. According to the Harvard School of Public Health website article, “Nutrition Source: What Should You Eat,” cutting back on processed carbohydrates and raising the amount of protein you take in can help to lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular diseases.
It is essential to lower processed carbohydrates and attempt to eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. These foods can be found in nature or home grown and are considered unprocessed carbohydrates. Take advantage of your local farmers market. Unlike the fruits and vegetables found at grocery stores (typically travel thousands of miles to get there) farmers markets are comprised of locally grown items which are healthier for our bodies and environment.
So What Can Consumers Do?
- As always, education and knowledge are the keys to longevity.
- Practice informed decision making. Know where you food is coming from, what substances may be introduced into the farming of this food, and if the farmers involved in “growing” this food practice natural farming.
- In addition to practicing self help, many may want to challenge this agricultural practice. While consequences for human ingestion may be inconclusive, the effects on animals is not. As illustrated above, animals involved in growth hormone farming live unnatural and unhealthy lives. The consequences to their body chemistry and quality of life has never been in dispute; however, the agricultural industry has done a wonderful job hiding this fact form consumers.
- If possible, buy your food locally. Meat, vegetables, and other dietary products shipped to distant geographic regions undergo a variety of unhealthy nutrient sapping processes. These products have been shown to produce lower quality protein and may actually be harmful to your health.
- Sustainability truly starts with self. Shop Smart, Shop Informed, Live Healthy.
References
Bittman, Mark. "Re-Thinking the Meat-Guzzler." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News. The New York Times, 27 Jan. 2007. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?pagewanted=all>.
Brody, Jane E. "Huge Study Of Diet Indicts Fat And Meat - New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/08/science/huge-study-of-diet-indicts-fat-and-meat.html?pagewanted=all>.
"Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources | PETA.org." People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): The Animal Rights Organization | PETA.org. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. <http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/meat-wastes-natural-resources.aspx>.
"Worldwide Hunger." An End to World Hunger: Hope for the Future. Think Tank. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. <http://library.thinkquest.org/C002291/high/present/stats.htm>.