Since receiving positive feedback about fresh vs. processed foods, I wondered why was the immediate feedback from people who are not obese? Are they eating healthy foods? Do they exercise regularly? Do they regularly do both? While one of these people agreed with me, she also shared the other side's reasoning. Fresh food is too expensive. Is it? Does it have to be? I live in a city with a very large latino community and a very large Asian community. In both communities, it is common to go to the market every day for fresh foods. I know because I go to their neighborhoods frequently to buy produce and sometimes fish and poultry. It is not uncommon for me to have 2 bags of groceries made up of fresh fruits, vegetables and a chicken that was cut up by an actual butcher and spending less than $20.00. I usually can eat for at least 3 days on that amount of food and will often times freeze some of it. Living in one of the most expensive cities in the world, it is possible to eat fresh and on a frugal budget. Grant it, most of us do not have the time to go to the market every day. There are quite a few now who are creating community gardens-just like the First Family. But, with careful planning, processed foods do not have to a play a major role in a daily diet. Oh, the reason why fresh foods are so inexpensive in these neighborhoods is quite simple. Since people shop every day, the turnover is quick. It is that supply and demand thing. If you can, find a latin or asian neighborhood and start shopping in their stores.
When I was still flying for a living, I spent a lot of time in Asia. There were virtually no fat people. Ironically, the only over weight people I would see, would be coming out of McDonald's or KFC. And of course, most of whom were teenagers. It is well known that Asia has a very high population of centenarians. Considering too, that there is a very high percentage of smokers, it is impressive that the majority are so healthy. Their diets (and their medicinal methods) have a lot to do with that. No matter which country, all have a healthy appetite for rice, fish and poultry, fruits and vegetables. And all are liberally seasoned with herbs and spices. Food isn't automatically doused with salt. Food is appreciated by individual flavors. For those who wish to experience the "western" cuisine, they frequent the fast food restaurants that are slowly but surely appearing on street corners. And because these foods are cheap, taste good and are different from what they're used to, the young people are going there. But, not their elders. Our bad habits are trickling into their lifestyles.
The same can be said for latin countries. In their communities, they subsist on a lot of beans, rice, corn, peppers, herbs, fish, meat and poultry. Food is made fresh everyday. Here again, the food is healthy. None of these food items cost a lot of money. In a lot of these nations, fruits and vegetables grow wild. In fact, there are fruit orchards, trees and bushes all over the United States. Even though some have been destroyed to make way for shopping malls, there are still lots out there for the birds and the bees to feast on and share with people.
Finally, other reasons why fresh foods are not too expensive are the obvious health benefits. Take for example, fresh fruit versus fruit juice. If you look at the nutritional break down of fruit juice, you will notice the very high sugar content and the low percentage of vitamins and minerals with either little or no fiber content. If you eat a piece of fruit, you will receive all of the health benefits-vitamins and minerals, high fiber and low sugar content. Think about it, it takes a lot of fruit to squeeze out an 8 ounce glass of juice compared to one piece of fruit. And comparatively speaking, the fruit is cheaper. The same can be said about meat. People won't eat a steak, but will eat a processed turkey sandwich. I don't eat steak often, but I do love a steak or any other red meat from time to time. Red meat that does not have a lot of fat on it is high in protein and nutrients that we need. That processed turkey may be lean and low fat, but it still won't have the same benefits as the steak. Remember, the steak is just that. The processed turkey is turkey and a whole lot more-not necessarily good. When people get back to eating basic foods, then there will be a substantial decline in obesity. There will be a substantial decline in diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and chronic aches and pains. And one more thing, when people start using some common sense about the welfare of their bodies, they will also turn off the pharmaceutical commercials. Pharmaceutical companies are preying on those who "think" they have that ailment. All of those pills have side effects-some being weight gain and other symptoms that could prove potentially worse, whether or not properly diagnosed by a doctor.
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