Diet of Americans destroying our health

Diabetes and obesity rates have been soaring since the 1980?s, leaving many of us asking how the health of the entire American population could have changed so radically in only 20 years. But take a closer look and the answer is not surprising: we eat foods that our grandparents and their parents would not even recognize. So whats wrong with the American diet, and how can we fix it?

Not surprisingly the answers are actually quite simple: if God didnt make it, dont eat it. Thats right, if its packaged, bottled or jarred it may not be completely nutritionally bankruptcy, but it may not be far from it. Processed foods may be easier to buy and consume but they are also filled with a host of chemicals in the form of artificial colors and flavors. Yes, they may be cheaper than whole fruits, grains and vegetables, but if your body doesnt know what to do with it, it could be nothing more than fake food.

Diet disaster: eating too much sugar

Mistake number two that most Americans are making is they are eating way too much high fructose corn syrup. Yes, its affordable, and its good, but it is unhealthy and can have a deleterious effect on your liver.

Consuming high amounts of fructose corn syrup is also known to increase your risk of diabetes and obesity. Do you have to eliminate all sweeteners from your diet? No, of course not, but consider adding other natural sweeteners such as cinnamon, vanilla, and stevia.

Should I avoid fats?

For years we thought eating fats made us fat, but now we know there are many healthy sources of fat. We also know that cells need fat to be strong. But while we know eating fats may be necessary, food experts suggest the bulk of fat we consume should come from natural sources such as coconut oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds- not French fries.

Avoiding the Diet Soda

Diet Soda- its an interesting point of contention for many of my friends. While they consider diet soda a better alternative to regular soda (which is still up for debate given the artificial sweeteners) experts argue diet soda offers no nutritional value for your body. Diet soda can also contribute to demineralization of bones and teeth, as well as creating acid in the body. Many dieticians argue a better alternative is water with a splash of lime.

Avoid refined carbohydrates

A few years ago a high protein diet was all the rage. Gone were the notions that the low fat, high carbohydrate, low calorie diets of the past were the true way to lose weight. While the high protein diet had some other problems to contend with, it did help many people understand that they had been eating too much flour, white rice, and refined grains. Individuals who had been consuming too many refined carbohydrates found that they were suffering from blood sugar spikes and cravings.

So whats the solution? We all know what to do; it just takes the will to do it. Eat a balanced diet of lean meats, vegetables and fruit. God didnt make Fruity Pebbles; he just made the fruit.