You are what you eat – literally. We as human beings love our food. Think of all the money being made on cookbooks, food shows on TV, diets, dietary products and programs, and advice on what to eat and not eat.
With all that information, you would think we would be a better nourished society. We may be overfed, but we are also seriously undernourished. Empty calories – food with poor nutritional content – makes up the majority of what most of us eat. And it’s killing us.
Scientists estimate that at the last turn of the century (2000), the combination of a poor diet and lack of physical activity was the underlying cause in 16% of deaths in the United States, and many believe that the true number may be even higher. Unhealthy eating can kill you! By some estimates, the number of deaths caused by obesity is now greater than the number caused by tobacco.
Scientists have debated what it is about diet that impacts health most. Is it sugar, fat, sodium, animal protein (or lack thereof), or something else? When looking at all the eating plans and diets promoted for good health, there is a clear winner: REAL FOOD! There’s no other way to interpret the balance of the scientific evidence. Tweet that.