What food are you serving for dinner? I’m sure you have asked that or been asked that question hundreds of times. Why does the food that we eat matter so much to us? Looking back just a few decades ago, people were just happy to have something to eat. Our food choices are a complex behavioral question.
We all know we should be eating healthier but we don’t. Why? Food choice, like many other behaviors, is influenced by many interconnected reasons. The main reason we eat, of course, is we’re hungry. But what we choose to eat is not determined entirely by our nutritional needs. Despite all the information that we should eat healthier, only 1/3 of Americans eat two or more pieces of fruit each day and 25% don’t eat vegetables at all. Knowing that fast food is unhealthy for us is not stopping us from eating it.
A recent study by the University of Minnesota asked adults their attitudes toward fast food and their consumption of it. They found that younger people, singles and males ate more fast food than older people, married couples and women. Interestingly, people who thought fast food was unhealthy ate as much of it as those who didn’t think this. The researchers believe that this indicates that all the talk about eating healthier is not making an impact.
The top 5 reasons why most people do not eat healthier is:
- Availability
- Cost
- Confusion
- Time constraints
- Taste concerns
It comes down to the fact that consumers are not willing to trade convenience for health or other benefits. This is very disturbing information. We know we should eat healthier but we don’t. We know that fast food doesn’t give us proper nutrition but we continue to indulge ourselves.
It is unfortunate that there is so much misinformation. We could literally cut our health care costs in half, if we would simply give our bodies the nutrition that it needs to function properly. And it’s an easy thing to do.
So what do you eat in a 24-hour period? I’ll bet you that you probably don’t even know. We have become a society of unconscious eaters. In order to make changes, you need to know what you’re eating. Take one day, one 24-hour period, and write down everything that you put in your mouth during that time. I’m sure you will amaze yourself. How much of what you ate during that 24-hour period could you consider healthy?
You should know that home-cooked foods are just as cheap as eating fast food and much better for you. Anyone can learn to cook. You can prepare a nutritious snack or meal in minutes.
For a healthy body, the following types of food are necessary:
· Energy foods known as carbohydrates such as grains along with fats and oils
· Body building foods known as protein such as meat, fish or milk
· Health preserving food known as vitamins and minerals such as fruits
· Water
· Roughage such as vegetables
The concept of a balanced diet can be introduced slowly. Start with one change each day. For instance, add one fruit into your daily regimen that you normally don’t eat. Add one vegetable that you maybe haven’t eaten in some time. Become conscious of what you put in your mouth and make the necessary changes. Your body will thank you for it!
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