Standard American Diet - Can it contend with the Paleo Diet?
How the Standard American Diet Got Out Of Control
The state we are in is our own fault. It is a product of our environment. Less than 100 years ago, food wasn’t guaranteed on the table. Healthy food was not an issue, HAVING FOOD WAS. It was great that grains allowed more people to be fed. If these grains caused a few upset stomachs, at least people were not starving to death.
However, this is the year 2012, we have enough food for the entire population and it is time to start making our diets more efficient. First I would like to show how we got to where we are; fat and unhealthy.
Here is a timeline of how our Nation's Diet has evolved in the last 150 years.
1850-1855 – Cows began being fed grain rather than free range. Before this time, cows would be butchered between 4-5 years of age. With grain feed, the farmer was able to slaughter a fully grown cow in less than 2 years. This equates in less healthy meat (more omega-6, less omega-3) and a lower quality of life for the cow.
1862 – Lincoln introduces Department of Agriculture and seeds/grains are dispersed throughout country to increase growth
1909 – Oil Seed Industry Created (“Vegetable” Oils) – This led to 410% increase in margarine consumption by 1990.
1930-1939 – After great depression, the focus changes towards ensuring we have enough food (calories) for the population
1943 – School lunches began being offered so kids will get food during the day
1950-1959 – Modern Feedlots begin to emerge. This means huge cow factories are able to produce a fully obese (unhealthy) cow in less than 14 months! This has never before been seen and was never a practice until now.
1975-1979 – Fructose enrichment begins. This is artificial sugars that are created cheap and makes food taste great. It is clearly known that these sugars are extremely bad for our health.
1977-1996 – Meals on the GO – Due to food availability, longer shelf live, and fast food appearing everywhere we longer longer needed to cook
our food. We have it everywhere. We can go get a bag of chips at the convenient store or stop by Mcdonalds for 2000 Calories in a single meal.
2011 – Obesity is a Nation wide problem – Not one of our 50 states can claim less than 20% obesity.
The sad truth is that many of the characteristics in the Standard American Diet are the same characteristics that cause all of the disease’s we try to avoid; cancer, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, etc.
The Standard American Diet is high in saturated/hydrogenated fat (fast food), this is linked with many life ending diseases. The SAD diet is low
in fiber (veggies), which we should know by now fights cancer and provides many vitamins/minerals. The SAD diet is high in simple carbs which act just like
table sugar to raise insulin levels to help a sweet tooth.
The Paleo diet includes mostly healthy protein/fat (protein synthesis/cell health) and fruits/veggies (fiber and phytochemicals/nutrients) that actually fight against cancer and are good for our bodies. Even if you are just using the Paleo Diet for a foundation for your diet, just look at the facts. The SAD has failed.
Paleo proves effective and appropriate yet again…
1850-1855 – Cows began being fed grain rather than free range. Before this time, cows would be butchered between 4-5 years of age. With grain feed, the farmer was able to slaughter a fully grown cow in less than 2 years. This equates in less healthy meat (more omega-6, less omega-3) and a lower quality of life for the cow.
1862 – Lincoln introduces Department of Agriculture and seeds/grains are dispersed throughout country to increase growth
1909 – Oil Seed Industry Created (“Vegetable” Oils) – This led to 410% increase in margarine consumption by 1990.
1930-1939 – After great depression, the focus changes towards ensuring we have enough food (calories) for the population
1943 – School lunches began being offered so kids will get food during the day
1950-1959 – Modern Feedlots begin to emerge. This means huge cow factories are able to produce a fully obese (unhealthy) cow in less than 14 months! This has never before been seen and was never a practice until now.
1975-1979 – Fructose enrichment begins. This is artificial sugars that are created cheap and makes food taste great. It is clearly known that these sugars are extremely bad for our health.
1977-1996 – Meals on the GO – Due to food availability, longer shelf live, and fast food appearing everywhere we longer longer needed to cook
our food. We have it everywhere. We can go get a bag of chips at the convenient store or stop by Mcdonalds for 2000 Calories in a single meal.
2011 – Obesity is a Nation wide problem – Not one of our 50 states can claim less than 20% obesity.
The sad truth is that many of the characteristics in the Standard American Diet are the same characteristics that cause all of the disease’s we try to avoid; cancer, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, etc.
The Standard American Diet is high in saturated/hydrogenated fat (fast food), this is linked with many life ending diseases. The SAD diet is low
in fiber (veggies), which we should know by now fights cancer and provides many vitamins/minerals. The SAD diet is high in simple carbs which act just like
table sugar to raise insulin levels to help a sweet tooth.
The Paleo diet includes mostly healthy protein/fat (protein synthesis/cell health) and fruits/veggies (fiber and phytochemicals/nutrients) that actually fight against cancer and are good for our bodies. Even if you are just using the Paleo Diet for a foundation for your diet, just look at the facts. The SAD has failed.
Paleo proves effective and appropriate yet again…
Timeline info found here by Jennifer Mascia and Whitney Dangerfield
