In an effort to become a healthier person – and perhaps even a happier and more energetic one – a lot of people turn to the health food industry for their daily sustenance. A lot of people are perfectly aware that the food industry, in general, pushes a lot of unhealthy foods towards customers and that it’s nowhere near as well-regulated as the FDA likes to claim.
In an effort to become a healthier person – and perhaps even a happier and more energetic one – a lot of people turn to the health food industry for their daily sustenance. A lot of people are perfectly aware that the food industry, in general, pushes a lot of unhealthy foods towards customers and that it’s nowhere near as well-regulated as the FDA likes to claim.
Resources such as https://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/03/30/things-the-food-industry-doesnt-want-you-to-know make it pretty clear that the ‘regular’ food industry is pretty deceptive and unethical. Many people see the health food industry as a perfect antithesis to this.
But the fact is that the health food industry is like pretty much food industry. Like the others, they tend to prefer if you don’t do your research and avoid looking too closely at the ingredients. Instead, they want you to focus on the bold text on the packaging that screams “HEALTHY” and “LOW FAT” and “SUGAR-FREE”. These things all seem great on the surface. They may seem even better if they have a slew of healthy ingredients listed on the front of the packaging.
But the reality is that the really good ingredients in many of these products only make up a tiny fraction of the total product. Almost as though they put in as small an amount as they could get away with just so they could say they included them!
It’s important that we understand the problems that often come with the products in this industry. We’re going to take a look at the foods that are nowhere near as healthy as they make out and the tricks the industry employs that you should see right through.
Much of the health food industry likes to downplay the fact that many of their products can carry a lot of health risks; often just as many as their competitors. Consider dairy-free butter alternatives, for example. They’re often made out to have less fat and less risk of spoiling, and so less risk of illness. But the information at http://www.unsafefoods.com/2017/05/08/cashew-butter-recall-nutty-infusions-contamination-latest-incident-spate-listeria-monocytogenes-contaminated-foods/ should make clear that this isn’t always the case! Such items should probably be prepared at home.
Walk into a health food store and you’re going to see a lot of dried fruit and trail mix snacks. While these seem smart and healthy, they can turn out to be the opposite. They generally have no nutritional value beyond the insane amount of calories they hold. And because they’re dried out, thus devoid of the water content of fruit that helps fill you up, you can end up eating a lot before you feel even close to satisfied. By the ends of it, you’ll have consumed a shocking amount of calories.
Not all health food companies are deceiving consumers. But it’s essential that you understand that it can be a deceptive industry just like any other. The best thing you can do is take matters into your own hands. As https://www.livestrong.com/article/489114-benefit-of-eating-homemade-food/ makes clear, it’s better to just make your own meals and snacks. This is the best way to ensure you know what’s going into your food! Go organic where you can and you’ll be well on your way to much healthier eating.
Marline Selley says