I value the importance of a diet, and I view it as one of the most pivotal aspects of my life. I believe that with a healthy diet, the majority of health issues are solvable, one’s goals are more achievable, and many wellness-related topics can benefit from a diet. As for my personal diet, I avoid countless things that most people, especially teenagers, do not. I choose not to eat seed oils, not to eat or drink any processed sugars and food dyes, and lastly, I avoid any junk food in general. The reason behind this consists of a myriad of consequences that come with not following a diet. The current United States population seemingly does not acknowledge said consequences given the fact that we have the highest obesity rate of all countries across the globe, coming in at 36.2 percent of our population considered obese. This is highly to blame for the modern-day cutbacks on processing, quality, and the ingredients put into the American diet. The aim of cutting back on expenses is the main reason behind this high rate of obesity as well as the further stray from natural whole foods, with newer generations becoming accustomed to highly artificially flavored and sugar-filled foods. This widespread dilemma is seemingly only exponentially increasing due to more concoctions being invented to try and stimulate our taste buds and dopamine receptors with entirely new flavors that would have never occurred in nature but only innovated in a lab.
Firstly, why do I avoid consuming seed oils? To understand why I do not eat them I believe it is important to understand what seed oils are and what the consequences are that come with them. Seed oils are oils that can be used for cooking and baking, which derive from the seeds of plants. Seed oils are ”made through a chemical process where they’re bleached, refined, and heated in order to be usable,” Julia Zumpano, a licensed dietitian says. The list of seed oils consists of Canola oil (aka rapeseed oil), Corn oil, Cottonseed, and Grapeseed oil. Soybean oil, Sunflower oil, Safflower oil, Rice bran oil, Peanut oil. Now, why are these oils bad? Seed oils are often highly processed and utilize a heating process called hydrogenation that extracts the beneficial aspects of the seed and remains with the unhealthy factors such as the phenol and omega 6 fats that cause inflammation and irritation within our bodies. This increased inflammation in our body can be directly linked to conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Not to mention that seed oils are carcinogens and are often included in most unhealthy foods such as candies, fast food, chips, and nearly any processed food you can think of. However, they are also surprisingly found in most foods, including “healthy” options such as protein bars, whole grain products, and even shakes or drinks. Seed oils and other ingredients in these modified foods have also been found to be harmful to our body’s gut microbiome. Some do not realize the importance of our gut microbiome, it is responsible for energy recovery from the metabolism of non-digestible components of foods, protection of a host from pathogenic invasion, modulation of the immune system, and so much more. These oils can easily be substituted for more natural and healthy oils that I myself include in my diet. These better oil options consist of avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil as just some of my favorites.
Next, one of the more prominent factors that may contribute to poor health is the high sugar consumption in current U.S. diets. I stopped eating any candy, drinking soda, and eating foods high in sugar nearly entirely. High fructose corn syrup and other processed sugars are some of the more notable contributors to health concerns and heavily researched ingredients. The reasoning may be more obvious compared to seed oils because sugar has been tied to weight gain, heart disease, acne, type 2 diabetes, cancer, depression, skin aging, cellular aging, drained energy, fatty liver, and other risks. Sugar can be found in the majority of foods and is often the most concentrated ingredient of all in the ingredient list. This fact turns most drinks, protein bars, or any food into sugar drinks, bars, or food since that is the leading ingredient. Also, artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, and more are truly not much better than the processed sugars they claim to be so much better than their predecessors. The reality is that artificial sweeteners and processed sugars each have their own consequences as well. Artificial sweeteners have been found to lead to just as many health risks as reliance on that sweet kick, which is toxic for our gut microbiome. However, they may be a good substitute for some that rely heavily on processed sugars. If you have the choice, I recommend finding foods and beverages that utilize natural cane sugar, monk fruit extract, or stevia leaf extract as a healthier alternative.
Lastly, why do I choose to refrain from junk food in general? “You’re young!” “Make use of it while you can!” “I wish I had your metabolism again. I’d be eating everything!” are all some commonly said things to me and likely to you at some point. But that changes nothing for me; what most do not consider is the long-term effects of their diet and choices on their health. Your body’s future health and wellness rely on your current life decisions, and I would like to age like fine wine, not some tart $5 boxed wine. I also participate in sports such as soccer and lacrosse, and I avidly go to the gym, which all demand a lot from my body, meaning it needs to be in its best condition. Dream bodies are made in the kitchen, and with the ever so expanding, poorly researched artificial ingredient list, who even knows what most people are putting in their bodies and the consequences that come alongside it? So, all I ask next time you’re at the store or going out to eat is to read the ingredients. If the sugar/artificial sweetener, seed oil, or saturated fat amounts are too high, or you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients, just put it down. Look for healthy alternatives, whole foods rich in fiber, protein, and other known ingredients that will be only beneficial for our body.
This was an informative read. You know much about the dietary issues and seems you have taken a more healthy approach to your eating. I am impressed that you have stopped eating sugars (candy, soda, high fructose, etc.). It appears you have done your research and know a great deal about healthy eating. Thanks for sharing your insights.
This was a great read, and I also take pride in controlling my diet. Over the summer after sophomore year, I would tirelessly track calories and make sure I was getting enough protein and nutrients to meet my body’s needs. I also agree that there is an obesity epidemic in America that is unhealthy, and many people are susceptible to fulfilling sweets. I learned a lot about the consequences of consuming seed oil, which I wasn’t aware about before. Great informative read.
Alex, thank you for sharing your extensive knowledge and experience with this topic. There is certainly a problem with obesity in America in comparison to other well-developed countries like some in Europe. As you said, this stems from the large amount of sugar in food and the increasing popularity of processed and junk food. Personally, I’ve also noticed that the serving sizes at restaurants here in the US tend to be huge. I’ve made comparisons to the size of an appetizer here to the size of an entree in some European countries. I myself am not on a diet but I’ve always tried to eat fresh food and not as much junk food. I usually don’t drink much soda, but sometimes I’ll have it once a week or every other week. I think if I were to go on a diet, I would cut out soda and candy, although I don’t think I could stop eating Sour Patch Kids Watermelon. You obviously know so much about food and diets and it’s great to hear your knowledge. My favorite quote in your blog is, “and I would like to age like fine wine, not some tart $5 boxed wine.”