How Our Eating Habits Have Changed For The Worse

Let us examine more closely our eating habits have changed. A century ago, meat, animal fat and sugar formed a much smaller proportion of our diets than today. The consumption of cereal fibres has also dropped considerably.

.We have increased our consumption of sugar. The UK has become one of the world's largest chocolate and sweet-eating nations. We currently spend over 40 billion per year on chocolate alone.

.The last one hundred years have seen a twenty-five fold increase in world sugar production. In reality refined sugar is not something that we actually need, and the human race managed quite happily without it for centuries. Mother Nature, with her usual wisdom, has designed it so that the body can convert complex carbohydrates and proteins into the sugar required. Table sugar, sucrose, contains no vitamins, mineral, protein, fibre or starches; it may contain tiny traces of calcium and magnesium if we are really lucky, but apart from that it just provides us with 'empty calories'.

.We have to really go out of our way these days to reduce our sugar consumption as 'considerate' food manufacturers often add it to some of the most unlikely foods: cheese, fruit yoghurt, tomato sauce, baked beans, pickled cucumbers, muesli, beefburgers, Worcestershire sauce, sausages, peas, cornflakes, and canned drinks.

.Excessive consumption of saturated animal fats results in a gradual blocking the arteries that supply the heart, brain and other major organs. This leads to poor circulation, and then to heart attacks and strokes. It is worth noting that smoking accelerates this process. The increased incidence of breast cancer has much to do with animal fat consumption as well.

.We eat far too much salt - ten to twenty times more than our bodies really require each day- which can contribute to high blood pressure.

.We often drink far too much coffee and tea which can impede the absorption of essential nutrients, and aggravate symptoms of nervous tension, irritability, insomnia and headaches. On average we consume four mugs of tea and two mugs of coffee each day, which delivers approximately 800 mg of caffeine into our system. That doesn't include other sources of caffeine like chocolate, cocoa, cola and other caffeinated drinks. It certainly means that there are many women walking about with symptoms of caffeine excess. Count how many cups or mugs you have had today - you may be surprised.

.We consume volumes of foods with a high level of phosphorus, which again impedes the absorption of good nutrients and interferes with calcium absorption by bone tissue. Examples of these foods are soft drinks (low or normal calorie varieties), processed foods, canned, packaged, prepacked convenience foods and ready-made sauces.

.Alcohol consumption has almost doubled in the UK since the end of the Second World War. Alcohol also impedes the absorption of good nutrients and in excess can cause all sort of other health problems.

.Unbelievable as it may seem, we actually eat less food than we did thirty years ago and more. It seems that today's people actually expend less energy than those of a generation or two ago, and this has resulted in a 10 -15 per cent reduction in food intake. This also means that intake of essential nutrients has fallen, particularly if eating refined or convenience foods.

.Many of the foods available contain chemical additives in the form of flavour enhancers, colouring and preservatives. While some of these are not harmful, some of them are, and our bodies are certainly not designed to cope with them.

.These days our meat animals are bombarded with antibiotics, to the point where they often become resistant to them. They are used as a preventative measure and often used for growth promotion.

.Nitrate fertilisers have been used to obtain fast-growing and abundant crops. It is now recognised that nitrates are harmful and can produce cancer, at least in animals.

.Almost all our fresh fruit, cereals and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides at least once. In addition, milk and meat may retain pesticides from feed given to livestock.

A poorer diet mean poorer health. Time to take control of our eating habits and reclaim our health. Author Resource:- James Ray is a lifelong fitness fanatic and health nut. He has helped thousands of people across the globe lose weight quickly, safely and effectively. His website supplies the highest quality weight loss supplements designed to help you get that fit, slim body you deserve. www.weightloss-supplements.com