Thursday, March 27, 2014
The US diet has changed dramatically in the last 200 years, and not for the better. Our major dietary changes stem from one single factor - the industrialization and commercialization of the American food system. We've turned over the majority of our food preparation to professionals, scientists, and engineers whose interests are not aligned with ours, but with their bottom line.
It's hard to appreciate just how much things have changed, because none of us were alive 200 years ago. Today, in the US most adults consume 22 teaspoons, about 355 calories, of sugar a day. The recommended intake is only six teaspoons , or 100 calories, for adult women, and nine teaspoons, or 150 calories for men.
Go back in time and you'll find that in the early 1800s, Americans were consuming just 3.8 teaspoons of sugar per day. This dramatic increase alone has led to unintentional weight gain, and numerous health risks. The food industry is the root of the problem, and until our government imposes some serious regulations and guidelines in regards to the added sugar, in all it's various forms, that is blatantly added to our food - we're losing the battle.
This info-graphic below was created to demonstrate the alarming increases in sugar consumption over the years and help raise awareness about sugar addiction.
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