The United States Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee just released their 2015 findings a few weeks ago. One of the things they look at is our current diet and nutritional trends and they found that:
“Nutrient intake data from a representative sample of the U.S. population ages 2 years and older indicate that: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and magnesium are underconsumed relative to the EAR. Iron is under-consumed by adolescent and premenopausal females, including women who are pregnant. Potassium and fiber are underconsumed relative to the AI. Sodium and saturated fat are overconsumed relative to the UL or other standards for maximal intake.”
In plain speak, we as a nation are UNDERnourished. And yet we’re overweight. How is that possible? One reason is because we focus on calories and not nutrients. We have been led to believe that weight control is calories in versus calories out. The reality is that it’s not that simple. Portion size matters, of course, but it’s not only calories. Another bigger (in my mind) reason is how much of our food is totally nutrient devoid. Anything that increases shelf life degrades nutrient content. And even when vitamins and minerals are added back in, as is the case with bread, cereal, crackers and milk (dairy and non dairy), the ratios aren’t necessarily ideal for absorption and the supplements aren’t necessarily in the ideal form for us to assimilate. As a result, we’re missing essential nutrients. And that leaves us hungry. A third and very concerning issue is our population’s access to healthy whole foods. I am lucky enough to live in an area where several grocery stores and farmers markets are walkable, but many Americans live in food deserts: the only accessible food is fast food and packaged junk. Couple that with financial concerns and the fact that the government subsidizes corn and soy crop and you have a perfect storm of cheap, accessible calorie dense yet nutritionally devoid food.
I can’t really address the food desert issue here, it’s a societal problem that needs many more voices to change. But if you’re interested, research the Farm Bill and its implications, contact your legislatures and tell them you want SNAP benefits at farmer’s markets and spend your food dollars with local farmers.
But if you have access to fresh whole foods, I encourage you to eat more of them. You will spend more money per calorie, but you will absolutely be investing in nutrients, which is what your body needs. You may be surprised that you feel more satisfied with less food over time. You may be surprised to find happy changes in your digestive system. You may even lose your taste for highly processed foods. It’s worth a try!