Unhealthy Processed Foods Essay

One in three people in the United States will have diabetes in their lifetimes. Over forty percent of Americans are obese (Forks). Everything points towards our diet playing a huge role in our health. Researchers have shown “if we eliminate or reduce refined processed and animal based foods we can prevent and in some cases reverse health problems by changing our diets to a whole-food plant-based diet” (Forks). The modern American diet is taking a toll on our health and our environment. Because of the increase of unhealthy processed foods, the amount of hidden sugar found in foods, and the demand for animal foods, the modern American diet is eating us alive and a whole-food plant-based diet is the answer to better health in Americans. First, an increase of unhealthy processed foods has had a huge impact on the rise of health problems. Processed foods is defined as “any deliberate change in a food that occurs before it’s available for us to eat” (What). Every single minute a person will die of heart disease (Forks). Heart disease is caused by plaque buildup that thickens and stiffens artery walls which can then make it difficult for blood flow to …show more content…
Americans consume two-hundred pounds of meat per person per year (Forks). This extremely high consumption of meats is hosting our diseases that are becoming a part of our everyday lives. Obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer are all increasing rapidly. Some red meats are high in saturated fat. When we consume this fat, it raises our blood cholesterol increasing our risks for heart disease (Forks). In the movie, Forks over Knives, individuals were asked what is the importance of meat? Everyone answered: Protein. But most of us forget that protein isn’t just found in meat but also plants. We don’t need meat to survive but instead we can replace meat with