Think about what you ate in the last 24 hours. Odds are, it probably consisted of at least one meal that was eaten on-the-go or was some type of fast food. It’s quick, convenient, and cheap. But at what cost? With one in four people eating fast food every day, it’s time to band together and demand more out of the companies that are damaging out bodies and getting paid to do it.
What’s Going On
It’s astonishing to hear that food chains have just started to care about our health. With quick and convenient food options being a staple in our hectic lives, there’s no better time than now to focus in on our health. Fast food chains like Chipotle and Panera are already on the road to a healthier menu, and we should all be saying one big Hallelujah and hoping other companies follow suit.
Chipotle started the trend with their promise to clean up their foody act with organic, grass-fed meat options and are now taking a step to ban GMOs once and for all. Now, Panera is joining Chipotle as they embark on the road to dumping all artificial additives out of their food. This means that all artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives will get the boot. But why should we care?
Why Food Matters
It’s a big deal, my little foodie aficionados. My experience with healthy eating started just shortly after my younger cousin was told that he had Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism. The doctor recommended for my aunt to remove gluten, dairy, and wheat from his diet, and in no time he was Asperger’s free. As in, no more autism. Whaaat?! That’s when I started to realize the power that food has over our bodies. My life has completely changed since then.
Even if we choose to disregard those major diseases, we still have need to be concerned. Not only are food allergies a growing concern all over the world, but the push for a healthier lifestyle is now more prevalent than ever. With FDA standards in question by many, it’s up to us to demand that our food be as healthy as possible because no one else will.
What We Can Do
Food has the power to change lives. That’s a bold statement, I know. But it’s completely true. We live in a world that opts for convenience over health and flavor over nutrients. If we started teaching how to read labels on foods in schools or offering cooking classes at a young age, eating the right foods would no longer be such a challenge. However, the road to a healthier future won’t come unless we make it.
Eating right comes at a cost, and I understand that. But by sacrificing a few drinks at the bar and choosing fresh ingredients instead of frozen ones, your body will thank you later. It might not be fair that healthier food is more expensive, but if we decide to make healthy eating an issue, then that could possibly change. Just look at Chipotle and Panera – healthier food, same cost. It’s completely possible!
I’m not suggesting we restrict all our diets, but I am saying that we need to be aware of what we put in our bodies. I would hear people talk all the time about food being medicine, and I never really got it until I tried it for myself. In the simplest terms, it’s put good in and get good out. When you eat right, you feel better. It’s that easy, so join the fight.
I understand that not everyone knows where to start or has the means to eat their healthiest all the time, so that’s why we need to hold our food companies accountable when we can. It costs us NOTHING to demand that big food companies start to clean up their acts, so it’s time that we ban together and get vocal about getting healthier. If it matters to us, it will have to matter to them.
Featured image via silviarita on Pixabay
