NUTRITION AUTHOR
Shannon Dolan, FNTP
BREAKING SAD: THE STANDARD AMERICAN DIET n It may have been considered healthy 40 years ago, but not so much anymore — here’s why.
A
merica is known for not being the most health conscious country. The acronym for the Standard American Diet is SAD, which is spot-on after delving into the details. The SAD diet consists of highly processed oils, refined carbohydrates, industrial farming that leaves crops with high levels of pesticides and animals living in inhumane conditions. However, this wasn’t always the case. In the late 1800s, people began migrating from rural homes and into urban cities. This migration meant that those living in the city had to get their food from distant farms. Therefore, the need for things like preservatives and manufacturing processes grew in demand. As a result, to withstand these traveling conditions, farmers increased the use of genetically modified organisms, hydrogenated oils, refined carbohydrates and use of pesticides (such as glyphosate) in the early 1900s. In addition, due to a study done by Ancel Keys, the Seven Countries Study in the 1950s, there was
JANUARY 2021
a heightened fear of consumption of dietary fats that consequently altered America’s perception of saturated fats. The problem with this study is that the results were overgeneralized and created fear of fat consumption amongst Americans. This led to more consumption of refined carbohydrates, sugar and hydrogenated, processed oils — all of which wreak havoc on the body and immune system. It’s no wonder data shows a steady incline of cardiovascular disease and diabetes since the fear of fats was introduced to the SAD diet.
What can we do to break free from SAD diet trends and generate long-lasting health?
The first step is to nix the processed foods. This may sound extreme, but manufacturers of processed foods combine the right amount of sugar and fat (the toxic kind) that lead to addiction — meaning you can’t help but want more! The best way to detox from these foods is to swap them out for healthier substitutes.
14
