C-Force: Some Thoughts on Poor Eating Habits to Chew On

As the saying goes, "you are what you eat." This mantra of sorts was said to have first been coined as early as 1826 by French philosopher Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. Its meaning has resonated throughout the years and seems especially relevant in 2025. What it is saying is that the food one consumes directly impacts not only one's health and well-being but one's future. As CulinaryLore points out, it is also "a statement about what we should eat, as much as a statement about what we do eat."

Ultraprocessed food is increasingly being viewed as unhealthy. I know I have been beating this drum for a while now, and I should probably move on, but what health professionals are saying is that it pollutes the body. And, according to Harvard Health, a heavy diet of ultraprocessed foods "may even shorten your life span."

Reports Matthew Solan, executive editor of Harvard Men's Health Watch, "researchers found that people who consumed significant amounts of ultra-processed food were 10% more likely to die -- especially from heart disease and diabetes -- during a study's two-decade follow-up period than those who did not. ... The ultra-processed foods consumed the most were sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats, such as hot dogs, sausages, and deli meat."

According to a recent Medical News Today report, an "unhealthy diet may speed up biological aging, even in young adults." The report cites a new study that represents an important new way science is looking at the aging process. Where standard chronological age is an expression of the number of years since you were born, biological age "measures how well someone is aging." Researchers believe that measuring "both the acceleration and pace of biological aging might help predict health outcomes and mortality."

In the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a group of scientists "investigated links between diet quality and biological aging" involving 826 young adults. Maybe not that surprisingly, "they found that poorer diets, which include high amounts of fast food and processed meat but low amounts of fruit and vegetables, may contribute to accelerated biological aging."

Reports Meaghan Cameron, a food and lifestyle writer for The Healthy, "there's a growing awareness in our culture that extending your lifespan can be achieved through some of the simplest, and most pleasurable, things you do. One of those is eating."

Drawing upon data from the Global Burden of Diseases and Injuries study, "an ongoing initiative that monitors dietary habits and health metrics across multiple nations, and "adjusting for height, weight, and physical activity level, researchers identified some broad-sweeping trends," Cameron reports. "Even modest dietary adjustments, particularly the inclusion of whole grains and legumes while curbing sugary beverages, could contribute up to four additional years of life. ... Research suggests the public would likely boost their health and potential for future health by adding these three foods: legumes, whole grains and nuts. ... To our collective credit, Americans ate a decent amount of vegetables and consumed enough fruit, but this didn't fully offset the bad choices in other parts of the American diet."

Commenting on World Cancer Day 2025, held earlier this month (Feb. 4), Srishti Mathur, an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Shoolini University, had this to say in a report for The Health Site: "For cancer patients, a nutrient-rich diet tailored to their treatment plan is as important as chemotherapy." It is another important reminder of the power and importance of good nutrition -- the concept of food as medicine. "Antioxidants, phytonutrients, and proteins help the immune system, reduce treatment side-effects, and improve recovery. ... It is time to make health a non-negotiable priority," Mathur adds. "Begin by scrutinising your plate."

Maybe I'm being naive, but I can't help but think that maybe some things, like the foods we eat, were not meant to be mechanized and industrialized. As noted on the History of Fast Food website, "most types of junk food appeared in (the) 20th century as a result of mechanization, electricity and labor-saving devices that were used for preparation of food. ... Manufacturers started making food with cheaper ingredients with less nutritional value and using fast preparation methods that further lessened healthiness of food." Food processing and mass production began to change diets. As an example of where this has led, the site points out that "conducted on cereals in 1975 found out that a third of brands of that time had sugar levels of 50%."

"The history of junk food reveals how snacks evolved alongside changing technology and lifestyles," reports Illuminating Facts. These highly processed snacks are now "a staple of modern life. ... These innovations coincided with changes in society, such as urbanization and busier lifestyles, which fueled the demand for convenient and ready-to-eat foods.

"Snacks have been a part of human culture for thousands of years," the site reminds us. "Snacking's evolution has a deep-rooted history that dates back to early human existence when hunter-gatherers nibbled on berries, nuts, and seeds for quick sustenance."

It is about time that we stop for a moment and realize that, boy, did they have the right idea.

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