Is Our Food Making Us Sick?

In the past few decades, the intake for fatty and ultra-processed foods has increased drastically. Ultra-processed foods rarely contain the natural nutrients which are found in raw or homemade natural diets. The foods are filled with emulsifiers, colorants, and preservatives; thus, their nutritional value is low. The consumption of ultra-processed foods has been linked to the increasing cases of obesity and metabolic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and some types of cancer. The types of foods we consume have severe adverse effects on the immune system and gut health. Western foods are filled with high levels of calories and saturated fats, and they contain minimal healthy fats and fibre. The foods that we consume are making us sick because they predispose us to severe and fatal health conditions.

According to Emily Macintosh, “Substances contained in ultra-processed have contributed to the changes in the intestinal flora” (web). The intestinal flora affects body mechanisms that control balance, like the regulation of energy consumption and appetite. A poor intestinal flora makes the intestines more porous, thus leading to inflammation. When the intestines are more permeable, the toxins and intestinal bacteria produced in the intestines may seep out to the bloodstream. Western diet has also led to disturbances in the gut bacteria because ultra-processed food kills the crucial bacteria in the gut. The gut is then thrown off its balance, leading to malfunctioning of some body mechanisms such as the immune system. Macintosh claims that “a weak immune system makes the body prone to infections because the immune system cannot easily differentiate between good and bad bacteria” (web). Ultra-processed foods can also lead to excessive growth or suppression of a particular type of bacteria, which can cause an inflammatory response.

Consumption of ultra-processed food can lead to the accumulation of fats in the abdomen. When fats have been accumulated in the body, it leads to change in the cell receptors by making the cells numb to the impact of insulin. Although the pancreas can secrete more insulin to compensate that effect, it can start to fail to produce enough insulin after some time, which leads to the development of diabetes. The IDF Diabetes Atlas estimated the number of people with diabetes to be 374 million people across the world in 2014(web). Therefore, the increased cases of diabetes can be linked to the consumption of the western diet.

Some Western foods like candy bars contain palmitic acid and fructose, which can trigger an immune system reaction. The body can easily confuse palmitic acid with certain types of bacteria, such as the E.coli bacteria. When palmitic acid enters the body, the immune system starts to attack the palmitic acid, which leads to some level of inflammation. The immune system becomes distracted; thus, the immune cells will not be ready to respond to real attacks in time. The infection, therefore, gets worse by the time the immune system responds to the attack.

The high levels of calories and fats contained in the Western diet have led to a significant increase in obesity. According to the World Health Organization, over six hundred million adults in the world are obese (web). Obesity is a predisposing factor for infections because obese individuals are prone to body inflammation. Rocz states that “Obese individuals are at a higher risk of developing illnesses like stroke, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, which are caused by body inflammation” (web). Obesity can also be linked to joint conditions like arthritis due to increased wear and pressure exerted on the joints.

Western diet has also been associated with elevated risks of prostate and colon cancer.  As Rocz states “the Western diet increases inflammation and contributes to the alteration of the gut bacteria” (web) .Inflammation and disruption of gut bacteria is a predisposing factor to colon cancer. High levels of inflammation in the colon cause cell damage, thus making more cells to multiply and replicate. The genes contained in the cells might be mutated, therefore increasing the risks of colon cancer. Men who consume Western diets in large qualities or over a long period are 2.5 times more likely to get prostate cancer compared to those who eat other foods.

The western diet is also composed of many animal products, particularly meat, which is processed and unprocessed. Processed meat increases the chances of getting colorectal cancer. The World Health Organization states that “Processed meat is a carcinogen” (web). Research by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2014 revealed that consumption of red meat in early adulthood increased the risk of perimenopausal cancer by 22% and the risk of overall breast cancer by 13%. Another study conducted by the National Cancer Institute of Maryland states that, “The consumption of processed and unprocessed meat to high chances of getting a stroke, lung disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes” (web). Processed foods lack key nutritional aspects like fiber, which can lead to adverse health issues. People who do not consume enough fiber have unhealthy body mass indexes as compared to those who consume enough fiber. Lack of adequate fiber increases the possibility of hemorrhoids and colon cancer. Many processed foods have been stripped of significant nutritional value; therefore, a lot of consumption of processed food can lead to malnutrition.

Unhealthy diets and poor eating habits can cause disabilities, especially if a person is physically inactive. Processed foods lack some essential minerals and fibers, which can lead to conditions like osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes bone injuries and fractures, which can make a person physically disabled. As mentioned earlier, the consumption of much Western diet can lead to diabetes, which causes blindness and amputation of limbs. The number of individuals who are amputated on the lower-limb due to diabetes is estimated to be roughly 73,000 people every year. High sugar levels, especially sucrose and fructose corn syrup, which are present in many Western diets, can lead to clogging of arteries. The liver processes all the sugar deposited in the body; therefore, high consumption of sugar strains the liver. According to Doctor Robert Lustig, “Sugar can make the arteries clogged, which can lead to adverse health issues” (web).

Some chemicals like bisphenol-A used to make plastic packaging materials for processed foods can cause heart problems, hormonal imbalance in women, and asthma in kids between the ages of five to twelve years. Bisphenol-A can also imitate real hormones, thus causing infertility or even breast cancer. Synthetic and plastic food contact materials also contain a toxic known as formaldehyde, which can increase the risks of getting prostate and breast cancer. Most processed foods are packed in rubber and, which can cause digestive problems.

Most Western diets are composed of processed foods such as biscuits, chips, processed meat, among others, which contain high levels of sodium and salt.  As Sentient Media states,  “Prolonged consumption of foods containing excessive sodium and salt leads to high blood pressure and chronic heart disease” (web). The foods also contain hydrogenated oils, which lead to oxidation and body inflammation. Hydrogenated fats also increase the risk of heart disease. Some preservatives such as sulfates, aspartame, and benzoate contained in many processed foods can predispose one to breathe problems such as asthma. The preservatives can also lead to hyperactive behavior in growing children. Other preservatives such as nitrates and sodium lead to increased blood pressure, which can weaken heart tissues or destroy blood vessels. Nitrites and nitrates can also react with gastric juices to form cancer-causing agents.

Prolonged consumption of the Western diet strains the immunity system, which can lead to autoimmune disease. According to Gostin, “Prolonged consumption of ultra-processed food leads to inflammation” (web). The inflammation is caused by excessive growth or elimination of some bacteria in the gut. The inflammation places the body in a continuous, low-level inflammation, and the immune system continually perceives it as a threat. Some threats may not be real, that causes the body to attack its internal organs, cells, and tissues, thus leading to autoimmune disease.

In conclusion, the Western diet most of us consume can have diverse health problems.  Consumption of processed foods increases the risk of getting some diseases like cancer, blood pressure, heart diseases, and diabetes.  Chemicals contained in the packing materials used to store processed foods also pose various health threats to individuals who consume packaged foods. Preservatives used to increase the shelf-life of processed foods contain chemicals which can predispose one to blood pressure, asthma, heart disease, and infertility. Consumption of the Western diet also leads to inflammation and distraction of the immune system, which weakens the immune system, thus increasing the risks of becoming sick. To avoid the adverse effects of Western diets, one should adopt healthy eating habits like avoiding artificially processed food. One should choose more healthy options like fruits and vegetables.

Works Cited

“How Our Food Culture is Making Us Sick” Better the Future, 13 April, 2015, http://betterthefuture.org/how-our-food-culture-is-making-us-sick/

Lawrence Gostin, “Big Food” Is Making America Sick.” Milbank Quarterly, September 2016, https://www.milbank.org/quarterly/articles/big-food-making-america-sick/

Macintosh Emily, What We Eat Is Making Us Sick Say Food Experts,” Meta, 10 October, 2017, https://meta.eeb.org/2017/10/10/what-we-eat-is-making-us-sick-say-food-experts/

Rocz Hig, “Health Effects of Changes in the Structure of Dietary Macronutrients Intake in Western Societies.”  PubMed, 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26024397

“The Western Diet: Processed Foods and Meats Are Killing Us.” Sentient Media, https://sentientmedia.org/the-western-diet/