We spotlighted a story this past week that revealed UK youths get a full 2/3 of their daily Calories from Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs). Nutritionists say that’s pretty excessive… How many of YOUR daily Calories come from UPFs?
I for one take note of everything I eat, and count the calories – when, the numbers are available. Thanks to contemporary regulations, almost all packaged foods (in Canada, at least) carry Nutrition Facts labels that make that easy. Those labels also make it easy to tell how many empty calories you’re getting in a given product. And how much saturated fat, added sugar and salt are hiding inside…
I’m not ‘normal’
By that, let me hasten to explain, I mean I evaluate all food products I buy much more carefully than most average shoppers. After all, food is my life. And I have no qualms about putting back on the shelf any product, no matter how tempting it may be – if it violates my UPF guidelines.
Many moons ago, when was married, I had a brother-in-law who loved silly sayings. One of his favourites was in reference to junk food: “A moment on the lips – a lifetime on the hips!” I always remind myself of that whenever I consider partaking of something ‘sinful’…
Anyway…
The study we spotlighted found – no surprise – that the most-severely affected Brit kids are younger (under 12), of ‘white’ ethnicity, from lower-income families, and often live in the ‘north’ of England (rather than the more urbanized Midlands, London, East Anglia or South West).
I’d bet that profile could apply to North America and many European countries, as well. It’s a cross-cultural phenomenon – spread far and wide by the proliferation of American-style Fast Food restaurants over the second half of the last century.
My take
It’s ironic that we have a UPF crisis at the same moment in history that we’re facing a huge inevitable shift, from stuff like UPFs to cleaner, fresher plant-based foods.
It’s also ironic that we, as modern humans, with tons of information at our disposal, and pervasive media that bombard us with object lessons every day, can manage to brush off the dangers of eating poorly… While, at the same time, decring the high cost of health care.
My questions to you:
What percentage of your daily calories do you think you get from UPFs?
Do you count calories, added sugar and fat the way I do?
Does your tight budget force you to choose cheaper foods that may not be as healthy?
Do you feel your health has been impacted negatively by your food choices?
Do you even care?
If not… Could I convince you that you should?
Muse on that…
~ Maggie J.