Food is a dangerous drug. But there is nothing plain or simple about that statement. I strongly believe that the food is the most commonly accepted drug in America.
Table of Contents
The Disguise of Need
Obviously, we all need food. That is what makes it so easy to accept. However there are two parts of food:
- Sustinance
- Pleasure
Like every drug, there is some aspect the consumer desires. Usually this is chemically driven. Either a feeling or some experience, or some outcome that the chemicals in the drug induce. That is exactly what food flavor emulates. Sweeteners and other flavor drivers suck people in and bring them back for more. Add this on top of rationalizing “well I need to eat” and all the sudden, we have a very dangerous situation.
Food is for Fuel
When flavor becomes the primary reason we eat rather than for sustenance, people eat more than they need. People eating for flavor can easily land in a caloric surplus and continue indulging because “it’s so good!” when they should stop. It doesn’t help that our culture mostly supports this.
When food is seen as fuel, people are more prone to eating what they need. This is both in terms of volume and quality. The food flavor/pleasure seekers can find themselves nutrient deficient due to chasing that sensory appeal rather than fuel. We find many people today critically low on protein intake and their bodies aren’t telling them to eat is because chemically, the signal is not as strong as the pleasure from tasteful food.
High Standards = Restrictions
As people grow accustom to high flavor foods, their ability to happily eat fresh foods diminishes. This can lead to a vicious cycle of more and more ‘taste’ foods and an uphill battle to reset their pallet if trying to eat correctly.
Total Avoidance
You don’t need to avoid all good tasting foods forever, but learning to enjoy fresh foods with limited processing, chemicals, and sweeteners is essential. Many people lack the self-discipline to stop due to life times of indulgence. Many reason with themselves “you don’t live forever, have fun” and because of that, they choose the short term pleasure. This is simply a cope and an unwillingness to see the bigger picture.
You CAN enjoy life while eating properly.
First: Folks saying life can’t be enjoyed without good food shows how ingrained and addicted to the flavors they are. Imagine an individual addicted to alcohol or gambling using the same reasoning… The may be looked down upon as people tell them “That’s bad” and again rationalize their food intake with “you need to eat to live” – It’s funny how someone with an alcohol issue would never say “you need to drink to live”
Second: As you reset your pallet, you can learn to enjoy the more simple foods that are healthy for you. While you may not like it now as your system is telling you that high flavor foods are needed, it will adjust.
Third: You will feel better and be able to enjoy life more when your system is getting the fuel it needs. The benefits of healthy eating cannot be overstated. Despite this, it seems to be something that is easy for people to dismiss or say is too challenging. It is not. If a little bit of effort to change leads to a significantly healthier and less impulsive life, it should be a no brainer.
Fourth: Eating right can also save your wallet. A larger wallet means a more secure life and more funds for additional fun.
The Brief
The commonly accepted pursuit of flavor is overriding Americans’ abilities to eat properly. The addiction and social acceptance of this makes it serious. It is incredibly easy to stay in the same pattern due to the architecture of the food industry. For those looking to better their live and not take excuses from themselves, they will reap the rewards. This does not need to look like total abstinence, but every cave-in makes the next one easier. Make it habitual, and life around you gets harder as you cope with a sneaky substance. This is why I believe food is a dangerous drug.
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