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Why is the American diet so deadly?

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Re: Why is the American diet so deadly?

#41

Post by luizfzs »

pfdietz wrote: post #14
CharlieDigital wrote: post #9

> Why Is the American Diet So Deadly? Too much sugar. Too carb heavy. Not enough fiber (fruits, veg). Fats demonized for a long spell. No time for preparing whole foods in daily lives. No easy access to cheap, prepared whole foods. Edit: car-focused culture and zoning laws/planning that result in more sedentary day-to-day lifestyle that magnifies the effect of the poor diet.

It's the carbs.

With a side of car-centric city planning where shops are often far from where people live, so everyone just drive everywhere.

Also, with a pinch of pedestrian-hostile design, where some places don't even have sidewalks.

Re: Why is the American diet so deadly?

#46

Post by feoren »

resource_waste wrote: post #18
snarf21 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even worse, our food has been specifically engineered to be as addictive as possible without increasing manufacturing costs.

I agree. However, don't we grow tolerant to pleasures? For instance, the first time you have a salty chip, its great. The 100th time you had one, its not great. Also, curious if you are limiting it to processed foods, or are making claims that potatoes are more addictive than before. The first, obvious, but it has manufacturing and inventory costs. The latter is happening on such a tiny scale, its not noteworthy.

> However, don't we grow tolerant to pleasures?

Yes: growing tolerance is part of the addiction cycle that causes you to need ever more to satisfy the same urge.

Re: Why is the American diet so deadly?

#47

Post by beezlebroxxxxxx »

dukeyukey wrote: post #11
cratermoon wrote: post #5

Why? ultra-processed food.

Then you need to explain why the Japanese diet, also filled with ultra-processed food, is vastly healthier.

Cultural factors for Japan. People eat smaller portions, walk more, and dieting and commenting on someone's weight (a different idea of what is an "acceptable" weight) is also more prevalent. School lunches are also from what I've seen while there considerably more nutritious and fresh.

Re: Why is the American diet so deadly?

#48

Post by moojacob »

Workaccount2 wrote: post #20

I think a big part of the problem is that even prepared foods are packed with garbage. There are a lot of Americans who can't/don't cook mainly for time reasons, and instead eat lots of prepared foods, whether that be from restaurants, shops, or grocery stores. If you are not cooking it from scratch yourself, it is almost guaranteed to be brimming with fat, salt, and sugar. This is true regardless of the source. Whet…

Do you live near a Chipotle? Burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, and chicken for $8.50.

I really don’t understand this “I don’t have a choice all fast food is bad” some are pretty healthy even if they are less tasty. I think the real discussion is how addictive the trash foods are.

Re: Why is the American diet so deadly?

#49

Post by tonymet »

Workaccount2 wrote: post #20

I think a big part of the problem is that even prepared foods are packed with garbage. There are a lot of Americans who can't/don't cook mainly for time reasons, and instead eat lots of prepared foods, whether that be from restaurants, shops, or grocery stores. If you are not cooking it from scratch yourself, it is almost guaranteed to be brimming with fat, salt, and sugar. This is true regardless of the source. Whet…

When asked why restaurant food tasted so good, Anthony Bourdain chuckled and quipped that "everything you are served begins and finishes with a stick of butter".

People would gasp if they prepared that food for themselves.

When I finish a steak with 2 tbsp of butter it tastes luxurious, and any respectable steakhouse is finishing a steak with a stick of butter and garnishes it with an ice cream scoop of butter.

Re: Why is the American diet so deadly?

#50

Post by neom »

piltdownman wrote: post #23
dukeyukey wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then you need to explain why the Japanese diet, also filled with ultra-processed food, is vastly healthier.

Emphasis on vegetables and fibre, niacin and trace mineral rich seafood, and pickled/preserved foods. Also ultra-processed is contextual. They're eating Nattō for breakfast, not McMuffins.

Friend of mine moved from South Korea to the US and within 6 months had gained a noticeable amount of weight, we discussed it and I said "just gotta watch the calories bud" - confused face - he didn't know how to actually go about calorie counting, he didn't know the calories in 1lb of fat (~3,500), he'd never had to do it in Korea.
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