Professor Williams
English 1010
7 October 2012
Organic Food vs. Processed Food How important is the food that the averages person puts into their bodies every day? Eating is a way of making peace, passing the time, sharing friendships, and having a communion. The narrator of Food Inc points out that, “The way we eat has changed more in the last 50 years than in the previous 10,000” (2008). How has it changed? Americans have gone from eating hunter-gatherer style organic greens and fruits, to severely processed sugars, carbohydrates, and high protein meats. Most Americans eat something similar to a “chicken and pasta” diet nowadays. This may not be bad, but is this “new” food really better for us than what people ate 50 and 100 years ago? Organic foods are substances that are produced using ways that do not involve modern unneeded synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Organic foods are also not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives (dictionary). Convenience food, or tertiary processed food, is commercially prepared food designed for ease of buying and consuming. Products designated as “convenience or processed foods” are often prepared so they can be sold as hot, ready-to-serve plates; as room-temperature, long lasting shelf life products; or as refrigerated or frozen products that require minimal preparation (usually just microwaving). There are studies that show that the food people consume on a daily basis
Taylor 2 can influence them for years to come, and can impact the longevity of lives through weight fluctuation, energy, and healing powers. The most common ads on TV nowadays are weight loss commercials. The average American is overweight, sluggish, and unhealthy. More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese (Ogden). How does food control our weight? Does processed food cause weight gain more than organic would? Processed and packaged food is filled with unnatural