Dutcher 1

Rane I. Dutcher
P-Tech Student
English
12 May 2016
A Healthy and Delicious Change Needs To Be Made
Jamie Bennett was a 260-pound man with blood pressure and cholesterol problems at the
age of 33. He tried everything to lose his weight; calorie counting, Weight Watchers, everything,
until he decided to participate in October Unprocessed. The main idea of October Unprocessed is
to cut back, or get rid of completely, processed foods from your diet the whole month of October.
Jamie refused to go out to eat, and prevented himself from making plans in case he became
tempted while out. He switched out his diet of fried chicken and Philly steak to pasture-fed beef,
fish, sparkling water, veggies, and fruit. From this diet, he lost 20 pounds in one month, and
Jamie decided to strengthen his resolve and continue on with diet. He now lives a healthier life,
finding that he has more energy to exercise more, breathe easier, and his weight continues
dropping. (How Unprocessed Eating Changed My Life) This story shows that unprocessed foods
are healthier and more nutritious than processed foods. Despite commercial foods appealing
attributes and its simpleness, unprocessed and organic foods would be much healthier for you
and the environment in the long run (while still being delicious)!
Processed foods such as fast food or company made foods are not really as good for you
or the environment than unprocessed food is. Living without processed foods is ultimately
healthier for the human body, as seen in Jamies story. The reason why processed foods are so
unhealthy, according to Dr. Mercola, is because, processed foods may contain dozens of
artificial chemicals that are in no way real "food." These include: Preservatives, Artificial colors,

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artificial flavors (the term artificial flavor on a label may include 10 or more chemicals),
Texturants (chemicals that add a texture to food). Food manufacturers typically claim that
artificial food additives are safe, but research says otherwise. Preservatives, for example, have
been linked to health problems such as cancer, allergic reactions, and more. (Dr. Mercola)
These common ingredients found in processed foods cause health problems like heart disease,
cancer, and diabetes that may just end up killing us. For example, artificial strawberry flavoring
is made up of around 50 different chemical compounds, with strawberry nowhere to be found.
(Artificial Strawberry Flavoring) High Fructose Corn Syrup plays a big part in processed foods
for companies. Fructose is in almost everything you find in the grocery store, and it can cause
some major damage to your body. Fructose, as explained by Mercola, actually "programs" your
body to consume more calories and store fat. (Dr. Mercola)
Unlike organic foods, the substances in commercial foods messes with the brain, making
you want to eat more and more. Processed food industries want to make their food as addicting
as possible, and this is a cause for concern of what they put in our food to make it that addicting.
Dr. Mercola states, processed foods stimulate such a strong reward response in our brains that it
becomes very easy to overeat. One of the guiding principles for the processed food industry is
known as "sensory-specific satiety." (Dr. Mercola) This means that the unnatural chemicals and
such that they put in processed food triggers a reaction of the brain, causing it to secrete
chemicals such as dopamine to make us feel good, and want to eat more. One remaining question
is; if processed food has all these bad things, then why do we have it? There are two answers to
this question. First off, according to the article Do processed foods offer any benefits?, Food
processing enables the year-round availability of foods that have limited growing seasons.
Frozen and canned fruits, vegetables and meat products are examples. (DPFOAB?) This allows

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for humans to have availability to any kind of food year-round. This also allows us humans to
have a greater supply of food that can be kept for longer periods of time to feed our whole
populace, while still saving money. The second reason is because, as stated from Do processed
foods offer any benefits?, Convenience is another major benefit of foods that have been
processed. Imagine not having frozen food or tinned vegetables for that quick and easy Sunday
dinner. (DPFOAB?) Having ready to go foods can help; especially in our very busy lives.
When you dont have time to cook, or you just want something easy and fast, you would find it
more suitable to eat convenient foods, whether they are healthy or not.
Even if people know whats in processed foods, some will not change their eating habits
for fear of something worse in organic food or because of their budget struggles. Both Organic
and Conventional foods have to meet all the same standards, meaning nothing unsavory can be in
organic foods that arent in conventional foods. According to the article Does the consumption
of organic food increase exposure to biological contaminants?, all organic foods must meet the
same quality and safety standards applied to conventional foods. These include the CODEX
General Principles Of Food Hygiene and food safety programmes based on the Hazard
Analysis And Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, where required by national
regulations. (DCOFIEBC) Conventional food industries have been known for the most
contamination outbreaks in the history of food. I think the best option for food is fresh, locally
grown food. The article Does the consumption of organic food increase exposure to biological
contaminants? states that Packaging, processing, transportation and storage is another point
along the path that food travels where contamination could occur, but likewise, this is an
argument equally relevant to both organic and conventional foods. The main aim of packaging is
to ensure food is microbiologically stable for a defined period, and this is achieved by organic

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foods. (DCOFIEBC) Organic foods stay stable and safe to eat for a period of time if they are
packaged properly without the use of preservatives and other manmade chemicals. Organic foods
can be easily kept in mason jars (this also allows you to eat them out of season), and you know
exactly whats in it and where it came from. According to the article NEW REPORT ON
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS, ...Pirog's work propelled a specific
number into the popular consciousness: 1,500 miles, the approximate distance that some food
traveled to a terminal market in Chicago in 1998, according to government data. (NREBLFS)
Car, truck, airplane, and other mobile transportation services that are fast and cheap transport
food. These vehicles cause exhaust to rise in the atmosphere, requires a huge amount of oil and
gas consumption, and increases the possibility of contamination in the food. If everyone were to
eat mostly locally grown food (Im not saying transported food should be cut completely), then
the world will become a lot healthier and the food would be more fresh.
Most people believe that organic foods generally cost more than commercial foods, but
this is not the case. There is actually a wide range, where organic food can be a lot cheaper, the
same price, or a lot more expensive. There are many outside factors that contribute to organic
foods price, like how the crop did that year, how much was actually grown, and what price does
the farmer see fit to sell it at. Even though organic foods may cost a little more than commercial
foods, it makes up for it by its humane processing and its non-chemical practices. You would
know exactly what is in your food; no manmade surprises or things you cant pronounce. (FAO)
According to Consumer Reports, On average, organic foods were 47 percent more expensive,
but the range was huge. In a couple of instances, the organic product was actually cheaper, by as
much as 13 percent for honey at Amazon Fresh. In fact, depending on where we shopped, we
found organic lettuce carrots, maple syrup, olive oil, and cream cheese for the same price or less

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than their conventional counterparts. At the other extreme, organic zucchini cost a whopping 303
percent more than nonorganic at Fresh Direct. (Consumer Reports)
Human decisions on what to do with their food can have impacts on other factors that
may not have been taken into consideration. Taking all factors into consideration (like other
important insects, animal life, human life, how something could be affected by this, etc.) will
ultimately help with coming up with the right answer without threatening any of the other
factors. As stated in the article A Framework For Assessing Effects of the Food System,
Population and community dynamics among species within ecosystems can be affected by
contaminants released into the environment at pollutant levels and by shifts in the availability of
natural resources For example, a broad-spectrum pesticide applied to a crop to control a pest
during production may have significant adverse impacts on non-target pollinating insects in both
farmed and non-farmed areas of the ecosystem. The loss of pollinators, by pesticide exposure
and a variety of other drivers, affects both wild plant population and community diversity as well
as yields of insect-pollinated crops, especially fruits and nuts. (FAEFS) Unlike local farms,
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations raise animals in bulk, causing extremely unhealthy
living conditions and contamination issues. The animals are all cramped together, left there to
waddle around in their own filth until their inevitable demise. The companies then take the
animals (after they have been living in these unsanitary conditions), and cut them up for meat.
Not only can the meat be contaminated, but so can the water in the area. The runoff from the
excrement comes into contact with water, and then the water becomes contaminated. Whether it
be a pond, a water reservoir, or the ocean, some of it gets evaporated up into the sky, having
contaminated rain fall down shortly later. Plants and other farms in the area soak up the rain,
making them contaminated too. It all goes in a cycle, until everything is unhealthy. (FAEFS)

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The use of pesticide/insecticides, the transportation of foods, and the processing of the
foods in factories damage the earth in some way. Pesticides/Herbicides cause damage to plants
and animals, even leaking into our water supply and the ocean, causing even more damage. The
transportation of foods and the processing of foods require fossil fuels and oils (which are
unsustainable resources). The exhaust from the vehicles and the machinery go up into our Earths
atmosphere causing it to deteriorate, making the world hotter (Greenhouse Effect). As seen in the
article A Framework for Assessing Effects of the Food System, ...increased use of mineral
fertilizers is responsible for much of the growth in productivity in U.S. agriculture over the past
50 years, but it also has led to negative impacts on the environment, such as greater greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions and deterioration of water quality. GHG emissions also can result from the
burning of fossil fuels in the food manufacturing process and during food distribution. (FAEFS)
Changes need to be made to make food healthier and less artificial for humans, while also
helping the world in its entirety. Local farms should be located in every county. This way, we
save resources, money, and prevent pollution from food transportation and processing. Most food
would come from local farms (not everything; not giving transported foods away forever), and
there would be less of a chance of contamination of food and water. According to the article
Locavorism On The Rise Everywhere; US Consumers Turn To Smaller, Local Farms,
Community-supported agriculture projects, farmers markets, and other 'local food' systems are
on the rise nationwide, according to a first of its kind index based on US government data. And
supporting this 'locavore' movement is a growing army of consumers who recognize the
connection between their food choices and the impact they have on communities, the
environment, and their own health. (LRECTSLF) If we were to open up more local farms, there
would be more jobs open to maintain the farms. This will give people the opportunity of eating

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fresh, locally grown foods while benefitting the economy by the amount of jobs being opened.
The fresh foods being grown will be far healthier for the human body; without manmade
chemicals and hazardous compounds in our food, our lifespans may be doubled! (LRECTSLF)

Works Cited

"A New Consumer Reports Study Reveals How Much More Youll Pay. Hint: Dont Assume That
Organic Is Always Pricier." Cost of Organic Food. Consumer Reports. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.

"Artificial Strawberry Flavoring." Artificial Strawberry Flavoring. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.

Common Dreams Staff. "'Locavorism on the Rise Everywhere': US Consumers Turn to Smaller, Local
Farms." Common Dreams. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.

"Does the Consumption of Organic Food Increase Exposure to Biological Contaminants?" Organic
Agriculture. FAO. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

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"Do Processed Foods Offer Any Benefits?" Do Processed Foods Offer Any Benefits? (EUFIC). EUFIC.
Web. 21 Apr. 2016.

Mercola, Joseph. "8 Worst of the Worst Ingredients in Processed Foods." Mercola.com. Web. 21 Apr.
2016.

Mercola, Joseph. "Eating Processed Foods Can Make You Sick and Fat." Mercola.com. Web. 20 Apr.
2016.

"New Report On Economic Benefits of Local Food Systems." National Sustainable Agriculture
Coalition. NSAC. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

Nesheim, Malden C. "A Framework for Assessing Effects of the Food System." Environmental Effects of
the U.S. Food System. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.

"Why Is Organic Food More Expensive than Conventional Food?" Organic Agriculture. FAO. Web. 22
Apr. 2016.