Healthy Food: Why do we consume so much corn???

Friday, March 25, 2011

Why do we consume so much corn???

Lately, I have been noticing that Americans are like cattle. I have asked hubby a number of times to watch a fast food line. We are pushed into a line just like cattle is moved into stalls.

The biggest similarity to cows is the large amount of corn the average America is taking in. Did you know, corn, soy or wheat products is in 45,000 items at the grocery store??? That is about 1/3 of the grocery store.

Americans consume too much corn, soy and wheat.

Do you see the problems?

The sad thing is that many Americans may not even know exactly how much corn they are actually consuming. And did you know that corn is the WORST grain to consume??? Corn is everywhere. From high fructose corn syrup, to cornstarch, corn flour, corn bran, to the meat that was raised on corn—and much less obvious, leavenings and lecithin, mono-, di-, and triglycerides, the golden coloring, and even citric acid can all be derived from corn.

Because of this, the American diet is MESSED up. We are now trapped in our own backyard feedlots, and have become obese, sick with chronic disease, and apathetic about the source and nutritional quality of our food—simply because, “It tastes good.” This dysfunctional eating habits has found super sized appetites and food additions despite the affects on ones health.

Did you know Gatorade, Twinkies, Bleech and Hamburger all start with the same ingredient? CORN. Corn is the main ingredient in both edible and non edible products. Disposable diapers, trash bags, toothpaste, charcoal briquettes, matches, batteries, and even the shine on the covers of magazines all contain corn.

Thank goodness my family does not consume a lot of corn, anymore. Our diet consumes of grass-fed beef, pastured chickens, pastured eggs, vegetables (organic and local when possible), fruits (organic if dirty dozen), seeds and nuts (raw). Our health is important to us and should be to you, as well!

I wish the healthy choice picture included meats and good fats (nuts and oil). You get the point! :)

Here are some changes we as a family have decided to make.

1. STOP buying the junk. Shop the outer aisles of the store. There are a few exceptions. Nuts, Coconut milk, shredded coconut, etc are inside aisles. Dairy is outside aisle - WALK AWAY!

2. If you are going to consume dairy, make better choices. Mark at Mark's Daily Apple suggests

Raw, fermented, full-fat dairy is probably best.

Tons of traditional, fairly disease-free groups lived with dairy (just as tons of traditional, fairly disease-free groups lived without it), and they all included some form of fermented or cultured product. Cultured butter, yogurt, kefir, clotted milk, cheese – these are traditional ways of increasing shelf life, improving digestibility, and incorporating beneficial probiotics into the gut. Fermentation takes care of most of the lactose, and some posit that it may even positively alter the structure, function, and safety of casein.

Raw, high-fat dairy is next.

Raw butter and cream are minimally processed sources of good saturated fat. They’re free of most lactose and casein, and let’s face it: butter and cream just make everything taste better. If it’s essentially just pure, raw animal fat from grass-fed animals, without offensive levels of milk proteins and sugars, what’s not to enjoy? Ghee is another good choice, and though it technically isn’t raw, it is pure animal fat without a trace of lactose or casein.

Then raw milk.

I don’t advise regular consumption of raw milk, mind you, but if you can tolerate it (no stomach upset, no bloating, no gas, no intestinal issues) an occasional glass is probably OK as a sensible vice. Some farms will even supplement their raw milk with colostrum (the extra rich, “first run” milk that provides even more vitamins and nutrients), resulting in a lower-carb, higher-fat, higher-protein product. Look for that stuff if you’re thinking of buying raw milk.

Organic, hormone and antibiotic-free dairy (full fat, of course).

Bottom line: don’t consume non-organic dairy if you can help it. Avoid homogenized milk if you can, and try not to purchase pasteurized milk (organic or not) on a regular basis. If you’re out getting coffee or something, the regular half and half or heavy cream are fine, and Kerrygold makes a great pastured, pasteurized butter that’s available nationwide.

3. Be picky with your meat. Ask questions.

Ok - you do not have to be this extreme!!!

Grass-fed beef is better for human health than grain-fed beef in ten different ways, according to the most comprehensive analysis to date. The 2009 study was a joint effort between the USDA and researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina. Compared with grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef was: