Real Food Revolution: What Is It? Why Do We Need It?
What is the Real Food Revolution?
The Real Food Revolution started from a book written by Ohio congressman, Tim Ryan, in 2014. The book was written to explain the health crisis we have on our hands here in America and talk about ways we can go about solving these issues at hand.
The Crisis
Congressman Ryan explains that the crisis taking place is happening when thousands upon thousands of Americans are facing a variety of health issues, many of them due to what we are consuming, as our government continues pushing policies and strategies that make eating bad or fake food the most convenient option.
What Makes Food Fake/Bad?
Simply stated, ingredients that are not natural are what make foods fake and/or bad. This includes processed foods, foods with high fructose corn syrup, fillers, and basically, any ingredients you can’t pronounce or explain what they are.
Another way to tell- real foods cannot be preserved for endless amounts of time. There is no reason that those cheese crackers should have an expiration date three years from now if they are indeed fresh cheese and fresh ingredients!
Good foods would be those that haven’t been processed. Fresh (and organic) meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts (basically anything on our menu).
What’s In It for a Congressman?
Congressman Ryan recognized this epidemic and identified that the unhealthy foods our society and our government are promoting were, in fact, making citizens ill. And what happens when a large part of the population is ill (many with chronic, autoimmune diseases)? It costs us a lot of healthcare dollars! He believes we need a Real Food Revolution.
Mr. Ryan explains that we’re at a point where the government has effectively prescribed a diet for Americans, which is one that makes us sick. Once we are ill with various issues, they are having to prescribe us expensive medications to treat those illnesses.
He goes on to say that it’s our own tax dollars that are making fake/bad foods cheap because Congress is subsidizing the fake food industry so that the products are cheap enough and easily accessible enough for everyone in this country. Our money is mainly going to producers of corn, wheat, and soy- which are the biggest contributors to bad foods. On top of that, very little of our hard earned income is going to the small, regional farmers who produce fresh crops such as vegetables and fruits. So in short, we are paying to make cheap/fake food, then paying to heal people who eat the cheap/fake food, and it’s a vicious cycle.
The Future is… Bleak and Obese
On top of costing us in tax dollars and healthcare, a bigger issue is what we are teaching our young ones. What is our curriculum setup to teach kids? Why is it that when we visit schools, we are finding kids chugging sodas and eating all kinds of sugary, processed, fake foods? If we continue at this rate, our country will quickly become more sick, more obese, and more uneducated in what they really should be consuming to live an active and healthy lifestyle.
The weight of the average American has gone up 20 pounds in the last 50 years. This is clearly linked to the fact that on average, Americans are consuming 70 pounds of sugar a year and 500 more calories per day than we did just 40 years ago. The fact that the government is not taking note of this, or worse yet- doesn’t care, is beyond alarming.
What Can We Do About It?
The main takeaway is that the addiction to bad foods has created an epidemic of sorts for the American people. Whether it’s obesity, chronic illness, food insecurity, or other health disasters stemming from poor nutrition, the majority of American’s health are in decline due to our food system.
Congressman Ryan urges us, as a nation, to educate ourselves in what we are feeding our bodies. He urges the government to realize that there is little more important than making good food affordable, safe, and accessible. He also believes both political parties could unite on this front as it’s an overall issue that affects everyone.
For those of us that have educated ourselves and understand our flawed system, we need to continue pushing for healthier reform. Write letters, voice your opinions at town halls, do your part to push for a healthier America, as our future depends on it. Let’s continue the Real Food Revolution!
