It's no surprise that Americans are known for being unhealthy eaters. It's proven that we consume far too much sugar, starch, cheese and red meat and not enough fruits and vegetables. For example, could you imagine eating the bacon cheeseburger with pickles and ranch on a donut shown above? Me either. But plenty of Americans enjoy food just like that on a daily basis.
Studies have been done showing effects of all this unhealthy eating; more of the country becomes obese, the people begin to exercise less; we’ve heard it all. However, what you haven't heard is that it may be partly the fault of all the companies who sell the food. The Guardian published an article explaining that the companies are selling ridiculously unhealthy food because they are worried about business. Quantity over quality. They focus all on the money and selling the food rather than making good quality food for their customers.
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The average American citizen does not purposely eat greasy, fatty foods every day; it's just what's available to them. It's easy to stop by McDonald's and pick up a Big Mac for a few bucks on your way to work. It's convenient and quick, so people fall into the trap of eating these foods every day, and the companies get more and more business.
However, if fast food companies were more focused on producing slightly less greasy, sugary, unhealthy foods, the people would still be just as willing to pay. In other words, Americans don't think to themselves “well, there's a super unhealthy delicious fast food place there, and a healthier delicious place there, I'll go to the unhealthy one!” They go to the unhealthy places because they're cheaper and quicker, not because the want to eat unhealthy food.
But for many people living in low-income areas, unhealthy fast food may be the only option. Lots of Americans can't afford to go to the supermarket every day and buy supplies for a healthy homemade dinner, let alone dine at a high-end restaurant. They are basically forced into eating unhealthy food. They need more options; they need healthy options that are tasty and cheap.
So if those fast food places were healthier, Americans would still enjoy them and be able to afford them. Plus at the same time, we wouldn't be known for our unhealthy eating habits.
Unfortunately, it's not that easy. Companies who sell unhealthy food sell it because people buy it. There's a large demand for fast food, so therefore companies produce a large supply of it. If we want restaurants and fast food places to become healthier, we have to make a change. Companies won't just start selling healthier food; there has to be a demand. In order for a change to be made, the people need to refuse to buy the unhealthy food, and they need to demand healthier food. This may seem hard to make happen, but when people are educated and informed, they will stand up for what they believe in. So stand up for what you believe in, and hopefully one day America won't be known as the unhealthy, obese country.
