Fast Food Genocide

by Dr. Joel Fuhrman

  We have seen how processed foods have become increasingly prevalent in the SAD. During the twentieth century, the consumption of fresh produce and whole grains plummeted, while the consumption of animal products increased. As a result, Americans now consume far more white flour, sugar, oil, salt, animal protein, and animal fats, and lots more calories, and far less fiber and plant-derived phytochemicals. The incidences of obesity, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, and cancer have skyrocketed. With the advent and growth of the processed food industry and the fortification of foods with synthetic vitamins, a shocking thing happened: Cancer rates increased for seventy years, from 1935 to 2005.1 Cancer rates and obesity-related mortality are continuing to climb worldwide as countries adopt the American-led consumption of fast food.

  CHANGE IN PER PERSON FOOD CONSUMPTION 1900 2000

  Sugar (lbs/year) 5 170

  Soft drinks (gall/year) 0 53

  Oils (lbs/year) 4 74

  Cheese (lbs/year) 2 30

  Meat (lbs/year) 140 200

  Homegrown produce (lbs/year) 131 11

  Calories 2,100 2,757

  Fortified processed foods do not contain the comprehensive array of delicate nutrients that protect the brain. Calculating all the calories in the SAD coming from health-promoting foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, and whole grains, adds up to less than 10 percent of the calories Americans consume nationwide, though the numbers for inner cities and the southeast United States are much worse. This dangerously low intake of fresh produce guarantees a weakened immunity to infectious disease, leading to frequent illness and a shorter, more difficult life. The current medical system approaches this myriad of acute and chronic symptoms from the perspective of “pill for an ill” or “surgery for a fix.” We are simply ignoring the primary cause of these symptoms and pushing temporary solutions that often intensify risk.

  And, as we’ve seen, our fast food diets are even damaging our genetic code, which is passed on to future generations.

  Many people cannot understand why, in all areas across the United States and among all economic groups, the consumption of calories has increased so much over the past seventy years and continues to do so. People don’t want to be overweight, but they can’t seem to help themselves. Have you ever been on a diet and find yourself losing and gaining the same 10, 20, or 30 pounds? Have you experienced how difficult it is to regain a favorable, healthy weight, once you’ve put on an extra 30 pounds? My findings over the past twenty-five years with more than fifteen thousand patients, along with thousands of supportive research studies, show that a poorly nourished body demands more calories, and those demands can be too powerful to ignore.

  Most people eat too many calories because they don’t eat enough nutrients. Nutritional inadequacy magnifies food addiction and the desire to overeat. It makes the craving to eat too frequently and too much feel overwhelming.

  Eating more of the right foods to supply the nutrients the body needs can decrease overeating behavior and the desire for excessive calories. The information presented here will reduce your need for prescription drugs, lower your risk of developing life-shortening diseases, and enable the reversal of serious disease; it will also help you control your emotional and addictive overeating, thus helping you to prefer to eat less and to eat more healthfully. It may even enhance the pleasure you get from eating.

  UNDERSTANDING NUTRIENT DENSITY

  There are two kinds of nutrients: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrate, fat, and water. Excluding water, they are the three calorie-containing nutrients. Micronutrients are vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, and they are calorie-free. The SAD contains too many macronutrients and not enough micronutrients. A micronutrient-rich diet supplies your body with fourteen different vitamins, twenty-five separate minerals, and thousands of phytochemicals that have a profound effect on human cell function and the immune system. Foods that are naturally rich in these micronutrients are also rich in fiber and water and are naturally low in calories. The ratio of micronutrients to calories in a food is the nutrient density of that food.

  Given the thousands of fragile phytonutrients in a berry or a sprig of broccoli, nutrient intake is more complex than originally thought. You cannot buy superior nutrition with a series of health-food store supplements; colorful plant food is just too complex and complete with beneficial substances, many of which have not even been identified yet.

  The secret to a successful, healthy, and happy life is to eat a diet lower in calories and higher in micronutrients. It’s all about nutrient bang per caloric buck. The nutrient density of your body’s tissues is proportional to the nutrient density of your diet. My “Health Equation” represents this concept of striving for micronutrient adequacy in fewer calories to improve health and life span:

  H = N/C

  Health = Nutrients/Calories

  The SAD does the opposite; it contains lots of high-calorie foods that are deficient in micronutrients. To achieve superior health and longevity, we must eat more foods that are micronutrient-rich and have fewer empty calories. Very few people are aware of this simple concept, which explains why oils are NOT healthy. They are rich in calories but are virtually devoid of nutrients and fiber.

  In addition, eating fewer calories or moderate caloric restriction in the environment of micronutrient adequacy slows the aging process and advances health and longevity. However, what is also conventionally ignored is that little effort to restrict calories is needed once you consume a diet that is nutritionally superior. When you consume all the high-nutrient produce your body needs, you automatically desire the right amount of calories and no longer feel comfortable eating the amount of food that sustains an unfavorable weight. In other words, it is actually difficult to remain overweight when your diet is excellent.

  THE TOP 20 SUPERFOODS

  1.Collards, mustard greens, and turnip greens

  2.Kale

  3.Watercress

  4.Bok choy

  5.Cabbage (all varieties)

  6.Spinach

  7.Arugula

  8.Lettuce (Boston, romaine, and green leaf)

  9.Brussels sprouts

  10.Carrots

  11.Broccoli

  12.Cauliflower

  13.Bell peppers (red and green)

  14.Mushrooms

  15.Tomatoes

  16.Berries (all varieties)

  17.Pomegranates and cherries

  18.Onions (and leeks, scallions, and garlic)

  19.Beans (all varieties)

  20.Seeds (flax, hemp, chia, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower)

  The more high-nutrient food you consume, the less low-nutrient food you desire.

  Most traditional dieting concepts have encouraged people to try to juggle macronutrients around—eat more protein and less fat, eat fewer carbs and more protein, eat lots of carbs and no fat, and more variations on this theme. Different camps of thought try to produce studies and reasons why their approach is best. However, long-term diet success and excellent health are rarely achieved with such juggling, because rearranging macronutrient ratios is not very helpful and doesn’t address our body’s need for micronutrients.

  Conventional diet plans all miss the main issue of nutrient density and nutrient completeness, so inevitably they fail. We need to eat less carbs, less protein, and less fat—and that means fewer calories. But there isn’t one ratio of fats to carbs to protein that is ideal; in fact, there are various ratios of fat-carbohydrate-protein that are acceptable and even favorable, as long as calories are not overconsumed and micronutrient needs are adequately met.

  Eating enough protein is rarely an issue when eating healthfully. Beans, greens, and seeds are particularly high in protein. Many people do not realize that high-nutrient plants contain adequate protein, so even when people eat a totally vegan diet, they get enough protein as long as they don’t consume too many calories from oils, sweets, or white flour, which have almost no
protein in them at all. Our population is so uninformed that people generally equate protein only with animal products when in fact, almost all plant foods (except fruit) have plenty of protein. Your diet has to be rich in vegetables; otherwise, the nutrients that fuel cellular repair and normal immune function will not be supplied in adequate amounts.

  PROTEIN CONTENT OF COMMON FOODS (GRAMS)

  Almonds (3 ounces) 18.0

  Lentils, cooked (1 cup) 17.9

  Kidney beans, cooked (1 cup) 15.4

  Chickpeas, cooked (1 cup) 14.5

  Sesame seeds (½ cup) 12.8

  Sunflower seeds (½ cup) 11.5

  Broccoli, frozen, cooked (2 cups) 11.4

  Tofu, extra firm (4 ounces) 11.3

  Collards, cooked (2 cups) 10.3

  Spinach, frozen (1 cup) 7.6

  Peas, frozen (1 cup) 7.0

  Ground beef, 80% lean, broiled (4 ounces) 29.1

  Chicken drumstick, fried 7.2

  Whole milk (1 cup) 7.7

  MAKING EVERY CALORIE COUNT

  Most health authorities agree that we should add more servings of healthy fruits and vegetables to our diet, but I address this issue in a different fashion. Instead of trying to add these foods to your diet, make them the main focus of the diet and then consume lesser amounts of foods that are not in this category. The poorer your health, the more your diet has to be vegetable-based. Animal products should be seen as condiments to this plant-predominant diet. Here are my basic guidelines for a healthful diet.

  •Eat a large green salad every day.

  •Eat at least a ½ cup serving of beans in a soup, salad, burger, or main dish every day.

  •Eat at least three fresh fruits a day.

  •Eat at least 1 ounce of raw nuts or seeds a day, plus 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds or chia seeds daily.

  •Eat at least one large serving of cooked or defrosted frozen green vegetables daily.

  •Do not eat more than one small serving of animal products per day.

  Almost all vitamins and minerals are much higher in a diet of mostly natural foods; the real difference is noted when you measure phytochemicals and especially when you test the antioxidant levels inside the body’s tissues, which can be up to one hundred–fold higher, with the toxic elements one hundred–fold lower.

  FAST FOOD MENU VS. NUTRITARIAN MENU

  FAST FOOD MENU

  BREAKFAST

  LUNCH

  DINNER

  2 glazed doughnuts

  Medium (24-ounce) frozen coffee beverage

  Fast food hamburger

  Medium fast food French fries

  Large (32-ounce) cola

  Canned chicken noodle soup

  Frozen macaroni and cheese

  Six chicken nuggets (frozen, prepared)

  12 ounces sweetened ice tea

  Three chocolate chip cookies

  PER SERVING: CALORIES 3,493; PROTEIN 81G; CARBOHYDRATES 499G; TOTAL FAT 142G; SATURATED FAT 49G; CHOLESTEROL 286MG; SODIUM 5,680MG; FIBER 18.4G; VITAMIN A 3,477IU; VITAMIN C 10MG; CALCIUM 659MG; IRON 14.7MG; FOLATE 263MCG; MAGNESIUM 191MG; ZINC 8.5MG; SELENIUM 43MCG

  PROTEIN 9%; CARBOHYDRATE 55%; FAT 36%

  NUTRITARIAN MENU

  BREAKFAST

  LUNCH

  DINNER

  Oatmeal with strawberries and flaxseeds

  Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

  Taco Salad Wraps

  Roasted red pepper over wilted spinach with garlic

  Fresh or frozen berries

  Water

  Romaine lettuce salad with tomato, red onion, walnuts, and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing

  Broccoli topped with black beans and Spicy Red Lentil Sauce

  Dr. Fuhrman’s Vanilla or Chocolate Nice Cream

  PER SERVING: CALORIES 1,969; PROTEIN 78G; CARBOHYDRATES 321G; TOTAL FAT 58G; SATURATED FAT 6.7G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 660MG; FIBER 82G; VITAMIN A 71,162IU; VITAMIN C 641MG; CALCIUM 1,030MG; IRON 34MG; FOLATE 1,704MCG; MAGNESIUM 853MG; ZINC 11.6MG; SELENIUM 30MCG

  PROTEIN 15%; CARBOHYDRATE 61%; FAT 24%

  The Nutritarian menu has sixty times the amount of vitamin C, but more than one hundred times the amount of disease-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals—the fast food menu has almost none.

  Note that the Nutritarian menu contains about half the calories of the typical fast food menu. Very active larger individuals may require more calories, and smaller, inactive people even fewer calories; but regardless of your optimal caloric needs, this diet style is more filling and satisfying because of all the fiber, bulk, and nutrients. People are satisfied with significantly fewer calories when they eat healthier foods; plus all the nutrients they receive lessen the perception of hunger, thereby naturally normalizing and optimizing weight. Imagine the transformation of health, performance, and emotional well-being in the population if everyone ate a Nutritarian breakfast and a Nutritarian lunch or dinner!

  For breakfast, it’s so easy to have a cup of steel cut oats or other whole grain soaked in water overnight or cooked in water, with some added almond or soy milk, fresh or frozen fruit, ground flaxseeds, and walnuts—and for lunch, a bowl of vegetable bean soup, a salad with a nut-based vinegar dressing, and some fruit. I encourage people to make a big pot of vegetable bean soup or stew on the weekend and eat it throughout the week.

  Eating healthfully does not have to be complicated.

  THE SALAD IS THE MAIN DISH

  My mantra is to eat salad every day. Raw vegetables, especially raw green vegetables, are linked to a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease and a much longer life.2 Certain families of raw vegetables are particularly effective in preventing cancer, especially the cruciferous vegetables and the Allium (onion) genus. Add raw onions, scallions, arugula, shredded cabbage, or kale to your salad, as well as beans, frozen peas or lentils, and maybe some fresh fruit, such as shredded apple or orange slices. Then coat it with a fantastic dressing.

  A nut- or seed-based dressing, usually mixed with vinegar and other flavorful and healthy elements, facilitates the absorption of the fat-soluble phytochemicals and antioxidants in your salad and the meal. Plus the seeds and nuts and even the vinegar have health benefits. I love making delicious salad dressings by blending nuts, seeds, and fruity vinegars with tomato sauce, another liquid, or fruit. Eating delicious and healthy salads is the secret to a long and healthy life.

  Everyone should be eating a large salad as a main dish at least once a day. It’s not optional; raw vegetables are essential for excellent health.

  SEEDS AND NUTS TO THE RESCUE

  You can absorb almost ten times as much of the beneficial nutrients from vegetables when you eat nuts or seeds with that same meal. So use them in salad dressings, a dip or sauce or sprinkled on top of a dish. Flaxseeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts are highest in omega-3 fatty acids, though pistachios, pecans, and almonds are very nutritious, too. Flaxseeds and chia seeds also have the anticancer lignans I emphasized in Chapter 3. I strongly recommend that people eat at least one tablespoon of flax, hemp, or chia every day, as well as a small amount of walnuts. I usually add them every morning to my soaked grain cereal, but you can make all types of dishes, recipes, and desserts that incorporate these superfoods, as I do in my meals.

  Make salads and other dips and dishes with any nut and seed, especially sunflower seeds, which are rich in natural vitamin E fragments and protein. I recommend eating nuts and seeds raw or just lightly toasted because the roasting process alters their beneficial nutrients and produces a carcinogenic compound called acrylamide. Commercially packaged nuts and seeds are also frequently cooked in oil and may be heavily salted.

  THE VEGETABLE BEAN SOUP, STEW, OR CHILI IS THE SECRET

  It’s not hard to eat to live. The trick to making this work without having to shop and cook almost every day is to do one big shopping trip on the weekend, and then that same day, make a big pot of vegetable bean soup or stew for the entire week. You can take that bean soup or chili with you to work or school or when
you travel away from home.

  Soup is a key menu item in the Nutritarian diet. It’s easy to incorporate lots of green leafy vegetables, beans, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes all in one pot. Nutrients don’t get lost in the cooking water when you make a soup. Soups and stews are cooked at 212°F, the boiling point of water. This moisture and the relatively low temperature prevent burning of the food and the resulting nutrient loss and formation of harmful compounds. Soups make great leftovers. Make a big pot, enjoy it for dinner, and then have it for lunch for the next few days.

  In my home we usually make in advance both a favorite soup, such as split pea or spicy sweet and sour cabbage and corn, and a dark bean chili for the entire week. We also make at least one of our favorite salad dressings on the weekend, too. Then it’s easy during the week to whip up a meal in no time flat, with a thick, hearty soup and some salad, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.

  Beans are softer and more digestible if you soak them in water the night before and cook them the next day for a few hours over a low flame. You can also cook dry beans in a pressure cooker to reduce cooking time. If you use canned beans, make sure to select brands that are labeled as “low-sodium” or “no-salt-added.”

  Remember, soups and other foods don’t need salt to be delicious. You can add flavor by using herbs, spices, garlic, onions, and lemon. For example, start your soup or other dish with onions and garlic; then add in your choice of herbs and spices while cooking and finish with a splash of citrus or vinegar. A hint of spiciness from black pepper, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes is sometimes just what a soup needs. Stock up on some no-salt seasoning blends, which are a quick and convenient way to add flavor.

  And beans aren’t just for soups and chili; they have lots of uses. Dried beans are inexpensive, super healthy, rich in protein, low-glycemic, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, weight-loss favorable, life span extending, filling, and delicious. When you mix beans with some intact whole grains and chopped greens, a bit of spicy peppers and scallions or onions, you have a great main dish.