Earthly matters

How did we lose control of our diet?

North Americans are some of the most obese people in the world. I believe this is due, in part, to cheap fast food. How this situation got out of control is a certainly a testament to the convenience that mass consumption has inspired. Why has cheap fast food become the very essence of North American culture?

Our quest for convenience has, in some ways, made us lazy when it comes to cooking. The introduction of TV dinners and drive-through restaurants changed everything. Our problems with obesity certainly didn't happen overnight. Over the past five decades we have gone from being active and healthy to sedentary and weight challenged, during which time eating processed foods became the norm.

It is clear that being sedentary is a contributing factor to obesity, the food we eat is also largely responsible. The introduction of high fructose corn syrup, food laden with salt and the "refining" of our food have all contributed to obesity.

In recent years, great pressure has been exerted on food manufacturers to clean up their act by both consumers and healthcare providers. It all started with nutrient labeling, which has certainly had an effect the food industry as all ingredients are now required to be disclosed to the consumer. And for many of us, now that we figured out how to read a label, we are going back to the basics.

Today, many of us are choosing to enlighten ourselves. The sheer growth of the organic food market proves our desire to get back in touch with what we eat. As a result we are creating a new culture; a culture defined by learning about what we eat and how to prepare healthy food. This helps us to make choices that improve the health and wellbeing of ourselves and our families.

Join me in my kitchen and let me teach you how simple it is to prepare delicious and healthy food. Each month you will find a host of new ingredients with updated articles, recipes and pictures right at your fingertips so that you too can take control of your kitchen and your diet.

I want to hear from you! Do you have a tasty recipe with fatty ingredients that you would like to make more healthy? Is there some fruit of vegetable you are curious about? Are you allergic to wheat but love pasta? Please email me your questions, comments and any recipes you would like to share to martine@naturallysavvy.com and let's get cooking!