In a pleasantly surprising bit of news, the U.S. is now the 9th fattest country in the world. That’s down from number 2 in 2013 and number 1 in 2012. We’re definitely on the right track, but with just shy of 200 countries worldwide, we’re surely not doing well and the obesity epidemic is far from controlled.

Obesity has plagued our nation for years and has resulted in a rise in related diseases, including heart
disease, stroke , and diabetes. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over half a
million people now die from heart disease alone every year. Even more shockingly, many of these diseases can be prevented in a majority of cases.

The main causes of obesity are understandably physical inactivity and poor diet, which certainly are lifestyle choices. However, an additional and often overlooked contributor to the problem is our FDA certified food itself.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long under-evaluated the nutritional content of the food they evaluate. At times, the FDA has offered poor—and sometimes even harmful—advice. But hope is on the horizon.

In November of 2013, the FDA took a first step in placing a ban on the public use of trans fats, or
partially hydrogenated oils, and in June of 2015, they started requiring food labels to include levels of trans fats. While the “phase out” process is currently underway, and will continue to be lengthy, the motivation to begin the process is immediate.

This is very positive news for the American public. Just imagine a country free from the slavery of partially hydrogenated oils!

“Current intake remains a significant public health concern , ” FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in a written statement. “There is no safe level of consumption of trans fat.”

The reason for this is that trans fats are in everything. As many of you know, it’s a real challenge keeping them–and many of the other poisons that contaminate our food supply–out of your home.

What is Trans Fat?

Trans fats are unsaturated fats that are rarely found in nature, but can be created in a lab. They are most commonly found in foods such as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, or shortening. These nasty fats have been used in American food manufacturing since 1911.

Partially hydrogenated oil is formed when hydrogen is added to liquid oils to make solid fats. Food manufacturers love it because it prevents food from spoiling on market shelves and even enhances flavors. Unfortunately, these fats lack any semblance of health benefit yet are still found everywhere. Everything
from chocolate chip cookies to fast food hamburgers and frozen pizzas are loaded with trans fats.

Since your body cannot recognize or metabolize these fats, they naturally contribute to weight gain by clinging to cell membranes and preventing cellular detoxification. Beyond the concern of weight loss, these damaged fats also adhere to arterial walls, cause inflammation and damage, and contribute to heart attacks and stroke. The natural rise in cholesterol, in response to the damage caused by such fats, is the body’s attempt to heal
itself. Unfortunately, we’ve been led to believe that taking medications to forcefully lower the number of “healing agents” in the body will address the true cause of the problem—when clearly, it won’t.

Careless and cost-driven food manufacturing processes are the clear-cut cause of the problem. Fortunately, the FDA has finally chosen to recognize one of the real issues at hand, which is a huge step because so many of us depend on our government regulators to have our best interests in mind, and it seems in this case at least, the FDA is justifying its existence and living up to its mission.

What You Can Do?

Taking care of your family can be confusing in a time where the cheapest , most convenient foods are created
in a lab rather than grown from the ground. Learn to protect your family from the dangers of the “modern” North American diet by following our customized diet plans, reading the labels on the foods you buy and keeping up to date with our recipes site. You will get see dozens of tasty, heart healthy recipes and learn more about how to fuel your body properly–and they’re tasty too.