American Diet

A proper diet should be sufficient, reasonable and include a person’s other aspects, such as age, his food habits and food preferences. A proper diet should meet a person’s overall need for nutrition’s to maintain his overall health. Like all other people in different parts of the world, Americans have also become more health cautious and choosy about what they eat. People have become more concerned about the quality and safety of the food they consume. Awareness of nutritious foods has led to many people opting for organic, vegetarian and other healthy foods in the present market. â€Å"Lite food is in, and indulgence is out. But are Americans practicing what they preach?†(Line no.3, Dietary Trends, American) .   But different surveys indicate that, the diet consumed by majority of the people in America is still lacking in the required nutrition quantities, despite the health consciousness in people. Common Diet Of An American On an average every other youngster in America follow the same diet pattern, more than half of the Americans consume snack items or fast foods on a regular basis, which are high in calories. Consumption of fried chicken form KFC like chicken nuggets is also very high among youngsters. These snack items though very tasty are very high in salt and Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), which is very harmful.   The food that is easily available like potato chips, French fries and other canned and tinned foods also contain a high amount of salt to last for a long time, which is very risky to a persons health.   Consumption of cheese, meat, poultry and fish items have gone up compared to the past.   The reason for this can be that many youngsters either skip there breakfast or lunch, or tend to eat easy and fast food which is readily available in the market to overcome their hunger.All the fast foods are generally deep fried, high in sodium, fat and salt, low in minerals, vitamins and fiber, which are all the main cause for many diseases in Americans.   Some of the common diseases, which affect people who consume fast food are, asthma, autism, stress related problems, depression, cholesterol, diabetes, heart problems and obesity.   And adding to the woes, many KFC outlets offer discounts if a person purchases a larger quantity, which adds empty calories and results in eating more than the required amount, with lesser nutrients. Foods To Avoid The food available in most of the famous outlets for e.g. KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and other fast food outlets are some of the food that one should try to avoid.   Every person should try to avoid the following foods Sausages Scrambled Eggs, Grilled chicken, Hot and spicy chicken, pizza’s, hamburger’s, hotdog’s, French fries, other soups that contain soy sauce, noodles, pasta, white bread, tinned or canned food, instant soup and noodles mix, beef items, processed cheese, salad dressings, potato chips, canned tuna, yeast, dry mushrooms and other salty items. One should remember that, any food, which is high in salt, is also high in MSG.   Every person should carefully read the label to know what the tin contains, before purchasing any food item.   People should also avoid consuming sugar, sweets, aerated, soft drinks and sweetened dishes like pastries, cookies etc. which are high in calories. On an average, the percentage of people consuming soft drinks has been on an alarming rise compared to the past.   Every person who goes to work has a ready soft drink on his desk, to quench his thirst.   It has become impossible for the Government to estimate the soft drink consumption on an annual basis.Foods To Include Important changes in a person’s diet and lifestyle may go a long way in improving one’s health. People should be more inclined to consume raw food, food that has more fiber, fresh fruits and food that is not sprayed with any chemicals or contains any preservatives.   People should be encouraged to consume whole wheat bread, brown rice, legumes and more fresh leafy vegetables, which are high in fiber and more filling.   Foods that are rich in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids are very good for the health, e.g. sardines, mackerel, walnuts, olive oil, canned tuna in olive oil, flaxseeds are very good sources of these acids. An example of a proper vegetarian diet should include fresh fruits, vegetable, whole grains, nuts, eggs, skimmed milk, legumes and trimmed meat or other poultry. Care should be taken to include the necessary vitamins, which are not found in the above-mentioned food. To add more flavor to salad dressings lemon juice, pepper powder, ginger, rosemary and garlic can be used, instead of salt. Oils like, almond, canola, sunflower, flaxseed, olive and sesame oil can be used for cooking.   Taking homemade soups or salads before every meal, is more filling and helps us to eat less in the main course, which helps in not putting on empty calories. People should try to avoid skipping meals and eating at fast food centers and restaurants, and make it a habit to eat proper healthy and hygienically home-cooked meals, which are high in nutrients and fiber. One should avoid eating a meal in front of the television, as we may tend to eat more than the required quantity of food.   A combination of a healthy and nutritious diet, with proper exercise, good fitness, a positive attitude towards life and a healthy and happy lifestyle is the perfect remedy to every young American.Works CitedDietary Trends, American, 20 February 2007, http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Diab-Em/Dietary-Trends-American.html.What Foods to Avoid, 20 February 2007, http://www.msgtruth.org/avoid.htm.