What Are We Eating? Big Food Has Ruined Our Diets and It's Making Us Very Sick

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the food we eat every day. As many of you know, healthcare is my bread and butter, and I encounter countless people almost daily suffering from illnesses directly linked to their diet. A question I often find myself asking is: What are we really putting into our bodies? Everywhere you look, grocery store shelves are packed with foods that is cheap, convenient, and visually appealing. Walk past a fast food joint, and the aroma is irresistible. But here’s the catch: most of these foods are ultra-processed and loaded with sugars, unhealthy fats, and salt. It’s no wonder chronic diseases like diabetes, cancers and hypertension are skyrocketing. And guess who’s benefiting? Big Health and Big Pharma. Stay tuned.

Big Foods are massive corporations dominating the food industry and have fundamentally changed the way we eat, and not for the better. In their pursuit of profit, they’ve prioritized convenience and taste, sidelining what’s good for us. As a result, many of us are consuming food engineered in laboratories to hit that "sweet spot/buds" of flavor but leave us nutritionally empty or deficient. Pause here and let that sink in.

Now let’s break it down. Most of the processed foods we eat are packaged with added sugars. It’s crucial we understand this and educate each other as we go. I’m sharing this out of the passion and experience I have first hand, and I know what I’m talking about. Trust me. The next time you go food shopping, take a closer look at the labels. See how many grams of sugars are in that pastries you love so much. It’s not just desserts or sodas; sugar is hidden in everything from bread to salad dressings. These sugars spike our blood sugar, leading to weight gain and that automatically increased the risk of diabetes. And the truth is, many people are suffering from this and are deeply unhappy with their weight because of the foods we eat, making it hard to ever lose a pound. 

It’s in a way a vicious cycle, trapping many of us without realizing it. The food we consume makes it almost impossible to lose weight, yet guarantees weight gain simply by its chemical composition.

Then there’s salt. Processed foods are loaded with sodium to preserve them and enhance flavor. Some of these foods have an indefinite shelf life because of the excessive sodium content. Can you imagine that? Too much salt raises blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease. Just think about it this way, where there is salt, water loves to go thereby leading to elevated blood pressures. And let’s not forget the unhealthy fats; particularly trans fats and excessive saturated fats that are added to make these processed foods more palatable and shelf-stable. These fats contribute to obesity, heart disease, and a host of other health problems.

And here’s the kicker: healthy food is hard to find, and when you do find it, it’s expensive. Walk into any grocery store and compare the price of fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats to a box of sugary cereal or frozen dinners. The healthier options will cost you an arm and a leg, especially if you’re trying to buy organic produce. For most families, particularly those on tight budgets it’s easier to buy what fills the stomach quickly rather than what’s health-conscious. It’s a sad reality that fast food is cheaper than fresh food. Always. 

This brings us to the heart of the problem: Big Food is driven by profit at all costs. They know we’re drawn to the sugary, salty, and fatty flavors they pack into their products, and they exploit that knowledge to their greedy advantage. They prioritize shelf life over our health, convenience over nourishment. And while we suffer the health consequences, these corporations rake in billions in profits, annually.

The long-term effects are clear with these chronic diseases plaguing our society. The rates of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease are at an all-time high. These are preventable illnesses, yet they’re becoming more common because the food industry has conditioned us to crave the very things that are making us sick.

It’s absolutely unfortunate, but true: we’re a society driven by convenience. And in many cases, the easiest and cheapest food is the worst for us. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We need to push back against Big Foods, demand healthier options, and find ways to make nutritious food more accessible and affordable. We also need to educate ourselves and others about what’s really in the foods we’re eating. In my line of work, education is a big component but it is sad to say that most people don’t care unless they are actively suffering with an illness due to the consequences of them not caring. Nonetheless, we must teach or educate as we go. Don’t assume people know. 

In the meantime, we can start by making small changes in our own lives. Cooking at home more often is a great first step. Try to read labels carefully and choose whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible. Any food with a long laundry list of ingredients that you cannot pronounce, not to talk of understand what it is, skip it. If it can rot, it’s good for you. It might not be easy, and it might cost a bit more, but our health is worth it. Because, ultimately, whatever we’re eating is either making us stronger or making us weak and sick. Right now, too many of us are on the wrong side of that equation. Let’s work together, Mathematically, to balance it out simultaneously. 

I remain your pal, ~Ronnie