Human history abounds with legends and prejudices about what is and what is not. What will happen in the future? In the 1860-ies of the diet, there was only one diet of Banting. It presented a full-bodied English undertaker William Banting, which is clearly treated better than he deserved. His diet first became popular diet. Bunting insisted on the reduction in the consumption of starchy and sweet carbohydrates and increasing the consumption of meat to 170 grams a day — but not pork, because I thought that it contains carbohydrates. And all this soaked in two or three glasses of good Bordeaux.
Since Banting the number of popular diets have increased significantly. There were many miracle products, above for weight loss and special secret ingredients, but how many of them really changed the process of our food consumption?
Why the recommendation of “good” and “bad” foods are always changing?
The basis of science lies one important fact: nothing is “proven” 100%, and the same goes for nutrition. That is demonized now, perhaps, will form the basis of a healthy diet in the next year, scientists will open new vistas for research.
Remember when eggs were considered the work of the devil because of their cholesterol content? Then in 1995, the study showed that even if there are two eggs per day, there will be no negative consequences for the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Eggs also contain many other good things, protein, vitamins, minerals, so now they recommend to eat.
The oil also caused panic in the 1980-ies, when I found out about cholesterol and saturated fats, and its popularity declined sharply in favor of margarine. Then everyone started to worry even more about TRANS fats in margarine.
Is there a perfect meal?
It would be great if we could have everything that I want and then fix all the problems a handful of blueberries or walnuts. But our concern the ideal food does not coincide with the principles of healthy eating, says nutritionist rosemary Stanton.
“The concern of the ideal food — it’s just one of the signs of the never-ending search for a magic wand that will solve all the problems,” she says. “This approach, which ignores the multivariate nature of diet-related health problems is probably one of the biggest myths”.
To date, the best approach is to comply with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
“Enriched foods” and nutraceuticals: what is it?
Since in our heads crept thoughts that some nutrients are “useful” for us, the food industry manufacture food that will contain high value of these substances. It can be bread enriched with folic or nicotinic acid, salt with iodine, and margarine with vitamin D. Such foods holds the thread from medicine to food, and the addition of nutrients allows the manufacturer to talk about the increased use of the product, which is not always true.
Stanton sees this as a simple and self-serving distraction from the real health food: fresh ingredients.
Oddly enough, the idea of artificial food attributed to a French chemist of the 19th century Marcelino bertlo, and it led to the prediction of the future era of the chemical food. In one of his articles, published in 1896, the author brings thoughts bertlo to the max and claims that the nutrients in the steak can easily be used together with the little tablet.
That food the future preparing for us?
Science fiction fans may recall the 1973 film “soylent Green”, where the population eats a special diet, including the mysterious “green colentum”. At the climax of the film reveals the true ingredient: people. And despite the sinister origins — or perhaps in tribute to the film “Soylent” is currently available as a product which, upon application, contains all the proteins, carbohydrates, fats and micronutrients needed by our body in the form of a drink or snack. However, this is achieved at the expense of crisp apples, steaks medium rare, fresh chunks of bread or cheese.
Another classic of science fiction, “the Flight of Logan”, hints at what future food will come from sea, not land. Currently, the oceans already provide 16% of our overall protein intake, but together with the growing interest in several less obvious sources of nutrients from the marine environment, like algae.
Spirulina — a type of seaweed — have long been included in the list of healthy foods, but interest in other green marine products is growing steadily as microalgae, according to research, contain a great part of the correct types of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It is assumed that algae is less environmentally harmful alternative crops.
Past, present and future of the food we eat
Ilya Hel