Making Better Food Choices

The knowledge about food that is available now has been generated from years of learning which foods are beneficial given a certain circumstance. It was noticed that certain foods have benefits for the human body that could not be ignored which led to investigation as to what is contained in the foods we consume (5).

The age of information is one that allows for conscious decision making based on in-depth analysis and scientific evidence although some of the data that circulates the information space is at times opinionated or could be a form of propaganda. Today we will look at the importance your food choices and the factors which impact the nutritional value of the foods you consume to help you next time you make food.

The famous quote of Hippocrates, “let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food” was leaning towards being aware of the power food has over human bodies. Eating well reduces the risk of physical health problems and helps with sleeping patterns, energy levels and general health. Usually, food is consumed as a form of sustenance, but food has nutritional benefits that allows maximum usage of the human body whilst preserving it. (6)

Nutritional value information is now made available to govern food quality and as a measure of a well-balanced ratio of required nutritional compounds. Nutrition labels allow one to make well-informed and improved food choices. In South Africa, a food label law was passed in 2010 by the Department of Health to regulate food products through a compliance criterion (2).

Food and health are interlinked. Some ailments can be managed by a diet that counteracts the effects of ills. Genetics plays a huge role in understanding human pathology. Some people are more susceptible to certain disorders than others and it is all based on self-awareness by understanding that some foods are best left alone for certain individuals (7).

After consumption of food there are reactions that occur in the body because food has compounds that the body uses. An example would be antioxidants, there are foods that are a rich source of this compound eg. Berries and Dark green veggies. The body already has antioxidants and is not completely vulnerable but with the consumption of these food types allow your body to have a better advantage of removing free radicals which is the antagonist to antioxidants (1).

The use of food to give the body the best defence mechanism is a science that dates back generations. Tribes and cultures have certain diets that cater for that specific genetic lineage. Self-awareness is vital in making better food choices that cater for specific individuals.

Next time you are making your normal food purchases, take into account the ingredients present in your food and consider whether that food type would be beneficial based your genetic lineage.

Live green, see green

Njabulo

References

1. Dasgupta, A. and Klein, K. (2014). Antioxidants in Foods, Vitamins and supplements (1st ed.). Elsevier: Amsterdam. pp. 1-15.

2. Magee, E. (2010). 10 Nutrient-Rich Super Foods. Web MD. [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/10-super-foods (Accessed 28/07/2021).

3. Schmidt, M. (2019). What’s Your Tribe? Decoding Food Tribes, Trends, and Movements. Nestle. [ONLINE] Available from: https://medium.com/nestle-usa/whats-your-tribe-decoding-food-tribes-trends-and-movements-876486d673aa (Accessed 28/07/2021).

4. South African Government. (2012). New regulations relating to the labelling and advertising of foodstuffs becomes law. South African Government. [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.gov.za/new-regulations-relating-labelling-and-advertising-foodstuffs-becomes-law (Accessed 28/07/2021).

5. Tarabella, A. and Burchi, B. (2015). Aware food choices: Bridging the gap between consumer knowledge about nutritional requirements and nutritional information (1st ed.). Springer International publishing: Switzerland. pp. 1-13.

6. Wahlqvist, M. L. and Gallegos, D. (2021). Food and nutrition: Sustainable Food and health systems (1st ed.). Taylor and Francis group: Australia. pp. 50-65.

7. Wiseman, G. (2002). Nutrition and health (1st ed.). Taylor and Francis: London. pp. 30-32.