The Negative Health Impacts Of Cheap Food

Every chemical process in the body is dependent on our consumption of food, water, and air. Since this is true, paying attention to what we eat is essential for good health. There is very little disagreement about what a healthy diet really is. A wholefood plant-based vegan diet is the daily fare of the healthiest and longest-living people on the planet.

There is also no disagreement about what the modern diet laced with cheap food is doing – it is killing us. Eating a poor-quality diet high in cheap food is linked to a higher risk of obesity, depression, digestive issues, heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and early death. And as you might expect, this tsunami of disease puts incredible pressure on an already struggling NHS.

Profit Over Health

The diet that we eat today is a result of corporations and governments placing profit over health. The primary focus of the food industry is to generate the maximum profit by producing foods that appeal to dramatic taste, price, and convenience above any other considerations. This food has been made cheap largely by the application of government subsidies. The true cost in terms of public health and environmental impact are not factored into the mix.

Whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds are readily available and affordable by all. It is not expensive to eat a healthy plant-based diet. All my students and clients will testify to that. They tell me that they have saved up to 40% on their monthly food bills by removing meat, dairy and processed foods from their diet. I have also created recipes for living below the line where I lived on £5 for five days eating rice, beans, and vegetables.

This watercress and spinach soup below is so easy and affordable, delicious, nutritious and ticks all the boxes. We have no need to eat animals, all we require to live a long healthy life is available from nature. Hydrate, eat plants, exercise and get some sun. Be with like-minded folks who share the same passion, and educate others who don't. 

As the author of Go Vegan my passion for a vegan world drives me daily. 

Watercress & Spinach Soup

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 banana shallot, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 large baking potatoe, peeled and sliced

1 umami instant stock sachet

3 cups warm water

2 cups watercress, packed tight

2cups spinach, packed tight

1 heaped tbsp sweet white miso

Dissolve the umami stock in the water and set aside. Warm a splash or two of water in a heavy-based soup pot and saute the onion and garlic until softened. Add the potatoes and stock to the onion mixture. Place the lid on the pot and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the watercress and spinach, stir and let simmer for a few minutes until the greens have wilted. Remove from the heat, transfer the contents to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Adjust consistency if the soup is too thick. Stir in the sweet white and serve.

In good health