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I read an article about the French food labelling system “Nutriscore” the other day. Obviously, Foodwatch Austria is for the introduction of this system. Do we really need a new system?
Treating Symptoms
The idea of labelling food in a way that shows its impact on health and digestion seems appealing. If you want to eat healthily you just need to buy goods that show a green stripe on the packaging, and you are good to go. On the one hand, this could be one measure to help people consume more healthy foods. On the other hand, it is just another layer that prevents us from doing the important stuff.
So, What’s the Real Problem?
The root cause is the lack of understanding of healthy eating habits. We need to rethink our nutrition. We need a radical change in our education system. And we need to do it on our own. The introduction of another labelling system is just outsourcing the problem.
Healthy eating by itself is not very complicated even though consumer protection agencies, health care professionals and the food industry try to make us believe so. The knowledge is here – we just need to incorporate it into our daily lives.
A Radical Act
To turn the ship around and fight the epidemic of lifestyle-related diseases like obesity, diabetes 2, heart disease and sleep problems we must concentrate on the following measures:
- Implementing compulsory cooking and nutrition classes in school
- Offering healthy food in schools
- Providing courses for understanding basic principles of healthy nutrition for adults
- Increasing taxes on junk food and processed food
- Decreasing taxes on organic food
- Supporting regional initiatives on organic food, farmer’s markets, buying local
- Supporting companies like Patagonia Provisions in Europe
- Supporting the foundation of restaurants like True Food Kitchen that are concentrating on healthy meals at a reasonable price (Yes, it’s possible!)
- Adding compulsory lessons on nutrition in the medical curriculum (only about 1,3% of the curriculum is on nutrition and digestion at the University of Innsbruck, Austria)
- Implementing an initiative for “Food as Medicine” in our public health service: healthy food is the real medicine for many diseases. It takes time and effort, but it pays off in the long run.
If We Could Do Only One Thing
The above measures could lead to a complete rethink of the role healthy food plays in our society. I know, this paradigm shift takes time. If we could do one thing it would be to fight excessive sugar consumption. Sugar and sugar substitutes are some of the main culprits of many lifestyle-related diseases. Consider for example, that about a quarter of the Swiss sugar production goes into the production of the world most famous energy drink (Dossier No. 4 – 2/2021, page 78). The sugar industry is a powerful opponent. And I am convinced that we can take on the fight with measures like these:
- Increasing taxes on sugar-containing foods
- Banning sodas and sugar-containing food from schools and universities
- Educating people about the devastating consequences of high sugar consumption and insulin resistance
- A clear commitment of our political leaders to positive change
Being addicted to sugar is a biological disorder, driven by hormones and neurotransmitters that fuel sugar and carb cravings – leading to uncontrolled overeating.
Mark Hyman MD
It Is Not That Complicated
So, instead of relying on a questionable food labelling system, consider some of these thoughts on a healthy diet:
- Ensure a sufficient fluid intake (approx. 2 liters of water or unsweetened herbal tea) every day.
- Eat plenty of (green) vegetables and fruit. How about adding one or two large salads as a main course?
- Incorporate healthy snacks such as nuts, berries, hard-boiled eggs, nut butter
- Get regular omega-3 fatty acids from wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, and hemp seeds.
- If you eat meat: consider the highest quality, you can afford and enjoy in low quantities.
- By a book and read about healthy eating (e. g. The Peagan Diet by Dr. Mark Hyman or Der Ernährungskompass by Bas Kast)
- Cut radically back on sugar and processed foods
- Consider skipping industrial wheat and cutting back on bread, pasta and potatoes.
And most importantly – enjoy food in good company. Take your time and feel the increased energy levels. I wish you the best of luck and thank you for being part of the food revolution.
