Refine Search

How Nutritious Is Your Food?

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN BRAZIL

How do you choose your food? When you buy food, what factors influence you? Is it fancy packaging? Price? Ease of preparation? Persuasive claims in advertisements? Or just the way the food looks and tastes? Making the right choices may determine whether you eat nutritious food or junk food, whether your health is improved or damaged.

POVERTY is a major cause of malnutrition. While many take food for granted, millions of others rarely enjoy a nutritious meal. “Here at home we eat anything we can get hold of,” said a Brazilian bricklayer, father of six children. That usually means stale bread and weak coffee or rice and beans. In fact, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 20 percent of the world’s population suffer from hunger. While there is widespread famine in some African countries, there is a larger number of hungry people in Asia. Even in the United States, 12 percent of the population, or 30 million people reportedly do not have enough to eat.

Not only is poor nutrition detrimental but it can kill. “Malnutrition caused by poor child feeding practices claims over 10 times as many lives as actual famine,” notes researcher William Chandler. “Coupled with diarrheal dehydration, malnutrition is the leading killer in the world.” Reports UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund): “No epidemic, no flood, nor any earthquake or war has ever robbed the lives of 250,000 children in just a week.” But that is the number of children throughout the world who die because of malnutrition and resulting illnesses, according to that UN agency. In fact, the damage caused by malnutrition is incalculable: Learning ability decreases, the labor force weakens, work production and quality decline.

Yet, adequate intake of the proper foods can overcome poor nutrition and such side effects as anemia and other ailments. Governmental aid such as school lunches and soup kitchens may alleviate malnutrition in some areas, but according to UNICEF officials, $25 billion is needed annually to reduce the deaths of children caused by diarrhea, pneumonia, and measles. ‘A lot of money,’ some might say. But that is reportedly what Americans spend on sports footwear and Europeans on wine in one year. Another challenge is to reduce waste. Though an estimated 32 million Brazilians go hungry, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture reports “that harvest waste [worth $1.5 billion] in transportation or storage causes a loss of 18 to 20 percent of the nation’s agricultural output.” There are major problems in agriculture, irrigation, food storage, and transportation in many nations; yet, the earth can still provide abundantly for all. So how can you face the challenge of feeding your family?

Money Is Not Enough

In developing countries people often manage to feed their family by having two or three jobs. In Brazil 1.5 million annually leave family or friends to migrate to large cities in search of work and food. Although health depends to a certain extent on what people eat, a large part of their budget goes for clothing, housing, and transportation.

Happily, common foods, such as rice, beans, corn, potatoes, cassava, and bananas, supplemented by some meat and fish, are the main sources of nutrition for families all over the world. Brazilian nutritionist José Eduardo de Oliveira Dutra stated: “Beans and rice are a combination with very high nutritional value. With such a simple and low-​priced diet, it is possible to end famine in [the country].” Yes, inexpensive and nutritious food may be available where you live. Or you may even grow some of your food.

Although you may have sufficient money, do you spend it on nutritious food for your family? Or are you influenced by clever and persistent advertising to prefer sweets or junk food and thus neglect the need for proteins, minerals, and vitamins? Is taste more attractive than wholesomeness? The World Book Encyclopedia notes: “To achieve and maintain good health, people must have basic knowledge about the human body and how it functions. Only then can they determine what will or what will not help or hurt their health. Learning about health should be a part of every person’s education.”

True, we do not live merely for eating, but food is a vital part of our lives. The Bible speaks of eating well as a reward for diligent work, saying: “Every man should eat and indeed drink and see good for all his hard work. It is the gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:13) Do you view wholesome food as valuable and necessary? If so, please examine the following article on how proper nutrition can benefit you and your family.