Government subsidies for corn, soy, and wheat make these crops artificially cheap. Food manufacturers then overuse them in processed forms like high-fructose corn syrup and soybean oil, which have become staples in the American diet and are a root cause of chronic disease.
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The US spends more treating chronic diseases from poor nutrition than on all food combined. This unsustainable financial pressure, not agricultural innovation alone, is the most likely external force to disrupt the food system and demand healthier crops.
The obesity crisis is a systemic issue, not an individual failing. The modern food environment promotes overconsumption of unhealthy foods. Critically, the U.S. agricultural system does not even produce enough fruits and vegetables for the population to follow recommended dietary guidelines.
Many chronic illnesses, including high blood pressure, cancer, and cognitive decline, are not separate issues but symptoms of a single underlying problem: chronically elevated insulin levels. This metabolic “trash” accumulates over years, making the body a breeding ground for disease.
The FDA commissioner argues that nutrition science is one of science's most corrupted fields. This led to a flawed food pyramid that demonized natural fats and promoted refined carbs, directly contributing to the epidemic of prediabetes in 38% of American children.
Beyond lacking nutrients, processed foods contain additives like emulsifiers that are actively harmful. These chemicals, added for shelf stability, are known to disrupt the gut's critical mucus layer. This erosion of the natural barrier between your gut microbes and your body can directly lead to inflammation and contribute to metabolic syndrome.
The 1970s marked a shift where major food corporations, driven by market pressure, began systematically replacing natural ingredients with cheaper, ultra-processed substitutes. This move, aimed at boosting earnings per share, created the foundation for today's 'poisonous' food system and rising chronic disease.
Unlike in Europe, US farmers often spray wheat with glyphosate (Roundup) to accelerate drying before harvest. This chemical is known to disrupt the gut microbiome by killing beneficial bacteria. This practice could explain why some Americans experience digestive distress from domestic wheat but can eat pasta in Italy without issue.
The agricultural industry's singular focus on yield has created an inverse relationship where crop output rises while nutritional density declines. This incentive structure is a root cause of poor public health outcomes linked to modern diets.
The economic boom after WWII led to widespread adoption of unhealthy habits: sedentary suburban lives, car dependency, and diets high in processed foods. This prosperity paradoxically created the perfect conditions for the rise of heart disease.
Unlike the EU's strict approval process for new chemicals, the U.S. allows companies to self-declare novel compounds as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS). This has resulted in tens of thousands of chemicals in the U.S. food system that are not permitted in the EU, contributing to the chronic disease crisis.