You Better Eat Your Veggies, or Else! Nutritional Blackmail

It's true. Parents have been nutritionally blackmailing their children for many decades. Once the food pyramid was introduced to the public, there was no going back. Vegetables and fruits were fast becoming the star attraction as they made their way across the lower portion of the pyramid, supported only by grains, cereals and other carbohydrates. The pyramid's introduction in 1974 by a Swedish test kitchen employee, Anna Britt Agnsater, catapulted the idea of attributing proportionate percentages, along with nutritional values, to the various foods in our diets.

The use of a plate diagram to indicate the breakdown of the food groups emerged as another way of keeping track of how healthily people ate. The percentage of fruits and vegetables quietly and steadily gained a larger part of the picture, working their way up to being one half of the plate, or meal.

The Other Blackmailers
But if you think parents know how to blackmail, wait until you get a good look at both the nutritional supplement and food industry. They all want you to eat their foods and supplements, but the prices are prohibitive. The foods that are supposed to be of nature's bounty seem to cost the most. Processed foods are discounted throughout the week and take up the majority of the pages in the fliers while fruits and vegetables are barely advertised and save you very little.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) heartily supports the healthier choices and encourages the public to eat foods according to their guidelines, yet the food industry is not on the same page. For larger families the only way that they can put food on the table is by bulking up on the cheaper and starchier foods such as:

• White Rice
• White Pasta
• White Bread
• White Potatoes

Notice that no whole wheat or multi-grain foods are mentioned. Even thought the whole grain products, which happen to be the healthier alternatives, do not require processing, they are more expensive and families have to get by on the more economical less nutritious options.

Good Food is Vital
Research has proven that those who get more sleep and start their day with a healthy breakfast have greater success in their school or work day. Even if the grocery stores make it difficult to eat all the nutrient packed fruits and vegetables, you can bulk up on the more common ones that give an impressive amount of vitamins and minerals. Shop for apples and bananas and look for better deals in the frozen vegetable section. After fresh picked, vegetables flash frozen at their peak are the best and most economical choice. We love to share beneficial tips with our customers. Please add your tips to our Facebook page. American Van Lines reviews are another way of sharing your comments to benefit others.