What Are We Really Eating?

The old saying goes; you are what you eat, and nothing could be more true. Last night while talking with a few friends I came to the realization that American Cheese isn’t actually cheese. I discovered this because I brought up the fact that I am lactose intolerant but I am perfectly fine eating certain cheeses such as American. I was then informed that American cheese is actually a manufactured “cheese” consisting of milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, and salt; which is pretty much just a nice way of saying dyed fat and salt.

In fact, in America it is illegal for companies to label American cheeses as cheese and they must be labeled things such as “American slices” (kraft) or "Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product," (Velveeta). In disbelief, I looked this information up myself and of course everything checked out to be true. Then I got to thinking… Sure I go running and on the occasional bike ride, but is that really enough? I have come to realize that I really need to take a closer look into my everyday diet to maintain at least a somewhat healthy lifestyle.

I love food as much as the next person, but the quality of the food we eat is critical to our livelihood. Sometimes fast food is much more convenient than cooking dinner or going out to eat at a restaurant, but the truth of the matter is that we should always make time for our health no matter how busy we may be. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will certainly pay off in the long run, especially when we are older. I’ve often heard people complain about how expensive it is to eat healthy, which is true. Between gas, bills, and just life in general, it does seem more convenient at times just to pick up a cheeseburger on the way home rather than stopping somewhere to grab something nice to eat. After weighing the options, I don’t know about you, but I see it much more beneficial to invest in buying healthy food now rather than have to take prescription medication for the rest of my life because I made some poor eating decisions. Eating healthy makes much more sense if you see it as a long term investment rather than a chore. A key part to this is also seeing what is in our food, which is something I failed to when it came to the American cheese situation. Misinformation can sometimes be our greatest enemy, and therefore it is our job to ensure that we take the time to seek answers. In most cases, nutrition facts for the things we eat are posted either on the internet or packaging of the things we eat. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, it’s important to research what ingredients are in the food we eat and avoid anything with a lot of chemicals or that has been processed.

Being healthy goes beyond just eating right. Exercise and avoiding stress are great ways to ensure a long and healthy life. Along with running and bike riding, I love going on vacation. I am able to fully enjoy my vacations because San Marcos home security has my home protected and taken care of. With companies like http://www.smithmonitoring.com, I don’t have to worry about if my home is safe while I am away; because if your home takes care of you, you should be willing to return the thanks to your home.

About The Author:Stephen Hamilton is a writer for Smith Monitoring. He is an avid gamer, movie buff, musician, and comic collector.