A modern food system

AMany social media influencers and government guidelines tell us to eat real, natural and local food. They say we should cook everything from scratch and avoid processed food such as bagels. However, industrial food also has important benefits. It is often affordable, convenient and healthy. Instead of dreaming about a perfect natural past that never existed, we should accept our modern food system and improve it.

The health benefits of mass production

BYour morning bagel is a small miracle. A hundred years ago, when people mostly ate real food, many suffered from malnutrition. Diseases caused by a lack of vitamins were common. Today, factories add important nutrients to food, such as iron to flour and iodine to salt. Modern farming also gives us plenty of cheap grain and fresh vegetables. Together, these changes have helped eliminate many diseases from the past.

Supply chains

CIf you want a fresh tomato in winter, it has to come from far away. Global supply chains make this possible. If we ate only local and organic food, it would cost much more. People might then buy and eat fewer vegetables. In this way, food that travels a long distance can sometimes help people eat a healthier diet.

Technology and GMOs

DModern technology can also help farmers. Some people fear genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, but scientific evidence shows that they are safe. GMOs can protect crops from disease. They can also reduce food waste, so more of the food grown by farmers reaches people instead of being thrown away.

Not all processed food is bad

EWe often hear that ultra-processed foods are bad. Eating too much sugary and fatty junk food is certainly unhealthy. However, many processed foods are healthy. Yogurt, whole-grain bread and plant-based burgers are all processed, but they can be good choices. The idea that every processed food is bad is too simple.

The real problems

FThe American food system has major problems. Producing too much meat causes climate change. Eating too much fast food causes heart disease and obesity. However, throwing away the whole industrial system will not fix these problems. Local and organic foods are expensive and are not always healthier. For the environment, what we eat matters more than how the food is grown. Eating less beef and more tofu, for example, can make a bigger difference.

A practical solution

GMany people do not have time to cook every meal, and that is okay. There are many healthy pre-made options. The main changes are clear: people should eat less red meat and sugar, and more plants. These choices can improve both human health and the environment without asking everyone to cook from scratch.

Better policy

HWe should use our powerful industrial food system to make better food. We can invest in plant-based meats, give money to farmers who grow food for people instead of animal feed, and tax sugary drinks. We do not need to hate industrial food. We need to use policy tools to make it better and make healthy choices easier for everyone.