Processed Foods Becoming Natural

Ayurveda and other holistic healing approaches all advocate natural, unprocessed food.  The artificial dyes, preservatives and artificial flavorings are chemicals that the body does not need and are shown to have negative health effects if consumed too often and in too large a quantity. Food manufacturers use the dyes and flavorings to make the food look and taste more appealing, and the preservatives make it last longer.  However, the main goal of any business is to make money.  The consumer has the power to determine the type of food that is being manufactured and sold by their buying habits. Food companies will only make what consumers will buy.

Some of the consumers today are changing and demanding that the ingredients on the label be recognizable and natural.  These consumers are buying the brands that make these types of products and abandoning the more established and bigger brands.  Big companies like General Mills and Nestle` SA felt the loss and have pledged to remove artificial dyes and flavors from their products.  Fast food chains like Taco Bell and Pizza Hut are doing the same.

While I still think from an Ayurvedic standpoint, eating unprocessed, fresh and homemade food is best, I know that we are time crunched and need to use a short cut every once in a while.  The changes companies are making let us use a manufactured item without fearing the adverse health effects from these chemicals.  The changes are also helping many parents who have children with ADHD, hyperactivity or other behavioral issues.  Many times doctors will advocate that parents of these children avoid artificial dyes and flavorings (and they get good results).  With the food manufacturers taking these things out of foods, parents will have an easier time helping their children avoid these chemicals.  We may even find that there will be less kids with these behavioral issues.

Sometimes the little voices coming together become one large statement that creates change.  The removal of artificial dyes and flavorings is a huge statement.  Congratulations and keep up the good work.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa