In today’s day and age we are assaulted from all sides about various diets, healthy eating, and economical and ethical produce. We’re told we should support our local farmers, buy only free range eggs, avoid artificial colors and preservatives, and don’t eat gluten. What’s the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian anyway? And what on earth is the paleo diet?
More than ever before we are a health-conscious society. This doesn’t necessarily translate into purely healthy habits for everyone, but very few people now can claim ignorance that they didn’t know omega-3 was good for you or that children can die from peanut allergies. Scientific research has revealed surprising things about the food we eat — red wine can reduce mental illness and the risk of cancer; pork is a great source of vitamin B; dark chocolate can help lower hypertension.
Food allergies affect around 200 to 250 million people worldwide. In severe cases, a food allergy can cause death, known as anaphylaxis. A food intolerance is not technically an allergy but results in a similar avoidance of certain foods for fear of repercussions, such as an embarrassing increase in frequency to the toilet.
Thankfully, food trends have also moved towards sustainable food sourcing, as we hear about buying locally grown produce and supporting those farms that provide ethical and fair conditions for their workers.
With so much information and opinion surrounding something as seemingly straightforward as food, it can become a little overwhelming.
Let this infographic help digest a few things for you —
