Reflection 5-A—Eating Au Naturel: On a Processed Foods Fast

Note: For Reflection 5, do only 5-A or 5-B, not both.

Since WWII, America has come to rely heavily on processed foods—those foods that have, in some way, been altered from their natural state. Low costs, ease of use, and wide availability have made processed foods convenient and popular options at every meal. However, in recent years many have begun to rethink the place of these foods in the American diet. Now, as people are again recognizing the value of whole foods, processed foods are increasingly under fire for their role in everything from obesity to malnutrition to diabetes. How difficult would it be for you to avoid eating any prepackaged or processed foods for 72 hours? Can you abstain from eating anything that comes frozen, in a box, a can, a bag, or any type of packaging, instead eating only whole, natural foods? Which processed foods would be the most challenging for you to give up? Likewise, with which foods are you most likely to cheat? And if you must cheat, explain the circumstances. For this reflection, attempt to eat only whole foods for three full days, excluding dairy, meats, grains, coffee and tea.

Include at least two of the following articles in your discussion:

• "Eight Tips on How to Make Clean Eating Budget-Friendly" (CleanFoodCrush)
• "Eating Clean? Six Processed Foods You Can Avoid and Easily Make at Home" (Eating Well)  
• "Nine Ways that Processed Foods are Slowly Killing People" (Authority Nutrition) 
• "I Cut Out Processed Foods for Two Weeks, and Here’s What Happened" (Bustle)
• "What is Clean Eating? 5 Dos and Don’ts for Your Best Body Ever" (Shape)
• "What Eating Only Unprocessed Foods has Been Like" (DrunkOnLife)

Required:

• MLA Style
• 1.5 pages in length
• Works cited page

Due: We 4.12