Compare Contrast Essay
Week 9
COM 155
Winston Miller

Whole Foods versus Processed Foods

Did you know that Cancer can be caused by the food you eat? Studies reveal that eating processed food on a regular or constant basis can be the cause of cancer, heart disease and many other health problems. Processed foods are any foods that are changed from their natural form. Many people buy these foods at the grocery store on a daily basis not realizing the potential health risk. Processed foods are preserved with chemicals, additives, and colors as well as sweeteners, and have very long shelf lives. Aspartame is a substitute sweetener which is used in most sugar substitutes such as “Sweet N Low,” “Equal,” and “Splenda.” Aspartame’s appeal is that it has less calories than real sugar but it has been linked to causing problems like Multiple Sclerosis. Most people are attracted to processed foods because they are fast and easy to prepare.
There are other processed foods that have been linked to diseases such as: Trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and monosodium glutamate or MSG. Trans fats are found in all processed foods and fast food. They are linked to heart disease, cancer, skin issues, learning disabilities, and stunted growth. High fructose corn syrup is widely used in the US and it has been found that Americans ingest over 67 pounds of it a year. Some of the diseases associated with the use of high fructose corn syrup are cardio vascular disease, hypo glycemia, and diabetes. Sugar is also widely ingested in the US and is known to suppress the immune system against infectious diseases. It feeds cancer cells and has been linked to breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. AS mentioned before, artificial flavorings have been linked to metabolic syndrome, and heart disease. Monosodium glutamate, known as MSG, is a