What seems like healthy food may not be so...

Vegetable fats

Fat is considered to be better the more liquid it is, so vegetable fats also seem to be beneficial. But people forget that ordinary butter can also be liquid when heated. Junk food is cheaper than what the fast food companies enjoy.

Paste

A typical pasta is white flour mixed with water and eggs. No vitamins, no minerals, often not even fiber. Nothing but empty carb in paste form. A noodle fast food contains a lot more salt mixed with unhealthy fat.

White bread

This is also pasta, but already in the form of bread. Not all bread is healthy. White is definitely not.

Soup mix

You didn't think the weird green powder you mix with water was good for you, did you? When you eat soup, you drink/eat water, milk, butter, or whatever you have mixed this powder with, along with salt and preservatives.

Ketchup

Despite the antioxidant lycopene (antioxidants reduce the risk of mutations in the body, as well as the risk of cancer), ketchup has a lot of sugar and salt, which is not conducive to improving health.

diet soda

Soda is not useful in any form, even if it is at least three times dietary. Some studies have shown that diet soda itself isn't that bad, but still, many in the experimental group gained significant weight from it. The theory is that diet soda stimulates the appetite. Other studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can cause weight gain.

processed cheese

According to some resources, processed cheese contains such a high amount of salt that two slices can easily exceed a person's daily salt intake.

Soy sauce

Yes, it's unexpected. Unlike many other soy foods, soy sauce does not contain specific antioxidants known as isoflavones. Soy sauce contains a very high percentage of salt, as well as substances that can trigger the development of cancer. There are already several types soy sauce with little salt and no dangerous chemicals. Too bad it's not as tasty.

Peanut

Nuts are generally useful. Most varieties abound in vitamins, minerals, fibers. Peanuts aren't a terrible exception, but they aren't quite as healthy. In most cases, peanuts are sold as a snack, sprinkled with salt and roasted in unhealthy fat. Therefore, it must be consumed in reasonable quantities, and it is also better in the form in which mother nature created it - raw and without salt.

fruit juices

Controversially enough, so many people believe that fruit juices are healthy that they replace real fruits in their diets. It's true that fruit juices contain a lot of vitamins, but at what cost. Most juices are loaded with extra sugar and contain no pulp. The pulp of the fruit provides important fibers that can be considered a good counterbalance to the naturally occurring sugars in fruit. Therefore, eat once again better fresh fruit.

What everyday products from our table are the most harmful and what can they be replaced with?

According to Rosstat, 28% of the daily diet of a Russian is made up of dairy products, cereals are in second place, i.e. bread and pasta (19%). We also eat a lot of potatoes (13%) and meat (9%). Our "plate" is overloaded with animal fats and fast carbohydrates, so we are at risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes - these are the food components that serve as a trigger for them. Giving up your favorite food is not easy, but there is a way to make eating healthier without changing your diet drastically.

FAT DAIRY PRODUCTS

We know about the benefits of dairy products, but, according to statistics, we undereat them: according to Rosstat, we eat 127 kg less than we should.

In fact, by "malnutrition" doctors do not mean any milk, but specific types of dairy products. According to the recommendations, you need to consume only low-fat dairy products, or milk with polyunsaturated fatty acids. But from leaning on absolutely any dairy products, especially with high fat content, there will be harm. For example, in the European Union, the amount of consumption of dairy products, according to official statistics, is at the level of the norm. However, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) believe that it should be reduced: in fact, too much milk fat is consumed.

What to replace?
Skimmed milk is not suitable - without fat, the vitamins contained in it will not be absorbed. In addition, in order to compensate for the lack of fat and give the products a more pleasant taste, manufacturers add sugar. Because of this, its daily consumption increases dramatically.

Low-fat milk is suitable; the so-called "functional dairy products" will be useful for the body, i.e. enriched with micro and macro elements, polyunsaturated vegetable acids, vitamins.

ABUNDANCE OF CEREALS(BREAD, PASTA)

In our country, for the preparation of bakery products and pasta, they are mainly used wheat flour top grade. During processing, only “fast” or “simple” carbohydrates remain, which are instantly broken down and sharply increase blood sugar, which leads to a violation of metabolic processes in the body. As a result, extra pounds and an increased risk of diabetes. Today in our country already 25% of people suffer from obesity; 3.3 million people have diabetes.

What to replace?
We carefully look at the composition of the product and choose bread and pasta, for the preparation of which flour from durum wheat was used. It is precisely due to the fact that the inhabitants of Italy bake mainly on its basis, they can eat flour without getting fat - such products contain complex carbohydrates that are optimal for the body. Products made from such flour differ from ordinary ones visually: pasta has a darker color, and grains are visible in the bread - they get there during the grinding process.

DAILY POTATOES

Potatoes are the most popular side dish in our country. At the same time, it is also the most harmful, because it has a very high glycemic index, which means it sharply increases blood sugar. We feel this by the rapid return of hunger after eating. The result is a growing appetite and extra pounds.

What to replace?
Beans are ideal. In France, one of the most popular garnish dishes is beans, they prefer green beans. The popularity of beans is also gaining in the States: they eat motley there. Black is prepared in Mexico and Brazil. In Russia, it is easiest to find "ordinary" beans, although supermarkets have an abundance of its varieties. There is a lot of protein in beans (24-26%), which is similar in composition to the animal, but is much easier to digest. Cooking potatoes, of course, is possible, but not as often as usual, and it is advisable to eat boiled rather than fried or french fries.

ignoring vegetables

According to the WHO, we eat on average only 314 grams of vegetables per day against the recommended 400-600. How to eat so many vegetables a day?

Exit: it is not at all necessary to eat a huge zucchini or beets every day. Give the body required amount dietary fiber and antioxidants contained in vegetables can be used if you cook vegetable stews, side dishes, compote.

LACK OF FRUIT

Similar in quantity to the lack of vegetables. Even if we buy any fruits, it is mostly bananas or grapes, which are healthy, but have a high calorie content.

Exit: try to have a variety of fruits on your table. Instead of a kilogram of bananas, take half, and let the other 500 g be seasonal fruits, such as apples or pears. Dried fruits are suitable out of season: they contain the same complex of useful substances.

ONLY RED MEAT

Red meat is one of the highest levels of saturated fat, which is bad for the heart. In addition, animals are often given antibiotics to cope with diseases - their residual amount is stored in meat.

What to replace?
Choose white meat chicken - it has less fat, and it is more easily absorbed by the body. Lean beef is also good. For the preparation of soups, secondary broths are more optimal - this allows you to at least partially "boil" the residual content of the drugs that were used to treat animals.

CONVENIENT FOOD INSTEAD OF NORMAL FOOD

Supermarket patties, sausages, ready-made pizzas, and many other processed foods contain not only fat and questionable ingredients, but also added salt and sugar. It is almost impossible to determine their exact content, it is not always indicated on the packaging.

What to replace?
It is better to avoid these products altogether. If you live in time pressure, you can prepare the necessary products in advance and freeze them. This way you can at least be sure of the quality of the ingredients.

SMOKED FISH

In the daily diet of a Russian, fish consumption is only 2%. We mainly buy various canned and smoked meats. When smoked, a carcinogen is formed in fish - benzopyrene. It accumulates in the body and gradually thins the cell membranes, failures occur, which eventually lead to the formation of various cancerous tumors. For example, in 50 g of sprats, the content of carcinogens is similar to that in a pack of cigarettes.

What to replace?
Choose fresh fish, with proper preparation, it will not yield to the taste of smoked fish.

SWEET LIFE

According to Rosstat, in our country, sugar consumption per day is 5%, which corresponds to the current WHO standards. The problem is that this is data on the content of "pure" sugar in the diet. In fact, we consume much more of it due to the hidden sugar found in popular foods. Added sugar is found in baked goods, breakfast cereals, instant cereals, sodas, fruit juices, and more.

Exit: Limit your intake of these foods. For every day - you can’t run away from the desire to eat sweets - dried fruits are suitable. Don't fall for the "diet foods for diabetics" bait. They really replace sugar with fructose, but such products contain a large amount of fat and are not inferior in calories to conventional products.

MISTAKE ABOUT JUICES

In fact, packaged juices are not much healthier than sodas. Fruit juices are also high in sugar. And the “healthy” image of such drinks is just a marketing ploy.

What to replace?
Homemade unsweetened compotes. Sugar may not be added to them; natural sugars contained in fruits give them a pleasant taste.

List of Foods to Consider

If you are asked to make a list of the most unhealthy foods, where do you start? With coffee, cheese, meat and eggs? So, you are a prisoner of stereotypes. For a long time, these products were anathema: a lot of fat, calories, cholesterol ... But then
I found that there are so many pros that they more than outweigh the cons.

indulgence 1. Cheese

Yes, most cheeses are high in fat and calories, but they are high in calcium. This product also contains linoleic acid, which reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. And it also promotes weight loss, as it does not allow fat to be deposited.

Say YES to fatty varieties with a strong aroma and rich taste, such as feta, parmesan, blue cheese. Even a small piece will be enough to get enough and enjoy.

Say NO to low-fat cheeses 18-20%. Such varieties, unfortunately, are not tasty enough and practically odorless, which means they do not cause rapid satiety and can be easily overeaten.

indulgence 2. Chocolate

Do not believe those who claim that chocolate provokes headache and the occurrence of acne. There is no direct evidence for this. But it is reliably known that cocoa butter, thanks to its antioxidants, protects against cardiovascular and oncological diseases.
Don't let the high content of fats in this product bother you either, because they are mostly "good" or monounsaturated, and do not increase the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood.
If in moments of sadness you involuntarily reach for a bar of chocolate, do not rush to withdraw your hand. Chocolate stimulates the production of a special substance in the brain - serotonin, which, as you know, is responsible for a good mood.

Say YES to dark chocolate. It is the most useful, as it contains the largest amount of cocoa butter;
Varieties with aromatic flavors. You will be able to get enough of them faster, and therefore, save on calories.

Say NO to: chocolate bars with a variety of fatty and sweet fillings such as caramel, biscuits, and sugared whipped cream. They are too high in calories.

indulgence 3. Milk

Unbelievable but true: milk, chocolate, cheese and other "harmful" foods will help you lose up to 2 kg per month. This is an amazingly rich source of calcium, but many women neglect it because of fear of ruining their figure. Meanwhile, milk helps prevent osteoporosis, a disease that leads to brittle and thinning bones, lower blood pressure, and fight excess weight.

Say "YES" to skim milk, one glass of which contains only 80 kcal. If you are used to whole milk, then first go to 2%, then to 1%, and only then to completely skimmed. Cook hot chocolate and various cereals with milk: this will give the dishes a pleasant creamy flavor and will keep you feeling full longer.

Say "NO" to milk soups, cream soups and sauces with milk, as they are high in fat and calories.

indulgence 4. Eggs

Many women seek to reduce their consumption of eggs because they are high in cholesterol Many women seek to reduce their consumption of eggs because they are high in cholesterol, but scientists believe that saturated fat, not cholesterol, is the main culprit in heart disease. Eggs also contain a low percentage of fat in 1 egg - less than 5 g, in addition, they have lutein, which is necessary for maintaining vision.

Say "YES": poached eggs boiled in boiling water without shell, hard boiled or in a bag - they contain little cholesterol;
Vegetable casseroles. Vegetables provide the body with fiber and a wide variety of nutrients. And by adding spinach to this dish, you will increase the amount of lutein;
Egg white omelet. If you remove the yolk, you will cut calories.

Say NO to: Bacon and Sausage Eggs and Butter Biscuits. These products do not mix well with eggs.

indulgence 5. Beef

You can break the habit of eating chicken breast, preparing a good chop. Beef is an excellent source of protein, as well as zinc, iron and vitamin B12, which we most often lack.

Say YES to: Lean cuts with no more than 4.5g of saturated fat per 100g; technologies of fast frying and baking in the oven. These methods allow you to get by with a minimum amount of fat.

Say NO to ribs with twice the fat and calories of lean fillets.

indulgence 6. Coffee

Recent studies have proven the inconsistency of the claim about the effect of caffeine on the occurrence and development of heart disease. There is no point in giving up Turkish coffee. Recent studies have proven the inconsistency of the claim about the effect of caffeine on the occurrence and development of heart disease, as well as on the increase in blood pressure. This beloved drink is able to ease allergy attacks, energize and improve concentration.

Say YES to 2-3 cups of coffee a day. Just don't overdo it with sugar and milk.

Say "NO" to coffee with lots of sugar, cream, all sorts of additives in the form of chocolate, nuts, etc.

Indulgence 7. nuts

Nuts can satisfy hunger for a long time, and therefore lose weight. They are rich in monounsaturated fats, which reduce the risk of heart disease. Nuts can satisfy your hunger for a long time, and therefore, lose weight. Those who included them in their diet lost an average of 4 kg in 6 weeks, according to studies conducted in Boston. And magnesium, which is part of the nuts, helps with premenstrual syndrome: relieves swelling, relieves mood swings and headaches.

Say "YES": a small handful of nuts is about 170 kcal. This amount will be enough to satisfy hunger between main meals or before bedtime;
Salads, casseroles or other low-fat dishes with nuts - they enhance the taste and nutrition of food.

Say "NO" to: Nuts in meals that are themselves rich in fat and calories, such as chocolate brownies, ice cream, cookies.

ON A NOTE

For food to really benefit, it is not necessary to switch to radical diets and give up your favorite dishes. You just need to know which of the usual products are more useful, and which ones are almost non-existent. It is not difficult, but prolongs healthy years of life.

Food. A film by Arkady Mamontov.

Investigation film Arkady Mamontov.

How has the attitude of food manufacturers to the vital component of human existence changed today - to food?
What modern products consist of was used only for the production of household chemicals and lubricants 20 years ago.
Palm and coconut oil are the most sought-after ingredients in dairy production today. Most of butter, cottage cheese, sour cream, cheese, the number of names and types of which on the shelves of domestic stores is simply amazing, half, or even all 80-90%, do not consist of natural milk, but of vegetable fats.
Why hydrogenated fats have replaced cow and goat milk? How beneficial is it for manufacturers? Why all attempts to return organic products into Russian grocery chains are doomed to failure?

Food is alive and dead. scientific investigation

Most people would agree... junk food tastes great! But also everyone knows that this is called "junk food" is also not without reason. It has been proven over and over again that too much of these foods can be incredibly bad for the body and can lead to terrible diseases as well as obesity. More and more people are realizing that they need to either reduce the amount of unhealthy food they eat or stop eating it altogether. However, quitting a habit is never easy, especially one as ingrained and enjoyable as eating junk food.

But there is still hope. This article will help you understand what you need to do to stop eating unhealthy food for good. If you want to have a healthy, lean body, then you seriously need to cut back on all the junk you eat. Or, that sexy and healthy body that you aspire to will never be a reality.

Have a clear reason to stop eating junk food

To help you stop eating junk food, you must have a clear and motivating reason. The mere thought of wanting to stop will not be enough. To kick this bad habit out of your life for good, you need personal motivating reasons.

• Lower your cholesterol to live longer?
• Lower body fat to look better?
• Feel happy and healthy?
• Set a good example for your children?
• Feel more fit and confident?

Regardless of the goal, it will take some time to think seriously about it. Write them down on a sticky note and post it somewhere so you can read it every day. You set a goal to change your life. You need strong, motivational reminders, and you need to take them seriously.

Control your intake of unhealthy food

The first step towards fixing a problem is realizing that it exists. When you're faced with the difficult task of getting all the junk out of your diet, the first thing you should do is start taking control of your eating habits. Find out how much you spend per week on unhealthy food by keeping a detailed journal of dates and prices, or simply by keeping receipts. Also try to observe what triggers the craving as it happens and how you feel before you grab the snack. Once you have all this information, you can plan how you will deal with that craving when it comes again.

Start reducing consumption

It's not easy to kick a habit abruptly, and while some people can do it, most people can't handle the shock of giving up some cold chicken. The easiest way to kick a habit is to slowly cut back. During the monitoring phase, you got an idea of ​​how much you are spending on junk food. The key here is to cut half of your budget each week, slowly reducing your consumption.

Give yourself some alternatives

It's hard to completely stop something without replacing it with something else. This is called universal balance. The truth is that you have to eat something instead of this garbage that you eat less and less, otherwise you may go into shock or struggle for energy. It's always better to replace old habits with new ones by replacing bad things with healthy snacks and fruits to satisfy your cravings. Think of all the foods you like that are definitely healthy. Do a quick Google search to find healthy and great recipes. Now take those healthy foods that you enjoy and start eating them to replace unhealthy snacks and meals. If you love cake or chocolate, then I highly recommend buying a box of protein bars. This is a great snack to have at home, work or on the go. They will be a very healthy and nutritious alternative to candy.

Whether to continue to eat some amount of unhealthy food

Here's some good news for you... You don't have to completely stop eating junk food. It's okay to eat a couple of unhealthy foods every week. Why not indulge yourself on the weekend by going to a restaurant or grab some fast food and relax in front of the monitor? Yes, if you're eating 90% of the week's healthy food, that's fine. You can indulge in some junk food on the weekends. It is very motivating to stay on the path of development with healthy eating all week, at a time when you know that the pleasure will come at the weekend. Just know that you don't have to completely eradicate junk food from your life.

Eliminate temptation

Trying to quit what you have in abundance around you is next to impossible. Our brains tend to want what we can see. Therefore, our appetite arises in relation to the food we have. When you remove unhealthy food from your immediate environment, it is easier for you to keep your mind clear. Limit the amount of junk food you have around the house by simply not buying as much as you buy when you go shopping. The small amount you have at home (for rest days) I recommend keeping in one place and out of sight. This will make it easier to control your diet. Also, it will remove the immediate temptation, it will become a more conscious effort to reach for unhealthy food.

Create a plan

There is a saying… “A lack of a plan is a planned failure”.

• What food are you going to replace junk food with?
• What day will you eat junk food?
• What new dishes will you cook?
• What snacks or lunches will you bring to work?

You must plan your healthy food list, what you will eat and when. Take the time to sit down and plan how you are going to achieve this goal and implement a lifestyle change.

Give yourself enough time

Research has shown that it takes approximately two weeks of consistent effort to develop a new habit and to begin to fade an old habit. This is why the first two weeks of any new experience are often the hardest, so if you focus on getting through this period, the rest of the journey only gets easier. Also remember, giving yourself the opportunity to kick one bad habit at a time is more than enough.

According to experts from the World Health Organization, the indirect cause of almost every fifth death on the planet today is obesity, which is a consequence of malnutrition. We are what we eat - says a well-known saying, and it is difficult to argue with it when our life expectancy is directly dependent on the daily diet. Let's see what gastronomic habits are harmful to health, and what you need to do to eat right.

In food, many people are guided by the principle: "Everything is useful that got into your mouth," - therefore, they are unlikely to wonder what is good and what is bad for our body. The main thing is that it was tasty and satisfying, the rest is not so important. Nevertheless, there are a number of bad gastronomic habits that can harm even the healthiest body:

The main symptom of obesity. It occurs due to a low nutrition culture, a false sense of hunger, or as a response to stressful situations, taking the form of bulimia nervosa.

A serious factor that affects overeating due to an imaginary feeling of hunger against the background of thirst, and also contributes to diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by constipation, etc.

The body is not able to immediately convert excess calories into energy, which are rich in fatty foods and sweets, so the excess will be stored in the form of subcutaneous fat. Fatty foods, especially in fried form, contain a large amount of harmful substances and carcinogens that accumulate in the body and can lead to serious diseases, such as oncology, diseases of the cardiovascular system, and many others.

Violation of the food cycle leads to a longer satiety, and, as a result, to an increased risk of overeating and poor digestibility of food, due to insufficient chewing and wetting with saliva. Insufficiently chewed food can cause infections in the intestines and lead to concomitant diseases.

Excessive dieting is a serious burden on the body, because the human body does not receive the right amount of nutrients for the development and recovery of the body, and also slows down the metabolism due to calorie restriction. Upon completion of the diet, the body compensates for the lost calories and there is a serious risk of returning the calories burned in excess.

A limited diet and a lack of fiber contribute to gastrointestinal diseases and insufficient intake of vitamins in the body, which threatens with serious consequences.

Throughout the list, many individual works have been written and a large number of studies have been carried out, which has long become the property of society. However, people still ignore the recommendations of experts.

Not healthy eating against the background of low physical activity annually makes about 300 thousand people hospitalized. However, metabolic disorders and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract are only a small fraction of the unpleasant consequences for people who have embarked on the "slippery slope" of fast food.

V childhood malnutrition leads to weakened immunity, decreased physical activity and disruption of the endocrine system. Other consequences of malnutrition in children include:

• diseases of the digestive system (gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, lactase deficiency);
• intestinal resection (poor absorption of proteins and fats);
• celiac disease;
• hypo- and avitaminosis.

All this, as a rule, is accompanied by lethargy, apathy and indifference of the child to everything that happens around.

For an adult, the list of diseases caused by malnutrition is much wider and more dangerous. A number of signs may indicate that your diet needs to be urgently reviewed:

• poor condition of the skin (fatty, acne, enlarged pores, rash, sagging skin);
• heaviness in the abdomen, bloating, spasms, flatulence;
• nausea, heartburn;
• violation of the regimen of defecation (diarrhea, constipation);
• Availability excess weight;
• frequent pain in the right side;
• frequent allergic reactions;
• tendency to infectious diseases and inflammation.

If you do not give up junk food in time and generally do not reconsider your attitude to food, these rather harmless symptoms will later develop into ulcers, gastritis, colitis, diabetes, endocrine disorders and nervous systems, heart failure. "Heavy" food, oversaturated with carbohydrates and trans fats, causes vascular thrombosis, varicose veins, arthritis, and can even serve as an impetus for the development of cancer.

How to start eating right?

According to the English nutritionist Alison Whitworth, the lack of the ability to eat properly in most people is associated with the high pace of modern life and lack of time. Due to long working hours, we are increasingly replacing full meals with unhealthy snacks on the run and late dinners, which together increase health risks.

To prevent the danger of obesity and other serious consequences of an unhealthy diet, nutritionists recommend regularly adhering to the following rules:

• There are small portions by the hour: 4 to 6 times a day, so that the time of each meal is the same from day to day.
• Eat slowly, chewing thoroughly and not swallowing large pieces. Drinking food is not worth it: the liquid slows down the work of the stomach, reducing the concentration of gastric juice in which food should be digested.
• For stable work throughout the day, the body should receive from 1500 to 3000 kilocalories per day. Do not forget to include vegetables and fruits in your diet that have a positive effect on the absorption process. It is better if all meals, with the exception of snacks, contain approximately the same number of calories. At the same time, the last meal should contain no more than 20% of the daily calorie intake and end at least 3 hours before going to bed.
• Do not go to bed with a full stomach: in a dream, the digestive processes slow down, and the food remaining in the stomach will not be able to be absorbed until the body fully awakens.
• Adhere to the law of separate nutrition. Each type of food is digested in a certain section of the gastrointestinal tract and with a certain duration.
• By doing these simple rules and not forgetting to give yourself moderate physical activity every day, you can get rid of most of the bad gastronomic habits and say goodbye to extra pounds forever.

Ancient people, having become farmers, noticed that after a few years the fields begin to produce a noticeably smaller crop. They acted simply: they moved to another place, uprooted a new plot under the field and fed from it until the land was depleted again.

Today, some Indian tribes live in the Amazon forests this way. The life of such "sedentary nomads" is subject to a regularly returning need, which makes them now and then take off from their homes and look for something new.

However, low yields did not put everyone to flight. Some have tried to get to the bottom of the mystery and develop strategies to deal with this phenomenon. As a result, three productive approaches to farming have emerged that allow for a truly sedentary lifestyle: crop rotation, three fields, and the use of organic fertilizers (dung, bird droppings, etc.).

During the first year in the three fields, “essential” crops, such as rye, were planted in the field. The next season, they grew some kind of industrial crop (rapeseed or something else), which was plowed without harvesting. Then the earth was given a year to rest and recuperate, and only after that they again sowed on it what was really used for food.

However, the principle of crop rotation began to operate here: now another crop was planted in the field. useful plant, such as turnips instead of rye or rye instead of turnips. Thus, in the same place, the same crop was grown no more than once every seven years. And the soil had enough time to re-accumulate vital substances for plants and humans.

Over time, people noticed that the earth also gratefully accepts the waste left after cooking and digesting it. So the first fertilizers were invented, and the chance of getting high yields increased even more.

A strategy that combines three-field farming, crop rotation and organic application has proven itself well. It is no coincidence that many nations adhered to it for centuries.

The method of cultivating the soil described above worked until Justus von Liebig, a chemist by profession and a humanist by conviction, put forward an idea that made it possible to intensify its exploitation. They were driven by a noble desire to defeat hunger throughout the planet. Alas, the first grandiose success of his wonderful undertaking has long been overshadowed by no less significant problems, although sometimes we do not even realize how much we suffer from them.

Liebig's idea was simple and promising: yields could be increased many times over by expanding the range of fertilizers. In other words, it is necessary to artificially return the main useful substances to the depleted soil, and then it is possible to harvest a rich harvest from the same field every year (and even more often). At the same time, the costs of fertilizers promised to pay off many times over.

The first time things went the best way, however, Liebig's idea soon became another confirmation of Brecht's idea that the opposite of good is not evil, but good intentions.

This is not the only example of how our attempts to remake and improve nature, even quite successful at first, lead to a catastrophe similar to the explosion of an artillery shell in a gun barrel. Initially, it was not taken into account that the introduction of relatively cheap artificial fertilizers would gradually depreciate the soil itself, because at the same time only the main substances necessary for plant growth are returned to it: nitrogen, potassium, calcium, phosphates, but the loss of essential nutrients for the human body remains unreplenished. trace elements and vitamins.

The process of impoverishment of the soil of agricultural land continues to this day, acquiring an increasingly menacing scale. Vegetables and cereals grown on it contain less and less vital substances for us. Although otherwise (ie, in terms of calories) their nutritional value is in line with the norm, they lack the most important component in order to rightfully be called complete foods.