Essay on My Western Diet: Few Fruits, High in Sugar and Refined Grains

In my daily meal plan, only a few days, I have scheduled to take fresh orange juice and some apples which fall significantly below the recommended fruits intake in a week. In the MyPlate guide, every serving should incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetable servings, which is not the case for my western diet, which is dominated by easy to make and affordable foods. My meals per day are hefty with refined grain products and proteins, and the sugar content is very high, which is unlike the MyPlate nutritional guide requirements (USDA). As such, I don't meet the daily meal requirements due to lack of a balanced diet and overreliance on high fat and sugary food products that are easily accessible in fast food establishments. Besides, I surpass the required kcal requirements because every serving is high in calories.

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Identify and analyze problems with the frequency, amount, types of food, and beverages that are not the best choices for you and your body.

The high consumption of high sugar and fat content in the western diet dominated meal plan is a significant health hazard due to the nature of repetition due to my busy schedule (Webb). The food content is significantly deficient in terms of vegetables and does not have whole grains, which increases the overall calorie intake and has been the cause of my frequent constipation due to lack of enough roughage in the food (USDA). As such, the diet is dominated by refined grain products, which are highly palatable, and I prefer them due to the ease of access and low cost.

Identify the nutritional deficiencies that you are at risk for, what disease entities are these associated with? Finally, what SMART Goal can you develop for yourself to make a meaningful change in your diet?

There is a significant deficiency of whole-grain and vegetable food content in my meal plan, which poses a considerable threat to my overall long-term well-being due to weight gain and the potential of cardiovascular problems in the future (Webb).

Smart Goal

More intakes of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits: There is a need for a diet change from the current western diet, which has high sugar and refined grain content to more health-friendly whole grain, vegetables, and fruit servings at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This shift in diet will be instrumental in preventing excessive weight gain and improve overall cardiovascular health (Webb).

Works Cited

USDA. Choose my plate. Retrieved from https://www.choosemyplate.gov/Webb. Densie. "The Impact of Whole Grains on Health. Today's Dietitian Vol. 15 No. 5 P. 44." https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/050113p44.shtml