
March 5, 2020
Fixing Our Broken Food System – Dr. Mark Hyman on Revolution Health Radio, Hosted By Chris Kresser
Check out the Revolution Health Episode Page & Show Notes
Key Takeaways
- Studies suggest that three-quarters of all deaths are caused by ultra-processed foods
- Ultra-processed foods—which drive obesity, heart disease, and diabetes— account for, on average, 60% of our caloric intake
- Junk food (75%) and soda (10%) make up the majority of calories purchased through governmental support programs
- Misinformation is rampant—many people try to eat healthy, but don’t know how
- “The UN says we have 60 harvests left. Because of the way we farm, we’re basically running out of soil because we’re turning it into dirt, which can’t grow.” – Dr. Mark Hyman
- The pesticides our food system utilizes have been linked to cancer, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and developmental disorders
Books Mentioned
- Food Fix, Mark’s latest book is
- Chris calls it “one of the most important books of the century”
- Brain Wash by David Perlmutter explains how the food we eat drives behavioral issues and emotional conflict
Intro
- Dr. Mark Hyman (@drmarkhyman) is a family physician, the founder and director of The UltraWellness Center, a 12-time New York Times bestselling author, and host of The Doctor’s Farmacy podcast
- Host: Chris Kresser (@chriskresser)
What’s wrong with our food system?
- Our food system is the number one driver of global problems on every level:
- Climate change
- Environmental degradation
- Loss of soil, water resources, and biodiversity
- Social injustice
- Poverty, violence, and mental health issues
- Poor academic performance
- National security
- Every time we put something into our mouth, we’re making a vote on global issues
- One study covering 195 countries recently found that the combination of a lack of good foods and too many bad foods kills over 11 million people a year
- Studies suggest that three-quarters of all deaths are caused by ultra-processed foods
- Ultra-processed foods—which drive obesity, heart disease, and diabetes— account for, on average, 60% of our calories (e.g., corn, wheat, soy, etc.)
- For every additional 10% of your diet that comes from processed food, your risk of death goes up by 14%
- Many of the foods we eat are nutrient-depleted and toxic to our microbiome & brain chemistry
How Our Food System adversely Impacts Children
- Poor nutrition affects academic performance—many kids with poor diets struggle with ADD (and other behavioral issues)
- Some stats:
- ~1/10 kids have ADD
- 40% of kids are overweight
- 1/4 teenagers have either type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
- Poor food choices lead to divisive behavior and poor decisions (and not only among kids)
- In one experiment in which prisoners were given a healthy diet, violent crime was reduced by 56% (if a multivitamin was added, violence was reduced by 80%)
Government Regulation Can Help
- Fiscal policy can drive change (i.e., soda taxes)
- In Mexico, for instance, soda taxes led to plunging soft drink sales while water consumption increased
- Marketing can play an even bigger role in adjusting food behavior
- (It’s estimated that processed food consumption dropped by 4x when advertising was eliminated)
Examining Underserved Populations
- Junk food (75%) and soda (10%) make up the majority of calories purchased through governmental support programs
- The U.S. food stamp program serves ~46 million Americans, a quarter of which are children
- Coca-Cola is the largest welfare recipient (20% of their American revenue comes from food stamps)
- Misinformation is rampant—some people are trying to eat well, but don’t know how
- For instance, Cool Whip is perceived as a “healthy topping” because it has zero trans fats
- Or, take salad dressings, which are full of refined oils—they’re thought to be healthy just because they’re added salad
Our Industrial Food System Causes Severe Damage to the Planet
- The food industry is the number one driver of climate change, driven by:
- Deforestation
- Soil erosion
- Factory farming
- Food waste
- Transport
- Refrigeration
- Processing
- Food packaging
- The advent of regenerative agriculture has helped build soil, conserve water, and use less chemicals—it yields more/better food and more profit for farmers, all the while building soil, reversing climate change, and creating resilience to weather extremes
- An independent analysis by Quantis International found that regenerative agriculture is actually a net carbon sink and is a more environmentally responsible way of feeding people than fake meat
- With regenerative agriculture, artificial fertilizer isn’t necessary (animals & plants make it)
- “The UN says we have 60 harvests left. Because of the way we farm, we’re basically running out of soil because we’re turning it into dirt, which can’t grow.” – Dr. Mark Hyman
The Health Risks of Pesticides
- Our food system utilizes many chemicals (pesticides), which leach into the ground, contaminate water, and taint the food supply
- The health risks of pesticides:
- Farmers have a 70% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease than the average population
- Pesticides have been linked to cancer, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and developmental disorders
- Glyphosate, a type of pesticide, is the most abundant chemical used in agriculture
- It’s been banned in many countries (but not in the U.S.)
- There are quite a few lawsuits claiming it’s linked to cancer and that it damages the microbiome
Additional Notes
- “In the last few weeks, Cheerios was outed for having more glyphosate than vitamin A or vitamin B. They announced that they’re going to phase out all glyphosate from their products by 2025, which is fantastic, which means it’s going to change the supply chain; it’s going to change how farming is done.” – Dr. Mark Hyman