It’s no exaggeration: 70% of what Americans eat isn’t food—it’s ultra-processed chemicals carefully engineered for addiction. These so-called “foods” are designed to make you overeat, leaving your body starved of nutrients and your cells defenseless against disease. The result? A health crisis of unprecedented scale.

This epidemic didn’t happen by accident. Here’s how ultra-processed foods—especially those promoted as “convenient” or “tasty”—took over our food supply, and why prioritizing real protein and healthy carbs is key to reversing the damage.

The Health Crisis: A System Engineered for Disease

678,000 Americans die each year from chronic, food-related diseases. That’s more than all U.S. combat deaths in every war combined. Most of these deaths are entirely preventable, yet chronic illnesses now affect 60% of Americans, with ultra-processed foods being the primary culprit.

How did this happen? It starts with Big Tobacco.

Big Tobacco’s Pivot to Food

In the 1980s, as tobacco sales began declining, Big Tobacco companies like Philip Morris pivoted. They bought some of the largest food brands in America, including Kraft, Nabisco, and General Foods. Using their expertise in marketing addictive substances, they transformed the food industry by engineering foods for maximum addictiveness through the perfect combination of fat, sugar, and salt—a formula designed to hijack your brain’s reward system.

How Processed Foods Are Killing Us

Processed foods aren’t just empty calories; they’re an assault on your body. They flood your system with inflammatory substances like oxidative stress-inducing chemicals while stripping away nutrients essential for repair, such as antioxidants and fiber. Over time, this leads to a cascade of problems:

• Chronic inflammation

• Metabolic dysfunction

• Insulin resistance

• Obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease

Even worse, the U.S. allows ingredients banned in many other countries, including:

• Artificial dyes (Yellow #5, Red #40)

• Potassium bromate (found in bread)

• Olestra (a fat substitute)

• Chlorine-washed chicken

• Growth hormones in beef and dairy

But the industrial food complex doesn’t just make you sick—it profits from your illness. Ultra-processed foods create a vicious cycle of addiction, illness, and reliance on pharmaceuticals.

The Role of Protein: The Building Block of Health

Protein is essential for every function in your body, from building muscle and repairing tissues to producing enzymes and hormones. Yet the protein sources in ultra-processed foods are often low-quality or artificial, leaving your body nutritionally deprived.

What Protein Should Look Like

Protein intake should come from whole, high-quality sources that are nutrient-dense and minimally processed:

• Grass-fed beef: Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, CLA, and bioavailable iron.

• Pasture-raised eggs: Rich in essential amino acids, choline, and healthy fats.

• Wild-caught fish: A great source of lean protein and anti-inflammatory omega-3s.

• Dairy products: Raw milk, whole yogurt, and cheese are excellent options when sourced from grass-fed animals.

• Bone broth and collagen: Support gut health, skin, and joint repair.

Processed protein sources, like soy isolates or factory-farmed meats, are stripped of vital nutrients and often come with harmful additives or hormones.

The Truth About Carbs: The Right Kind at the Right Time

Carbohydrates have been demonized in modern diets, but they are essential for energy, brain function, and athletic performance. However, not all carbs are created equal. The ultra-processed carbs found in packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and white bread spike your blood sugar and lead to long-term metabolic damage.

Healthy Carbs to Prioritize

• Root vegetables: Sweet potatoes, yams, and carrots are nutrient-dense and packed with fiber.

• Whole grains: Steel-cut oats, quinoa, and brown rice provide sustained energy without sugar crashes.

• Fruits: Organic fruits like berries, apples, and bananas offer natural sugars alongside fiber and antioxidants.

• Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, and beans are excellent sources of both carbs and plant-based protein.

Timing Matters: Metabolic Flexibility

Your body’s energy needs vary throughout the day, so it’s important to fuel it appropriately:

• Morning: Start the day with low-carb meals to encourage fat-burning.

• Midday: Introduce complex carbs to sustain energy.

• Evening: Focus on protein and healthy fats to support recovery and repair.

By practicing carb-cycling—alternating between high- and low-carb days—you can optimize energy use and improve metabolic flexibility.

A Healthy Grocery List for Protein and Carbs

Here’s what to add to your cart for a balanced, nutrient-dense diet:

Proteins

• Grass-fed beef (variety of cuts, biltong, mince)

• Pasture-raised eggs

• Wild-caught salmon, tuna, and white fish

• Oysters and mussels

• Raw milk, whole yogurt, and hard cheeses

• Bone broth and collagen supplements

Carbohydrates

• Sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, and squash

• Organic fruits like berries, apples, and citrus

• Whole grains: Steel-cut oats, brown rice, and quinoa

• Leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, and carrots

• Raw honey and unprocessed maple syrup for natural sweetness

Fats (to complement proteins and carbs)

• Coconut oil for cooking

• Extra virgin olive oil for salads

• Butter, ghee, and tallow

• Avocados and nuts like almonds and walnuts

Why This Matters: The Fight for Food Freedom

The health crisis created by ultra-processed foods is not an accident—it’s the result of a system designed to prioritize profits over people. While individuals can take steps to choose healthier options, true change requires dismantling the industrial food complex.

Here’s how we start:

1. Cook at home: Prepare meals with whole, organic ingredients.

2. Support local farmers: Buy fresh produce, grass-fed meats, and raw dairy from trusted sources.

3. Educate yourself: Understand food labels and avoid harmful additives.

Ultimately, the solution lies in returning to the basics—real food, eaten in balance. By prioritizing quality protein and healthy carbs, we can reclaim our health, fight chronic disease, and build a healthier society.

The Bottom Line: This isn’t about more willpower—it’s about fixing the poisoned food supply that is destroying public health. It’s time for a modern health renaissance that puts nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods back on the table.