“The American diet is dangerous,” Dr. Joel Fuhrman told a crowd of 900 people at Utah Valley University’s Sorenson Center on Thursday, April 11th.
Mr. Furman is a seven-time New York Times bestseller, a Utah ski enthusiast, and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. At an event hosted by local restaurant chain Aubergine Kitchen, Fuhrman presented research and international research warning of the dangers of consuming the typical American diet.
Fuhrman said the typical American diet consists primarily of processed foods, which reduces the average American’s quality of life and longevity.
According to the CDC, the leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease. Fuhrman said Americans are not only hurting themselves toward cancer and dementia, but also heart disease.
Fuhrman said eating “more vegetables, more beans, more nuts and seeds” is the best way to prevent heart disease, cancer and dementia. “They kick out the unhealthy foods you crave and keep you full.”
Fuhrman said the best way to live healthier and longer is to eat nutrient-dense foods – foods that come directly from the earth. But he found that only about 14 percent of the average American’s diet contains unrefined, unprocessed plant foods.
“My goal is to help you become a nutritionist,” Furman said. “In other words, you’re eating to live longer to protect your health, which improves your creativity, mental function, and physical health.”
A nutritionist is someone who practices a nutrient-dense, plant-based diet. Fuhrman offered his four key pieces of advice that apply to college students and anyone looking to improve their health.
- Eating more nutritious food makes your body full faster, regulates your metabolic rate, and encourages you to eat only on an empty stomach.
- Focus on green vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale.
- Beans are a highly effective preventive food for preventing heart disease, dementia, and cancer. If beans are difficult to digest, start with small amounts and slowly increase your bean intake over time.
- Oils such as extra virgin olive oil are better for consumption than animal products such as butter and are better than no oil at all. However, it is better to consume nuts and seeds than oils. “You don’t see oil growing on trees. You have to eat real food,” Furman said.
Marianne Chambers is a sophomore at BYU and attended the event. She said she is by no means a nutritionist or nutritionist, but she is trying to be more health conscious.
“I have to be realistic with myself, especially with the culture of the university. I’m not going to choose not to eat cookies at a party,” Chambers said.
But Chambers said she plans to set small goals for herself, such as eating a leafy vegetable with every meal and adding more beans to her meals.
“You can’t become a nutritionist tomorrow, but small steps and consistency are key,” Chambers said.
Aubergine Kitchen CEO Elcio Zanatta hopes that by bringing Furman to Utah for the event, he will inspire others like Chambers. He said that
Zanatta met Fuhrman through his book, “The End of Heart Disease.” Years later, the two connected over the common goal of bringing healthy plant-based food to as many people as possible.
“Our purpose from the beginning has been to help people change their lives for the better with real food,” Zanatta said.
Aubergine Kitchen started in 2014. The company is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary with 10 stores in Utah, and will open its first restaurant outside the state in Mesa, Arizona in September.
“Food is everything that gives you strength and energy,” Zanatta said.
That’s very important for college students, academics and anyone to understand, Zanatta said. He is a first generation American and his children are BYU graduates.
Zanatta said she always asks herself, “Will I be able to feed my grandchildren here?” to ensure she provides healthy meals for her family and community.
This event was the first ever hosted by Aubergine Kitchen. Zanatta says this won’t be the last time.
Hailey Allphin, a sophomore at BYU, heard about the event because she and her mother are big fans of Aubergine Kitchen. Alfin is excited to learn more about how to be more conscious about the food she puts into her body, she said.
“We have a lot of power to fuel our bodies through food and nutrition. It not only affects our physical health, but also our mental health. These two are very important. are interconnected,” Alfin said. “I don’t think we always realize the power we have.”
Alfin said she wants to be more in tune with her body and listen to what it needs.
“During university life, we tend to prioritize convenience over nutritional value. However, we sometimes do ourselves a disservice because it hinders our academic performance,” Alfin says. said.
BYU students can learn more about nutrition and receive free nutrition consultations through the Women’s Services and Resource Center. Consultations are free for anyone.
