Food Deserts in Minority Communities

My article from Jones Hopkins Research Magazine http://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2014/spring/racial-food-deserts/ called "Research Shows Food Deserts More Abundant in Minority Neighborhood", by Kelly Bower talking about how food deserts are more likely to be present in a minority community then a community like Beverly Hills for example. Kelly Bower is an assistant professor at a school of nursing and she compared the neighborhoods of a majority Caucasian to a minority neighborhood and she found that there are more food deserts in the minority community. A food desert is an area that lacks access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables. Bower found that it was easier to get access to fast food restaurants, liquor stores, and 7-elevens. Which is really unfortunate because with a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables come a lot of health issues. Like obesity, diabetes, hypertension in early ages of those peoples lives. Therefore people who live in those communities are stuck between a rock and a hard place on choosing to eat health and a little expensive or choice to eat cheap and unhealthy to ensure they can have a meal every single day. I personally think that it is really sad that people really have to make decisions like that. It turn eating and food in chore. I think the really question is when are things going to change? When will fresh fruits and vegetables be easier to get then a Mc.Donald's cheeseburger?

Important characteristics

3P Letter!

Sources

One relatable source that I found for this essay is from Ted Talks. Ted Talks as you all know can provide great resources especially for the topic of food politics. The video that I found was called "What's wrong with are food system" presented by Birke Baer. Although he is a child, Birke presents some decent knowledge about the dark side of food and how companies try to trick kids through advertisments. Not only that, Birke also includes alternative ways to eat better. Alternative ways including shoping at farmers markets. This way consumers can have the oppourtunity to ask the producer how they make their food.

Effects of Food Production on the Environment

Landroots.org.uk: Effects of Food Production on the Environment

We can get by without numerous things however we can't get by without food, the mass production of food is evolving into a large ecological concern.  The rampant growth of the human population has increased our overhaul production of food, and is deemed as the greatest ecological degradation this planet is now seeing. Due to the large production of animals and crops that grows larger and larger each day, our quality of air and water has diminished greatly. With this being said, biodiversity as well as wildlife species is being threaten due to the large demand/use of land for crop production and animal lots. The issue with feed lots is that they produce a concretion of issues for the nearby towns. They allow for a great risk of danger for contamination of water as well as the air. Climate Change in the past century as well as the current has been on the rampant rise due to human manipulation of the land. Carbon emissions have been skewed drastically due to humans mass production of said animal lots.  Sadly, our arable land is being used to produce animal feed as well as set aside for grazing. Which goes hand in hand to the lack of biodiversity and the reduction of species which are being threatened with extinction. Sadly it would be difficult to solve this issue without changing our good system. Consumers would have to choose/prefer healthy alternatives rather than cheap meat they can get for the fraction of the price. However, sadly capitalism and the lowest price seems to always prevail today in the modern world.

-Bryan Tovar

Organic Foods : (Food For Thought )

In my article "Organic Foods : What you need to know, the benefits and basics of organic food" explains to the readers that organic food production is an efficient and healthy farming system which avoids use of man-made fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulations, and inhumane ways of killing livestock. These organic food products runs through an efficient humane system that does not harm our inside as though eating food from a factory farming company. These organic food farmers use natural fertilizers, pests and weed control methods such as birds, traps, etc. They give their livestock all organic hormones and along with a free feed environment while with a healthy diet.  If we start to use an organic food system we are not only helping the environment but we are also benefiting ourselves by consuming organic foods that carry nutrients and different enzymes along with other substances that help our body system. I think eating organic foods will benefit us all and also the environment, but I also know that factory farming companies are big business that basically have control of the food supply industry and I know they are a main contributor to fast food places that constantly have consumers. I feel there should be a way that organic food can become main contributors to the food industry because this will benefit many people I think.

The Health Cost of Soul Food

Soul food has grown to be a popular food adapting from African American culture. Since then, many people have eaten this type of food; however, recent studies show that soul food is beginning to effect how people eat and also their health and well-being. In the article, "The Health Cost of Soul Food" by Geneva M. Edwards, the idea that soul food has contributed to many health issues having to do with those who consume this type of food. Typically soul food includes ingredients that are high in sodium and grease. With that being said, this type of food also seems to influence the issue of obesity in America. Obesity has been  a long time problem typically for Americans and it is important that we take care of ourselves and eat food that is good for our bodies to digest. According to the article, African Americans are at higher risk for developing heart problems and or being diagnosed with obesity. Edwards main purpose of this article is to let people know that certain measures need to be taken in order to fix this issue that is putting African Americans at a higher risk. Another group that is at risk is Mexican Americans. As a whole, both groups are extremely into their own culture of food however the food seems to be very threatening to these racial groups' health. How do we fix this? Try to come up with more recipes that promote food that is not only tasty but also healthier.