Every year, millions of American tourists and travelers visit all corners of the world. Apart from geographical differences, the most obvious variations are seen in the races, clothing, foods, traditions, and social organization of the people. One thing the traveler is unlikely to see, however, is how the pattern of health and disease in distant countries varies from that of the US. The populations of many developing countries suffer from diseases associated with poverty (such as tuberculosis) or inadequate sanitation and poor environmental quality (such as cholera), as well as a variety of nutritional deficiencies. But even affluent communities in countries' such as Japan and in southern Europe have causes of sickness that are different than those seen in the US. By comparing the dietary habits and the predominant causes of death in many regions, theoretical links can be suggested between diet and diseases ranging from coronary heart disease and hypertension to certain types of cancer. These links are of enormous interest today, both to consumers and to doctors, and form the basis for continuing research.
The food that is available and the diet eaten by the people in each country or culture has advantages and disadvantages. In the US and other developed countries, the availability of a wide range of inexpensive, wholesome, and fortified foods has greatly diminished the disorders caused by vitamin or mineral deficiencies. However, ironically, those problems have been replaced by the diseases of an affluent life-style - disorders that are associated with (though not necessarily caused by) a high intake of fat, sugar, and total calories, not enough fiber in the diet, and an inadequate energy expenditure.
With a basic knowledge of foods and nutrients, Americans can choose a balanced diet that combines the dietary advantages of many cultures. However, for most Americans, achieving a balanced diet is not the only concern. Other related topics, such as the avoidance of obesity, the role of vitamin supplements, and the nutritional value of foods produced by modern methods, are also relevant. Scientists know that dietary requirements vary by age, too.
The diets people follow today differ from one region of the world to another and also differ from those of our ancestors. Primitive humans survived by hunting and gathering, eating whatever they could find - small animals, birds, or reptiles, and nuts, fruits, berries, or roots. Some tribal communities in Africa, Australia, and South America still live in this way. About 10,000 years ago, humans began to cultivate and harvest crops. Today, most diets around the world are based on a local plant, or staple crop, as the main source of energy.
For most of the tropics the staple food is rice (or, in parts of Africa, cassava and yams). Vast quantities of rice are grown in southeast Asia. Although rice has a high energy value, its vitamin and mineral content is reduced when the husk is removed. The same is true of other grains. In much of Europe and North America the staples are wheat, oats, and corn. More wheat is grown than any other staple. Wheat contains protein, some vitamins and minerals, and carbohydrates, though its nutritional value is reduced by refining.
Corn is grown in the Americas, southern Europe, Africa, and East Asia, often in areas where other grains cannot be raised. It is nutritious, though not as rich in protein or minerals as wheat.
Other staples include potatoes, yams, peas and beans, peanuts, breadfruit, plantains, and cereal grains such as barley and rye. And in each region there is a cuisine - dishes prepared in a traditional way - that is based on the local staple and on local sources of protein, fats, vegetables, and spices.
In the early civilizations of the Middle East, India, China, and Central America, farmers experimented with the plants that grew there naturally. These plants have been modified by selective breeding to produce bigger yields and to be resistant to disease. In any region the staple food - the main source of carbohydrate and thus of energy - is based on a plant that is natural or adapted to the local environment.
Grains, roots, tubers, and legumes (peas and beans) are utilized as staples in different parts of the world because of their high content of complex carbohydrates (starches), which provide energy. Staples vary in their content of other nutrients, and thus in their overall nutritional value.
Meat, a major source of protein in industrialized countries, is a luxury for much of the world's population, who get their protein from grains, beans and peas, or dairy sources. Many people live on a lacto-ovovegetarian diet, which permits dairy products and eggs but excludes fish and meat. Others rely on fish for their protein. This fish varies from pink salmon to the white flesh of cod, haddock, and turbot eaten in northern latitudes to that of snapper, grouper, and shellfish and the squid and octopus found in warmer waters.
John Attenborough is a passionate health researcher and writer, and he has been writing articles, reports and ebooks on weight loss and nutrition for the last 7 years. He also likes to be inspired by other wellness authors. His latest inspiration is this bestselling ebook at http://of-nutrition.com
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