Whole foods are the most sensible choices when it comes to putting nutritional value on our plate.

So why would we pile on anything less?

It's a simple matter of economics. A multi-billion dollar's worth, to be exact.

Refined foods are big industry, and draw enormous profit. When industries are accustomed to bringing in big profits, they do what any industry would do: protect those profits at all costs. In addition, these profits bring power, and information can be put forth, covered over, or otherwise manipulated to protect that power.

Does this sound paranoid?

Think about it: big industry can invest big money. In this case, the refined foods industry can fund a great deal of research. Anything that is found that could reduce sales and profits is certainly not going to be broadcast to the general public!

There is a counter-balance to this conglomerate, in the form of a much smaller, but very valuable, independent research contingent. Their voices strive to broadcast the message that through their research, they have found that the increase in disease and obesity has a direct correlation with the increased consumption of nutritionally inferior products. These products are put out by the refined foods industry, in the form of overly processed, nutritionally substandard food. They are "quick and easy", and have been stripped of their essential nutrients. The shortage of nutrients in our daily diet leads to multiple deficiencies, the severity of which is determined by our overall diet. The very vitamins and minerals that are bodies require in order to fight off illness are discarded in the processing phase.

The good news is that as long as the deficiency hasn't caused lasting damage, it can be reversed as soon as we begin to incorporate those nutrients back into our diets in the form of whole foods nutrition.

There is already a push to limit the amount of advertising that the refined foods can do, similar to what has been done in the tobacco industry. Most reprehensible has been the amount of advertising that has been directed at children during commercials between cartoons. Characters are created for the purposes of the advertising, and these foods seem like "friends" to the young mind, because they blend in with the characters they are seeing in their favorite programs.

For the sake of our collective health, sweeping changes need to be made, in the form of more research on nutrition, and focusing on the nutritional value that our bodies can get from whole foods eating. It has already begun, as more and more fruits, vegetables, and grains that are common in other parts of the world have been imported and become more familiar. Organic products are also thriving. As people learn more about what they put into their bodies and the effects, they are willing to make changes in order to improve.

When the refined foods industry protects its profits "at all costs", this includes your health. Are you willing to continue to pay the price?