The Unintended Consequences of the Green Revolution

I believe that it is time that we recognize that many of our ailments hail from poor diet. And as much as I speak about empowering yourself to make better choices when it comes to your food intake, we must also take a good look at our food system. Many organizations are fighting to end some of our unhealthy farming practices such as the use of pesticides and ending government-subsidized grain production. The following is a history lesson for those of you who have not heard of the “The Green Revolution“. By looking at the choices humanity has made about their farming practices and then reflecting on the consequences of those actions, we can make informed decisions for positive change.

About fifty years ago, geneticist Norman Borlaug developed high-yield, disease-resistant dwarf wheat that could grow better than any other wheat. This boosted global agricultural production and they called it the Green Revolution. This wheat adopted by farming communities around the globe, plus improved rice, more than tripled the global grain yield from 0.8 billion metric tons in 1961 to 2.8 billion metric tons in 2014. Millions of people were saved from starvation and associated malnutrition which was feared based on a predicted rise in world population from 3 billion to 7 billion during that time. Today the population is expected to increase to 9.7 billion by 2050. 

To feed the expected new arrivals, food production must increase by another 70 percent. The Green Revolution, often made possible through direct or indirect subsidies from governments of almost all countries in the world, made grains and grain-flour products the cheapest form of food available to millions of people around the world. The result has been a significant increase in the percentage of carbohydrate-based food intake daily. It went from roughly 30 percent before the revolution to more than 50 percent in developed countries and over 70 percent in developing countries. In an article I came across on the subject in The Balance  I read this:

“Grains are the most heavily subsidized, making them cheaper than vegetables and fruits…More than 6% of farm subsidies go toward four “junk food” components: corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, corn starch, and soy oils. It seems the federal government subsidizes food that contributes to America’s obesity problem.“

The welcome response to an impending crisis of feeding an increasing number of people helped us save the world. Innovations in seed production, mechanized farming, and improvements in milling and refining have made it possible to produce grains and grain flours that any ordinary person could use to create a multitude of palatable and visually appealing dishes. 

The ease and efficiency of providing meals for the family made the gradual increase in the intake of grain and grain-based foods normal and acceptable. It has conditioned the succeeding generations to become comfortable with the idea that the daily, often multiple, consumption of grain-based foods is expected, even essential for survival. However, this has led to many unintended consequences such as an increase in the incidences of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer all over the world, plus the new paradox of obesity-associated malnutrition. Thus the Green Revolution has fostered an enormous rise of serious medical conditions.  

What can we do? Obesity is the manifestation of consuming energy-containing foods such as grains and grain flour products over one’s immediate ability to use the energy. This then requires storage of carbohydrates inside fat cells — leading to weight gain. Type 2 diabetes is the result of the body’s burning of fatty acids instead of glucose, primarily by muscle cells, to produce energy for physical activities, resulting in the accumulation of glucose in the blood. The rising incidence of cancer is due to cancer cells multiplying faster, aided by glucose from grains and grain flour, outstripping the capability of one’s immune system to destroy them.  

Obesity-associated malnutrition occurs when people overconsume cheap, subsidized grain and grain-flour products that create obesity, while at the same time failing to eat critical nutrients the body needs for proper nutrition. Solutions: I suggest the following solutions to prevent a repetition of similar problems while we try to find food for the incoming newborns.

1. Governments should stop subsidies for grain farming. Instead, they should promote the cultivation of non-grain vegetable crops designed to resist pests and diseases. For example, farmers could be encouraged to cultivate heat- and drought-tolerant varieties of legumes, squash, tomatoes, and other vegetables, which should become larger parts of the diet than grains.
2. We must promote small-scale vegetable cultivation in every possible private and public locale, emphasizing regional vegetables based on soil and climatic conditions.
3. Educate people about the nutritional benefits of eating fruits and vegetables rather than grains. Ironically, eating fruits and vegetables that have scars on them proves survival from pest and insect attacks, so these may be good for the body.
4. Consider increased production and consumption of non-traditional nutrient-rich items such as mushrooms, seaweeds, insects, and worms.

These steps will help wean people off of grains and products made with grain flour.  Listen to this audio commentary on Nutrition and pick up a copy of The Diabetes-Free Cookbook and Exercise Guide. I predict that if we do all these, we will see reductions in the rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

As a best-selling author and Nationally Syndicated Columnist, Dr. John Poothullil, advocates for patients struggling with the effects of adverse lifestyle conditions.

Dr. John’s books, available on Amazon, have educated and inspired readers to take charge of their health. There are many steps you can take to make changes in your health, but Dr. John also empowers us that we must demand certain changes in our healthcare system as well.

Follow or contact Dr. John at drjohnonhealth.com.

John Poothullill practiced medicine as a pediatrician and allergist for more than 30 years, with 27 of those years in the state of Texas. He received his medical degree from the University of Kerala, India in 1968, after which he did two years of medical residency in Washington, DC and Phoenix, AZ and two years of fellowship, one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the other in Ontario, Canada. He began his practice in 1974 and retired in 2008. He holds certifications from the American Board of Pediatrics, The American Board of Allergy & Immunology, and the Canadian Board of Pediatrics.

During his medical practice, John became interested in understanding the causes of and interconnections between hunger, satiation, and weight gain. His interest turned into a passion and a multi-decade personal study and research project that led him to read many medical journal articles, medical textbooks, and other scholarly works in biology, biochemistry, physiology, endocrinology, and cellular metabolic functions. This eventually guided Dr. Poothullil to investigate the theory of insulin resistance as it relates to diabetes. Recognizing that this theory was illogical, he spent a few years rethinking the biology behind high blood sugar and finally developed the fatty acid burn switch as the real cause of diabetes.

Dr. Poothullil has written articles on hunger and satiation, weight loss, diabetes, and the senses of taste and smell. His articles have been published in medical journals such as Physiology and Behavior, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal of Women’s Health, Journal of Applied Research, Nutrition, and Nutritional Neuroscience. His work has been quoted in Woman’s Day, Fitness, Red Book and Woman’s World.

Dr. Poothullil resides in Portland, OR and is available for phone and live interviews.

To learn more buy the books at: amazon.com/author/drjohnpoothullil

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