Eating wholesome foods can benefit the busy life of students by building a stronger mind and body.

As an athletic college student I want to get the most out of what I consume.

Because of this, I decided to become aware of the foods that I eat.

Although I was under the impression that all I needed to understand was what ‘organic’ meant. I determined that ‘organic’ does not mean natural.

Organic foods are grown without the use of artificial chemicals — or so I thought. I learned there was much more I needed to know regarding wholesome eating.

By identifying the opposition of organic foods I came closer to acknowledging what I should, and should not, eat.

When foods are processed, chemicals are added. The addition of chemicals ensures a long-lasting product but lack any nutritional value.

It seems like mankind has learned to worry more about preserving food rather than getting any nutrition out of it.

If the world were coming to an end, however, processed foods would be ideal for post apocalyptic survival.

I was under the impression that I knew the ideal to-go snacks — choosing iced tea and pretzels over chips and soda.

I now understand that added chemicals and sugars prevents food spoilage.

Pretzels, are low in vitamins and nutrients and iced tea is equivalent to soda, due to added sugar. I was in no way benefitting from what I believed to be the healthier choices of snacks.

This realization opened my eyes that I lacked important knowledge.

Knowing this influenced my newfound food ideology.

After glimpsing through a few articles, I recall reading that those affected by hypoglycemia, (a condition commonly connected with the treatment of diabetes) the brain steals glutamate, a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory, and can create negative effects such as depression, anxiety, anger, and panic attacks.

The effects can inclusively lead to suicide. Not only was this piece of information alarming, but also frightening because a lot of prepackaged food has an excessive amount of added sugar.

The information sparked my new dietary initiative and now, for the most part, I cut prepackaged foods from my diet.

Eating wholesome foods makes more sense than reading nutritional facts on a granola bar label and trying to decide whether or not this is good for me.

The point of eating is to fuel the body so it can function properly and getting the best out of what we consume should require some consideration.

My advice for those still seeking healthier choices is simple. Eat what goes bad, because what goes bad is good.”