The American population is undernourished: why an abundance of calories masks a critical nutrient deficiency

Here’s a strange paradox: a country with the widest access to food is fighting an obesity epidemic, yet people are still starving. Not starving in the traditional sense of lacking food — they get enough calories. But their bodies are crying out for help: they’re not receiving what they truly need. Americans eat a lot, but incorrectly, leading to a cascade of problems—from simple fatigue to serious metabolic disorders, including mineral imbalances that can cause excess magnesium in the body and other dangerous symptoms.

Carbohydrates: Energy Fuel with a Catch

Carbohydrates are not the enemy; they are our energy source. An adult’s brain consumes about 20% of the body’s total energy — roughly 300–400 kcal daily, equivalent to about 100–120 grams of glucose per day. Without carbs, mental work becomes impossible.

The issue isn’t carbs themselves, but their type. Complex carbohydrates act as long-lasting fuel: the body takes time to unpack and break them down, providing sustained satiety. The intervals between meals extend to several hours. These carbs are found in buckwheat, oats, brown rice, whole-grain bread, legumes, and starchy vegetables.

Empty carbs tell a different story. They cause an instant energy spike, but the body doesn’t need to unpack anything: sugar goes directly into the bloodstream. These carbs include candies, cookies, white bread, sugary cereals, soda, and sweet juices. The typical American breakfast creates an illusion of fullness: cereal with milk swells in the stomach, giving a feeling of satiety, but after an hour, the body demands more food because there’s no nutritional value.

The result? The daily sugar intake exceeds the limit long before lunch, leaving zero vitamins and fiber.

Excess Protein: When Healthy Becomes Dangerous

In America, diets are loaded with protein. Chicken, pork, beef — they’re accessible, cheap, and many stores sell kilogram steaks for less than $7. People have replaced balanced meals with meat, turning barbecue into a lifestyle.

Protein itself isn’t the enemy. It’s essential for muscles, skin, joints, and blood vessels. But there’s a huge difference between normal intake and excess.

The body doesn’t store protein like fat or carbs. Excess fat accumulates in the armpits and belly, but excess protein is simply excreted… through the kidneys. The only way to use excess protein is through strength training, which causes micro-tears in muscles that require protein as building material. Without such activity, all the protein consumed leaves the body, but before it does, it can cause damage.

Kidneys are the first victims. Excess protein produces more nitrogen waste products, which are filtered out by the kidneys. If the diet includes red meat, sausages, and processed foods, saturated fats and salt intake also increase. This directly raises “bad” cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Digestive health suffers. Meat lacks dietary fiber, which is vital for microbiota and proper gut function. Excess protein combined with low fiber often causes constipation and intestinal discomfort.

Gout risk increases. High-protein diets raise uric acid levels, especially in predisposed individuals consuming lots of red meat.

Trans Fats: The Enemy Masquerading as Oil

Years of anti-fat campaigns created the myth that all fats are enemies. In reality, healthy fats are vital: they regulate hormones, support brain and heart health. Deficiency in fats can lead to decreased libido, menstrual irregularities, depression, and concentration problems.

The problem isn’t fats in general, but trans fats — altered forms of regular fats. Liquid oils are hydrogenated at high temperatures with a catalyst in factories. The fat molecules change shape, becoming more solid. This results in margarine used in baking and fast food. Deep-frying in such oil or overheating it produces trans fats.

And so, the American diet becomes a sinister mix: protein + empty carbs + trans fats. A slow-acting human bomb.

An Experiment That Spoke the Truth

A test was conducted: can a person stay healthy on fast food, provided they stick to calorie limits? The results are documented in the film “That Sugar Film.”

Participant 1: Fast food, but within calorie limits.
Participant 2: Healthy, balanced foods — vegetables, quality protein, complex carbs, healthy fats.

After 4 weeks:

• With the same calorie count, a diet high in sugar and fast food led to weight gain, even when calories were accurately counted.
• Even without overeating, excess sugar caused insulin and blood sugar spikes.
• Energy levels dropped, well-being worsened.
• On a healthy diet, participants remained within normal ranges, maintaining stable blood sugar and normal metabolism.

Conclusion: Healthy eating isn’t just about calories; it’s about nutritional value.

Where Is All That Sugar Hidden?

Even if someone thinks they’re just eating a burger and fries, their daily sugar intake exceeds the norm due to hidden sources:

Sauces and dressings — ketchup, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise contain several teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Buns and bread — burger buns are sweetened for flavor; even plain white bread can have 2–5 grams of sugar.

Drinks — soda, sweet tea, energy drinks are obvious sources.

Side dishes — fries are sometimes glazed with sugar or syrup for color and flavor.

Breading and marinades — chicken nuggets, breaded cutlets often contain sugar.

Result: the body receives a huge excess of sugar without realizing it.

Vitamin and Mineral Collapse: Research Data

According to the US NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), a significant portion of Americans get critically insufficient vitamins and minerals from regular food:

• 95% lack enough vitamin D
• 84% are deficient in vitamin E
• 46% have insufficient vitamin C
• 45% lack enough vitamin A
• 15% are deficient in zinc

Additional deficiencies include copper, iron, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and other microelements.

What Does This Lead To: Symptoms at Every Level

Immunity drops. Without vitamin C, zinc, and selenium, the body’s defense against infections weakens, illnesses become more severe.

Appearance suffers. Deficiencies in vitamins A, E, B group, biotin, and iron cause dry skin, brittle nails, hair loss.

Energy disappears. Iron, B12, magnesium, or iodine deficiencies lead to weakness, fatigue, dizziness, concentration issues.

Bones and teeth become fragile. Lack of calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus makes bones brittle and teeth weak.

Nervous system malfunctions. Deficiencies in B vitamins and magnesium cause irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and attention problems.

Blood cannot function properly. Iron, folate, and B12 deficiencies cause anemia.

Metabolism slows down. Iodine deficiency weakens the thyroid, leading to fatigue and weight gain.

Mineral Imbalance: When One Element Becomes Too Much

When the body receives calorie-rich but nutrient-poor food, mineral imbalances can occur. For example, high processed food intake with lots of salt and low potassium can disrupt electrolyte balance.

Interestingly, symptoms of excess magnesium often appear in the context of such chaotic diets. When people take supplements to compensate for deficiencies but don’t change their diet, a imbalance can develop. Excess magnesium symptoms include muscle weakness, nausea, low blood pressure, and arrhythmias. But more often, the problem isn’t magnesium itself, but the body’s constant “food stress.”

Why Does This Happen?

A body fed with calories devoid of nutrients screams: “Hey, you lied to me! There’s nothing I need here!” Repeatedly, it triggers hunger signals.

Excess sugar is converted into fat stores. Excess trans fats are deposited in fat depots. Protein is processed, taxing the kidneys. Vitamins and minerals are simply absent.

This diet doesn’t replace a balanced diet — it mimics it, creating an illusion of fullness while the cells remain hungry at a fundamental level.

What Should Be Done?

Healthy eating isn’t complicated; it’s about balance:

• Complex carbs instead of simple: grains, whole-grain bread, vegetables
• Quality protein in moderation: fish, eggs, legumes, not kilograms of meat daily
• Healthy fats: olive oil, avocado, fish, nuts
• Variety of vegetables and fruits for vitamins and fiber
• Minimal processed foods

When nutrition is complete, the body stops starving, metabolism normalizes, energy fluctuations disappear, weight stabilizes. Most importantly, the constant hunger amid abundance that millions of Americans experience will vanish.