‘Our grandparents never ate these things’: Cardiologist says real, unprocessed food is a basic human right

Dr Alok emphasizes that health underpins all rights, urging recognition of clean food as a human right and blaming food industry for harmful ingredients.

Your health is the foundation of your overall wellbeing. If you are not healthy, your surroundings are not clean, your food contains processed ingredients, and the air you breathe is toxic, then you won't be able to function healthily and perform your day-to-day duties and activities.

It’s time we recognised clean, real, unprocessed food as a basic human right. Not a privilege. Not an afterthought. A basic human right. (Freepik)

Dr Alok Chopra, a cardiologist and functional medicine expert with over 40 years of experience, shares this belief. On December 10, which is celebrated as Human Rights Day, the cardiologist shared a video highlighting how our health is the foundation of every other human right.

“If our air is toxic, our food is adulterated, and chronic diseases are rising — then our rights need to evolve. It’s time we recognised clean, real, unprocessed food as a basic human right. Not a privilege. Not an afterthought. A basic human right,” Dr Alok wrote.

The foundation of all human rights

Dr Alok stressed that our health decides every other right we can have. He explained, “When the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was written, we didn't know what we know today. We didn't know that chronic disease would explode. We didn't know that the lifestyle would become the biggest cause of suffering. And we definitely did not know that the food industry would be allowed to put disease-causing ingredients into products meant for even children.”

The cardiologist stated that the addition of ultra-processed starches, refined sugars, industrialised seed oils, corn syrup, corn starch, emulsifiers, and artificial colours in our food is alarming. He highlighted that our grandparents never ate these things, which is why our body was never designed to handle them.

Clean, unadulterated food as a human right

Dr Alok stated that these additions aren't just lifestyle changes; they are ‘lifestyle injustices.’ He urged people to take a stand, saying, “If clean air, clean water, and safety are human rights, then the right to clean, really unadulterated food must be one too.”

Moreover, he pushed for the ‘right to food that does not trigger inflammation, does not cause obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, and doesn't silently harm your children's gut.’

Lastly, he added, “It's time we revise our idea of human rights. Because without the right to health and without the right to food that nourishes rather than destroys, every other right loses its meaning.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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