I appreciate the section on processed foods. It has been maddening to see the discourse around it, since so few people understand that cooking, chopping, etc counts as “processed.”
I'm with you on the PF tip. I'll eat a 'highly processed' snack bar if the ingredients are nutritious and it's not too high in sugar. But most of the time I try to avoid this kind of food because it hasn't been great for my gut health in the past
I’m glad you found what works for you. Some people are bothered by certain food additives, such as emulsifiers, in certain processed foods. Label reading helps.
Thank you, this was so good to read. It brings to mind the importance of moderation, truly listening to your body, and being honest about the changes we experience—responding with both compassion and wisdom.
Absolutes don't work for me so moderation is my key. I also try to think about alternatives. Even if you eat a lot of fruit it's certainly healthier than lots of candy or soda.
The freak out about soy a few years ago was completely ignored. I’d be giving up much of my ancestral heritage if I did. I mean, I won’t eat certain soy-derived products (soy letcien or however you spell it…what the eff is that, anyway?), but will eat tofu, tempeh, use soy sauce and miso. And don’t Nordic countries use canola (or rather, rapeseed) oil like those from the Mediterranean use olive oil? And yet, certain Nordic diets are considered blue zone diets.
The idea of not eating ingredients you can’t pronounce: well, if you do that, then don’t bother with anything that contains bacterial culture. That means no kefir. And I’m not giving that up.
I'm assuming you ignored the freak out about soy, as did I! Including traditional soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, and miso is a great idea. I was just looking at a kefir label and there were a lot of probiotics that would surely be difficult to pronounce, but all good for you.
There are so many nuances, for sure! We all flock to black-and-white ideas and solutions but those are not sophisticated enough to really explain how things work.
I always try to tell my clients to not have hard and fast rules because you tend to optimize for one outcome at the expense of another. It's how I started to focus on my health journey all of those years ago - do you focus on only losing weight or do you focus on becoming heart healthy, which may come with losing weight?
If you reduce unnatural sugar and move more, etc., then you're probably going to be healthier. If you look at what ingredients are in your food and understand that, you may make different choices. It's a combination of things that go into getting healthier. That said, you want to live your life. Living a perfect life of adhering to every "rule" doesn't sound fun to me.
I'm ok with more than a grain of salt, some chocolate and some wine.
I appreciate the section on processed foods. It has been maddening to see the discourse around it, since so few people understand that cooking, chopping, etc counts as “processed.”
The conversation about processed foods is far more nuanced than black and white. I'm glad you can see that!
I have my own fake rule - after menopause, you get to eat unlimited amounts of kale and arugula!
Well, that’s great if you like kale and arugula!
I'm with you on the PF tip. I'll eat a 'highly processed' snack bar if the ingredients are nutritious and it's not too high in sugar. But most of the time I try to avoid this kind of food because it hasn't been great for my gut health in the past
I’m glad you found what works for you. Some people are bothered by certain food additives, such as emulsifiers, in certain processed foods. Label reading helps.
Thank you, this was so good to read. It brings to mind the importance of moderation, truly listening to your body, and being honest about the changes we experience—responding with both compassion and wisdom.
You’re welcome. Thanks for letting me know that it’s helpful!
Great article and soundest of the sound advice I've read recently. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad the post is useful.
Thank you. It helps to read this. I am trying to eat better. It's too convenient to grab quick processed food and say...at least, I ate
You're welcome. You don't have to eat perfectly to make progress. Sometimes you need quick processed food but it's a good idea to limit it.
This is sooo true! Great read.
Thank you! It’s the way I see it, anyway!
Absolutes don't work for me so moderation is my key. I also try to think about alternatives. Even if you eat a lot of fruit it's certainly healthier than lots of candy or soda.
You’re right. Nutrition is relative!
Please correct my comment it should read 'I couldn't agree with you more' ... .
Consider it corrected! Thanks for letting me know.
I couldn't agree with you. I'm a Retired Prof of Foods, Nutrition and its management, from Delhi University. India.
The freak out about soy a few years ago was completely ignored. I’d be giving up much of my ancestral heritage if I did. I mean, I won’t eat certain soy-derived products (soy letcien or however you spell it…what the eff is that, anyway?), but will eat tofu, tempeh, use soy sauce and miso. And don’t Nordic countries use canola (or rather, rapeseed) oil like those from the Mediterranean use olive oil? And yet, certain Nordic diets are considered blue zone diets.
The idea of not eating ingredients you can’t pronounce: well, if you do that, then don’t bother with anything that contains bacterial culture. That means no kefir. And I’m not giving that up.
I'm assuming you ignored the freak out about soy, as did I! Including traditional soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, and miso is a great idea. I was just looking at a kefir label and there were a lot of probiotics that would surely be difficult to pronounce, but all good for you.
Most definitely. I can limit or avoid rice or noodles without feeling that I’m offending my heritage, but can’t avoid soy without feeling that way!
There are so many nuances, for sure! We all flock to black-and-white ideas and solutions but those are not sophisticated enough to really explain how things work.
I get it! It's so much easier to understand black and white than shades of gray!
I love that you mentioned fruit - I am so tired of seeing people trying to avoid fruit because of sugar!
Glad you agree. I think it's silly to avoid fruit and not particularly healthy, either.
So silly - I see people being afraid of fruit but being convinced they need 200 grams of protein a day. To many influencers without the education
Yup! There is a lot of hyper focusing on certain nutrients as good or bad. We need more balance!
100% agree
I always try to tell my clients to not have hard and fast rules because you tend to optimize for one outcome at the expense of another. It's how I started to focus on my health journey all of those years ago - do you focus on only losing weight or do you focus on becoming heart healthy, which may come with losing weight?
If you reduce unnatural sugar and move more, etc., then you're probably going to be healthier. If you look at what ingredients are in your food and understand that, you may make different choices. It's a combination of things that go into getting healthier. That said, you want to live your life. Living a perfect life of adhering to every "rule" doesn't sound fun to me.
I'm ok with more than a grain of salt, some chocolate and some wine.
I love your attitude! Demonizing a food or a nutrient makes no sense and it can rob you of eating joy.
Such an eye-opener! Especially about seed oils. Thank you for this article!
You’re welcome! Thanks for letting me know that it was helpful.