There are a lot of scientific studies that come out by the hour when it comes to nutrition. We’ve all hear that “this ingredient helps with heart disease and that helps with…” and for most people, it means nothing. But as a nutrition major trying to put the pieces together, I find myself wanting to share more and more that eating healthy is a lot simpler than you may think.
Based on the media, nothing seems to be safe anymore. They say that coconut oil is the newest trend, but then say it’s actually worse for you than olive oil. The Paleo community brags to be the healthiest diet, but vegetarians claim that the meat-free lifestyle is the best way to go.
It’s hard not to get wrapped up in all the fads and gimmicks that are out there ,and it’s even harder to figure out what to believe. If my two cents are worth anything, here’s what I got.
Eating whole, healthful foods will make you feel better.
Photo by Tiare Brown
These foods allow every process in your body to function a whole lot smoother, and for a whole lot longer. Diets that omit types of nutritious foods aren’t necessarily the answer (they might be though- everyone’s different and the answer can’t be generalized).
And it’s all about balance.
If you’re eating to energize and filling your plate with foods that will give you all the right tools to do so (vitamins, minerals, nutrients), then some cheat foods are are allowed once and a while. No one’s perfect, and everyone has their guilty food pleasure. Enjoy it.
Eat with the attitude that what you put in your body is meant to help you.
Photo by Luna Zhang
Carbs are the only energy your brain can use, protein keeps you full, and even the right types of fat, although they have a bad reputation, have important roles.
In a general sense, that’s it.
All backed by science, and all with enormous detail along with it. Eating should be a balance between giving your body what it needs, and loving what you’re eating.
We get so caught up in the hype that’s pushed in our faces about what’s healthy and what’s not, and whether or not we should be eating this or that.
Instead of focusing all our energy on what we’re doing wrong, it’s time to start focusing on how to do it right. All it takes is a little bit of simple science, a little bit of balance, and some good old fruits and vegetables.