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“Don’t eat sugary foods.”
“Don’t eat food cooked with fat or oil.”
“Start eating salads.”
“Stop eating meat.”
“Stop eating dairy products.”
“Limit your carbs intake.”
Have you heard of these before?
Due to lack of proper knowledge, these phrases have been prevalent for a long time; phrases that we now know are highly misleading.
The rising number of diseases in the past few years have made many people look at their health differently. People have started caring more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting the right nutrition in the right way.
Society has forever been labeling food as ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ For instance, foods like pizzas and burgers have been put under the ‘bad’ category, while foods such as broccoli and spinach are accepted as the ‘good’ category.
Labeling foods or forbidding a few food items, makes them even more desirable, which may lead to the overindulgence of such foods.
According to science, knowledge of proper nutrition is continually changing with evidence. Just a few years back, Carbohydrates, the primary source of energy, were essential and “good,” but now people are avoiding them altogether . Fats that were once, all “bad” and unhealthy are now viewed differently. Now, we have “good fats” and “bad fats.” Our notion of what healthy food and a healthy diet are, have been continually changing for several years.
These changing notions confuse people more than help them. Apart from the fear of diseases and an unhealthy body, people now have a social burden of eating the ‘right’ foods. Instead of making food choices according to their body’s needs, people make choices, which help them to fit in the ‘righteous’ society.
So, which foods are ‘good’ and which ones are ‘bad’?
NO FOOD IS GOOD OR BAD.
All foods provide nutrients to the body. Even a burger contains a whole range of nutrients.
But as the saying goes, “Too much of anything is bad.”
Excess calories can lead to obesity, which can lead to many diseases, such as heart diseases and diabetes. So, eating in “MODERATION,” and consuming a healthy balanced diet, is the key.
Our body needs all the nutrients but in varying quantities. Too much of any nutrient can be harmful. Even excess intake of water can be detrimental to some people, by throwing the delicate fluid to electrolyte ratio in their bloodstream off-balance.
As Ruchika Gupta (CEO, Health Click Away) says, “Never curtail your taste buds, just curtail your portion size.“
To enjoy your favorite foods, you need to know about your body and its requirements first. Based on your daily energy intake and expenditure, you can easily calculate your estimated calorie requirements and nutrient quantities and thus you can choose to eat what you like, but in moderation.
Food should be free from judgments. Food is an art, and it should be appreciated and enjoyed.
Be mindful of your food, see it, smell it, feel it in your mouth, taste it, feel it’s texture, understand it’s temperature, see how it melts, listen to its crispiness, feel its softness or nuttiness, feel it completely, RECONNECT WITH YOUR FOOD.
Join the app, Health Click Away, an app that can help you stay fit and eat mindfully. Learn about your health parameters, estimated calorie requirements, and plan your meals accordingly, to aim for a healthier life.
“Life is precious, enjoy it in a healthy body“- Ruchika Gupta (CEO, Health Click Away).
