Bad Food vs Good Food
Have you ever heard a friend, coworker or family member mention they were trying to stick only to “good” foods like broccoli, salad, fruits and lean meats? That they were trying to avoid eating “bad foods” like processed food, sugary sweets like donuts, cookies and cake and things like pizza, wine? Have you ever wondered about bad food vs good food?
In this article, I will break down the truth about bad food vs good food so you can understand the truth.
First of all, I think a diet of mostly whole foods can provide you with good health and vitality. Unprocessed whole foods, fruits and vegetables and lean proteins are great menu options. These foods are full of nutrients, high in fiber, low in saturated fat, and provide multiple health benefits.
On the flip side, ultra-processed foods like packaged cookies, cakes, and chips usually provide few nutrients and health benefits.
However, it’s important to recognize that foods do not fall into a moral distinction of good versus bad. Cookies are not inherently bad while kale is not inherently good.
Too much of any food or nutrient can be be harmful. Even water and coffee can be damaging in excess. The dose makes the poison.
Food Zealotry
Labeling foods as bad foods vs good foods instead of always foods and sometimes foods can prove problematic.
When we assign a moral value to certain foods, we can actually crave them more. Or we can develop unhealthy patterns of restriction or orthorexic eating.
Food zealotry and labeling food as good or bad can actually have negative health consequences. It can cause us to develop nutrient deficiencies, disordered eating habits and full blown eating disorders like Orthorexia, and it can cause us to shun nutrients we actually need to live and perform better, like carbohydrates.
In truth, we need to remember that the occasional slice of cake or cookie won’t hurt us. Instead of developing an all or nothing approach, we need to develop a more balanced approach.
We do not need to feel self-righteous when we eat “good” foods and guilty when we sometimes eat “bad” foods.
Our eating behaviors should not make us feel morally superior or guilty. There are no good and bad foods. Food is just food.
