Healthy Eating Article by: Svetina S

 Healthy Eating

Article by: Svetina S

There are countless benefits to eating healthy, but it can be intimidating. You may think that you need to leave the comfort of your favorite foods behind. Furthermore, grocery store shelves are lined with processed food, refined sugars, and hydrogenated fats. It’s definitely not easy- but making a positive change in your life is never easy. With so much information on the internet, it’s difficult to figure out how exactly you should eat. You might wonder, “Should I try this diet?”, “What foods should I eat?”, or “Do I need to buy fresh and organic?” I’m here today to tell you what I think.

“Should I try this diet?” 

Fad diets are all the rage. Keto, raw food, carnivore, intermittent fasting, weight watchers… and countless more. Many of these promote fast weight loss or a healthy lifestyle- however, that may not always be the case. In fact, many people who go on these diets find them unsustainable and may even gain their weight back after the diet. Everybody will find different results with diets, but from personal experience I believe that diets are unhealthy and only promote disordered eating. 

“What foods should I eat?”

I believe that too many people overcomplicate healthy eating. At the simplest, I think that everyone should include more whole foods in their diet. That means, shopping more in the produce section instead of in the snack aisle. Making this small change is a great first step. After this, you can get more into the specifics. Many people already know what foods are considered healthy- fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean meat, whole grains- but they still avoid them. Why? I have heard many people say that the reason they don’t eat healthy is because they simply don’t like the taste. This is easy to fix. Try including spices and sauces in your meals! Furthermore, part of eating healthy is finding balance. You shouldn’t try to make every single meal perfect- you can find space to include the foods you enjoy too, just in moderate portions. As long as you continually make steps in a positive direction, you can continue to eat your comfort foods. 

“Do I need to buy fresh or organic?”

 Fresh or organic foods are often considered superior to frozen, dried, or non-organic foods. Although it’s great to get fresh produce, it’s not always the most convenient option. Some people may be deterred from buying healthy food because they are afraid of losing the convenience and cheapness that comes with processed food. But the truth is, frozen, dried, or non-organic vegetables… are still vegetables. And including more vegetables in your diet is already a great step towards healthy eating. 

Healthy eating often seems much more complicated than it actually is. Remember to focus not on what you can cut out, but on positive foods that you can add to your diet. Focus on balance and long-term gratification- it will be worth it in the end!

Sources:

Fad Diets/unsustainability: https://www.ohsu.edu/womens-health/fad-diets-are-they-sustainable 

Why whole foods are better for you: https://www.ice.edu/blog/why-should-we-eat-whole-foods 

Balancing diets with comfort foods: https://diet.mayoclinic.org/us/blog/2022/eat-what-you-love-and-still-lose-weight/ 

Frozen vegetables containing same nutritional value: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25526594/ 

Non-organic produce containing same nutritional value: https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/are-organic-foods-really-healthier-two-pediatricians-break-it-down/2019/04