The nutrition industry is a minefield of advice, some grounded and helpful, some with good intention though little benefit and much that is centred on financial gain.
With so much information only a minority are qualified nutritionists and scientists in the field, with many more claiming to have understanding with little basis. Often it is the most needy members of the public that are the most likely to be exposed to unfounded claims that may compromise both nutrient intake and the ability to enjoy all foods without anxiety.
My philosophy is to two fold. All advice must stand up to scientific scrutiny and secondly it must make practical and common sense. So it must be easy to follow, allow for variety and avoid precision attention to detail.
Diets that exclude large food groups are more likely to lead to lows in nutrients as well as being hard to maintain for a period of time. Equally whole food groups that have been eaten for centuries without causing any noticeable health issues are unlikely to suddenly do so now.
Common sense dictates that foods that are fresh and less processed are likely to promote health more so than packaged, processed fast foods. So cooking with good ingredients, eating your five or more fruit and vegetables a day, using wholegrain foods as close as possible to their natural state is a good grounding. Avoiding the very high fat junk foods, excessive sugar and processed food lifestyle is sound.
But obsessive behaviour or avoidance of foods is equally unfounded. Some processed foods may even be ‘better’ in some respects. Processed tomatoes have more available antioxidant lycopene than fresh tomatoes, frozen peas may have higher vitamin C than organic produce shipped from miles away. A small amount of any typical ‘treat’ food on occasion, be it high fat or sugar, has a place.
In summary, eat a variety of quality base foods, don’t follow fads, learn to cook and prepare these foods in a way that fits easily with your life so it's practical and sustainable. Then relax, eat and enjoy.
