Foods I would never eat as a nutritionist
Foods I would never eat…
Durian - it’s just too smelly for me unfortunately.
Steak - I haven’t eaten meat for over 10 years because I decided it was a relatively easy contribution I could make towards lowering my carbon footprint, and at this point in my life I can’t imagine craving it (some say that might change if I become pregnant - we’ll see).
Food that has gone mouldy - I used half a can of kidney beans for a salad and then put the rest in a tupperware container in the fridge. I completely forgot I had them in there for over a week, and let me tell you there was no way those beans would have been edible. It was foul.
Raw onion slices as chips. There was a woman on Tik Tok trying to make this a thing. I say, straight to jail for this absolute crime!
Basically, the only foods I stay clear of are foods that I don’t like the taste, smell or texture of, foods that I know would make me feel sick afterwards, or foods that don’t align with my values around sustainability and environmental conscientiousness.
I find it fascinating that in an age where there is so much information at our fingertips, convoluted messaging around health and nutrition continues to be spread (usually by people with zero qualifications in nutrition).
I think it needs to be said, if you come across a video or a post online that says anything like ‘X (food/ingredient) is KILLING you!!!!!!’ or ‘THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS’ (and it’s literally just a man in a supermarket yelling about oats) - then it’s quite likely that you have come across a classic example of people misinterpreting and exaggerating scientific data for click-bait material.
Sometimes there is a shred of validity to the claims that people are making, but I would encourage you to proceed with curiosity alongside a dose of health-ful scepticism.
Because without being all doom-and-gloom about it… Our health is also influenced by so many different variables that are completely out of our control. Pollution, stress, genetics, our upbringing, our economic situation, and the healthcare services we have access to play an even larger role in our well-being than diet and exercise.
So whilst being conscious about our food choices is important, it is unlikely that any individual foods or food groups are ‘killing you’ that you should stop eating immediately.
In moderation, all foods can fit as part of a balanced diet, and it’s usually more helpful to think about what foods we can make more of an effort to add in that many of us would likely benefit from - than to panic about what we need to cut out.
Some good examples of foods to include more of are anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, fatty fish (or chia seeds, flax seeds and walnuts for the veg-os), fermented foods, wholegrains such as rice, oats and quinoa, and lean sources of protein.
Of course, it’s wise to be conscious of how much ultra processed foods we consume - particularly those which are high in salt, sugar and fat - but I think that the extent to which these foods affect our wellbeing depends on the context of our overall eating patterns and lifestyle choices.
This week… If you choose to set any goals related to nutrition - I’d suggest thinking about any of the following:
What can I add in this week that will make me feel really good about my eating habits this week?
How can I be more mindful about my eating experiences this week?
I know that asking myself these two questions on a more consistent basis helped me gain a lot more confidence with my own eating decisions.
Lastly, my latest podcast is out now - titled ‘Why should we heal our relationship with food’ - which basically summarises what I believe should be the foundation of our journey with nutrition! I’d love for you to listen :)
That’s it from me!
Have a lovely weekend,
L x
