A friend recently sent me an article titled " 14 Foods Nutritionists Never Eat" (http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/healthy-eating-facts). Of course as a dietitian I read it right away to see if I was in line with my other nutrition counterparts. For the most part I agreed with many of the foods listed.
At least 5 of the top 14 were highly processed foods ie. hot dogs, pepperoni, cold cereals, etc. I think this makes a big point to say that as a society we are taking in way too many processed foods when we need to return to our whole, natural food sources. However, there were a couple foods on the list that I disagreed with or felt as though needed a better explanation.
Fat-Free Dairy: The article made it sound as if fat-free dairy is bad for you, which is not at all true. If you are using fat-free dairy as a protein source and incorporating it with other foods, it can be a great addition to the diet. The issue pointed out is that fat-free dairy does not contain fat, thus decreasing the satiety level of the food. However, if you pair your fat-free dairy with a source of healthy fat you can often be consuming a more nutritious snack or meal than full-fat dairy in itself. Fat-free dairy still has excellent components of protein and carbohydrates that play a huge role in the body. A great compromise would be to add some nuts to the top of your non-fat Greek yogurt. A la the perfect balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat!
Artificial Sweeteners: I completely agree that in my own diet I do not consume artificial sweeteners. However, the article fails to discuss the alternative. Stevia is a plant based non-caloric sweetener that has been used in multiple different low-cal products these days. I feel more comfortable using Stevia because of its plant origin. The best way to incorporate this sweetener would be in it's natural form without the addition of dextrose or other ingredients.
Bacon: Bacon is not bad and can be incorporated into a healthy diet in moderation. It is true that we as a society typically consume way too much bacon. In the high levels that it is consumed, the saturated fat and sodium adds up. However, I don't feel as though this food, or any food for that matter, is completely off limits.
This list had a good backbone, but didn't dig enough into the issues to really help people understand why many of these foods shouldn't be consumed on a daily basis. I again believe that all food can be worked into a healthy lifestyle and that moderation is the key.
At least 5 of the top 14 were highly processed foods ie. hot dogs, pepperoni, cold cereals, etc. I think this makes a big point to say that as a society we are taking in way too many processed foods when we need to return to our whole, natural food sources. However, there were a couple foods on the list that I disagreed with or felt as though needed a better explanation.
Fat-Free Dairy: The article made it sound as if fat-free dairy is bad for you, which is not at all true. If you are using fat-free dairy as a protein source and incorporating it with other foods, it can be a great addition to the diet. The issue pointed out is that fat-free dairy does not contain fat, thus decreasing the satiety level of the food. However, if you pair your fat-free dairy with a source of healthy fat you can often be consuming a more nutritious snack or meal than full-fat dairy in itself. Fat-free dairy still has excellent components of protein and carbohydrates that play a huge role in the body. A great compromise would be to add some nuts to the top of your non-fat Greek yogurt. A la the perfect balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat!
Artificial Sweeteners: I completely agree that in my own diet I do not consume artificial sweeteners. However, the article fails to discuss the alternative. Stevia is a plant based non-caloric sweetener that has been used in multiple different low-cal products these days. I feel more comfortable using Stevia because of its plant origin. The best way to incorporate this sweetener would be in it's natural form without the addition of dextrose or other ingredients.
Bacon: Bacon is not bad and can be incorporated into a healthy diet in moderation. It is true that we as a society typically consume way too much bacon. In the high levels that it is consumed, the saturated fat and sodium adds up. However, I don't feel as though this food, or any food for that matter, is completely off limits.
This list had a good backbone, but didn't dig enough into the issues to really help people understand why many of these foods shouldn't be consumed on a daily basis. I again believe that all food can be worked into a healthy lifestyle and that moderation is the key.