Good vs. Bad Food
/Hola everybody and welcome to this week’s blog post! With the change of the seasons and a whole new bevy of fruits and vegetables becoming available to us, I thought it would be fun to do post on the idea of “good” vs. “bad” food.
Categorizing our food as “good,” “bad,” “healthy,” “fattening,” etc. is a phenomenon that has been around for decades and has shaped the way many people view their diet. Here on my site, I try to refrain from using these qualifiers for food as I approach what I eat from a different perspective. To me, all food is good. As long is it comes from nature (i.e. fruit, veggies, meat, grains, etc.) you can’t really go wrong. Food doesn’t just belong to one category either- carb, fat, sugar, etc. In fact, most foods fuel your body is many different ways by providing fiber, protein, carbs, minerals, vitamins, etc. So, as long as you’re eating natural, minimally processed foods, you should be good to go! While the ratios of each will depend on your unique bio-individual needs as well as your lifestyle requirements, it is important to focus on giving your body food that makes it feel and move well.
Labeling the food we eat as “good” or “bad” will only lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and give you unnecessary stress. Instead, I recommend finding foods that make you feel good and make those the bulk of your diet. Processed or extra rich foods should make up a smaller portion of your diet as they are a lot for the body to process (hence the name ;)). The old adage “you are what you eat” makes this point abundantly clear. If you are fueling your body with natural and nutritious ingredients the cells that make up your body will be strong and healthy and more likely to successfully ward off disease. The opposite also holds true. Fill up on processed and refined treats and your cells will be like the sugar molecules in them- weak and easily broken.
So, in order to keep this post short and sweet I have one challenge for you all this week. Next time you find yourself doing a grocery shop, pick up one or two fruits and vegetables you have never tried (or don’t eat very often) and try to make a dish with them. If you have a family or a partner, get them in on it too! Experiment with more natural and whole ingredients in your cooking to expand your palette- you may even come up with a new favorite dish ;) If you do participate in this challenge, please tag me on Instagram or Facebook because I’d love to see what you all come up with.
Thank you for reading and see you all here next Tuesday for a fresh blog!
Bon appetit,
Alexandra