Do you eat junk? why or why not?
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realityfades wrote: »I don't label food as junk. All food provides energy.
I get where you're coming from, but the definition of junk food is food that is low in nutrients, like cake, cookies, etc. and typically high in calories. They don't really provide vitamins and minerals compared to fruit and veg. Maybe you don't like to label foods and that's ok. But junk food typically doesn't provide energy. At least not sustainable energy. A donut and a sweet potato certainly don't act the same.
That said, I see nothing wrong with eating things in moderation. Especially if I log it.
Except, they do provide energy. Calories = energy.
I think you missed the part where I said sustainable energy. White foods typically contain short term energy vs whole grain foods/brown foods, which tend to contain more sustainable energy due to the fact that whole grains, sweet potatoes, etc break down slower. So while yes, all calories contain energy, that energy acts differently depending on the source. So yes, I am referring to simple vs complex carbs.
I'm not saying that short acting energy can't be helpful. Athletes carbo load for races. But it's good to have a balance.0 -
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I don't follow a diet, I just eat in moderation anything I eat... I will not deny myself anything I want to eat -- it is by far the surest way for me to induce a binge. so I eat what I want, when I want, but I do so in moderation.0
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365daystofitgirl wrote: »you can be meeting your required calorie intake with junk food but it would have a bad impact on your insulin resistance and make you fat or even worse...ill with cardiovascular disease, diabetes etc
For sure. That's why it's good to have a balance. I only allow one treat a day. The rest of my day has to contain fruit, veggies and whole grains. I had a frosted donut this morning, which I logged. But I'm making whole wheat pizza for lunch and having a protein smoothie with a bunch of strawberries, greek yogurt, almond milk and protein powder later.
Obviously someone with diabetes shouldn't be eating donuts often.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?
Junk food: foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and often high in calories. Cookies, cake, candy, potato chips. That is the definition. It's called junk food due to the lack of nutrients.
Not saying they're inherently bad. Just saying that it's important to have balance.0 -
Yes I do eat junk food but always put it in my journal and take accountability for it. I don't regret a thing... lol I'm down 19lbs in four months and I"ve eaten the chocolate bar..
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realityfades wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?
Junk food: foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and often high in calories. Cookies, cake, candy, potato chips. That is the definition. It's called junk food due to the lack of nutrients.
Not saying they're inherently bad. Just saying that it's important to have balance.
Potato chips are not junk. They meet every definition i know of "Clean" and are one of the best sources of potassium you can get your hands on.
Oatmeal cookies are no "junkier" than a bowl of oatmeal with honey.
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realityfades wrote: »Out of curiosity, who here eats junk food, and who doesn't? If you do or don't eat junk, why?
I understand "junk" to be foods that are high cal/lower in nutrients, particularly micros. Yes, I eat some things that fit in that category, because they taste good and I enjoy it and think those foods can be part of an overall healthful diet. To me it would be overall neurotic and probably backfire to be so strict with my diet that I couldn't have some ice cream after dinner or pie on a holiday or some high quality chocolate or occasional french fries, etc. And if you really start thinking about it, would that mean I couldn't have naan (which I love) at an Indian restaurant, because really what's the difference between that and some fries?
I think it makes more sense to simply focus on getting what I need through my diet and not eating too much and not otherwise worrying about it.0 -
realityfades wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?
Junk food: foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and often high in calories. Cookies, cake, candy, potato chips. That is the definition. It's called junk food due to the lack of nutrients.
Not saying they're inherently bad. Just saying that it's important to have balance.
Potato chips are not junk. They meet every definition i know of "Clean" and are one of the best sources of potassium you can get your hands on.
Oatmeal cookies are no "junkier" than a bowl of oatmeal with honey.
Potato chips are certainly junk. At least the ones you buy from Lay's and other companies. Let's compare a white potato to potato chips.
Potato chips [Lay's brand]: no vitamin A, calcium, 6 percent vitamin E, 6 percent niacin, 4 percent magnesium - based on RDA values.
Whole russet potato:
Vitamin content:
1 percent vitamin A, 64 percent vitamin C, 1 percent vitamin E, 16 percent protein, 7 percent vitamin K, 13 percent thiamin, 8 percent riboflavin, 20 percent niacin, 53 percent viatmin b6, 19 percent folate, 12 percent pantothenic acid, choline and beatine.
Minerals:
5 percent calcium, 18 percent iron, 22 percent magnesium, 21 percent phosphorous, 47 percent potassium, 7 percent zinc, 16 percent copper, 34 percent maganese, 2 percent selenium , 135 mcg flouride
Like I said. Junk foods don't typically contain the necessary vitamins and minerals as whole fruits and veggies.0 -
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realityfades wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?
Junk food: foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and often high in calories. Cookies, cake, candy, potato chips. That is the definition. It's called junk food due to the lack of nutrients.
Not saying they're inherently bad. Just saying that it's important to have balance.
Potato chips are not junk. They meet every definition i know of "Clean" and are one of the best sources of potassium you can get your hands on.
What makes them better than say tomato juice or sauce? Or a baked potato? Or a banana?0 -
realityfades wrote: »I don't label food as junk. All food provides energy.
I get where you're coming from, but the definition of junk food is food that is low in nutrients, like cake, cookies, etc. and typically high in calories. They don't really provide vitamins and minerals compared to fruit and veg. Maybe you don't like to label foods and that's ok. But junk food typically doesn't provide energy. At least not sustainable energy. A donut and a sweet potato certainly don't act the same.
That said, I see nothing wrong with eating things in moderation. Especially if I log it.
whole wheat, apples, bananas, coconut, and whole grain rice would also have to be examples of foods meeting the "junk" classification...
Seriously???
Apples and bananas both have fiber and potassium.
Brown rice has magnesium.0 -
realityfades wrote: »But junk food typically doesn't provide energy. At least not sustainable energy. A donut and a sweet potato certainly don't act the same.
Oh, but that's what it does provide. Not much else, perhaps, but easy to access energy, sure. Gels are basically "junk" but work great for fueling athletic activity in the right circumstances.0 -
I eat what I please as long as it is within my calorie goal. If I didn't eat some of the "junky" foods that I really enjoy I'd never succeed in the long term. Based on what I've read both on MFP forums and other places, people who completely deprive themselves of "junk" food that they love often fail in the long term - they either lose the weight and then gain it all (and more) back, or they give up because it's too hard.0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »realityfades wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?
Junk food: foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and often high in calories. Cookies, cake, candy, potato chips. That is the definition. It's called junk food due to the lack of nutrients.
Not saying they're inherently bad. Just saying that it's important to have balance.
Potato chips are not junk. They meet every definition i know of "Clean" and are one of the best sources of potassium you can get your hands on.
What makes them better than say tomato juice or sauce? Or a baked potato? Or a banana?
They got crunch! Plus you can take them anywhere.0 -
realityfades wrote: »realityfades wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?
Junk food: foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and often high in calories. Cookies, cake, candy, potato chips. That is the definition. It's called junk food due to the lack of nutrients.
Not saying they're inherently bad. Just saying that it's important to have balance.
Potato chips are not junk. They meet every definition i know of "Clean" and are one of the best sources of potassium you can get your hands on.
Oatmeal cookies are no "junkier" than a bowl of oatmeal with honey.
Potato chips are certainly junk. At least the ones you buy from Lay's and other companies. Let's compare a white potato to potato chips.
Potato chips [Lay's brand]: no vitamin A, calcium, 6 percent vitamin E, 6 percent niacin, 4 percent magnesium - based on RDA values.
Whole russet potato:
Vitamin content:
1 percent vitamin A, 64 percent vitamin C, 1 percent vitamin E, 16 percent protein, 7 percent vitamin K, 13 percent thiamin, 8 percent riboflavin, 20 percent niacin, 53 percent viatmin b6, 19 percent folate, 12 percent pantothenic acid, choline and beatine.
Minerals:
5 percent calcium, 18 percent iron, 22 percent magnesium, 21 percent phosphorous, 47 percent potassium, 7 percent zinc, 16 percent copper, 34 percent maganese, 2 percent selenium , 135 mcg flouride
Like I said. Junk foods don't typically contain the necessary vitamins and minerals as whole fruits and veggies.
Cape Cod Potato chips. Ingredients: Potatoes, Canola Oil, Salt.
Apparently if you cook and salt a plain old potato it becomes junk.
Comparing a 1oz serving chips to an entire 10-oz potato is not valid. Normalize your data before making a comparison. The chips have all the exact same nutrients as a potato. Because they're potatoes.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »realityfades wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?
Junk food: foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and often high in calories. Cookies, cake, candy, potato chips. That is the definition. It's called junk food due to the lack of nutrients.
Not saying they're inherently bad. Just saying that it's important to have balance.
Potato chips are not junk. They meet every definition i know of "Clean" and are one of the best sources of potassium you can get your hands on.
What makes them better than say tomato juice or sauce? Or a baked potato? Or a banana?
They got crunch! Plus you can take them anywhere.
Where can I take potato chips that I can't take a can't take the other foods I mentioned?0 -
realityfades wrote: »I don't label food as junk. All food provides energy.
I get where you're coming from, but the definition of junk food is food that is low in nutrients, like cake, cookies, etc. and typically high in calories. They don't really provide vitamins and minerals compared to fruit and veg. Maybe you don't like to label foods and that's ok. But junk food typically doesn't provide energy. At least not sustainable energy. A donut and a sweet potato certainly don't act the same.
That said, I see nothing wrong with eating things in moderation. Especially if I log it.
whole wheat, apples, bananas, coconut, and whole grain rice would also have to be examples of foods meeting the "junk" classification...
Seriously???
Apples and bananas both have fiber and potassium.
Brown rice has magnesium.
A snickers bar has fiber and potassium. your point?0
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