What is the "healthiest diet" to you? and why?
Replies
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Moderate fats and no large fat bombs at meals (it's satiating for me but I have no gallbladder)
Moderate carbs (to help with my depression)
More protein than I get with my usual diet (I aim for 80-100 grams)
Plenty of veggies (I buy lots of frozen to help with cost)
I prefer to think of what I need to add into my diet instead of what I'm cutting out of it. Concentrating on the things I struggle to hit my minimums on helps keep me from stressing about the things I choose not to have. That and a serving of ice cream most nights are good for my mental health.0 -
Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
Other things have "additives" but we can debate whether that makes them "bad" -- these include things like smoked salmon, premade food items that are made as I would at home. And, of course, there's everything I made at home which are "processed," some of which have salt I add or sugar I add, some of which do not.
Eating as "naturally" as possible without processing where I live would mean no produce in the winter, no bananas or oranges ever, far less fish, so on.
Bigger point is that a DIET is healthy, and talking about specific food items doesn't say whether the diet is healthy or not.
There are a huge range of healthy human diets, though, so I do think the main question is "to you and why." (I gave my answer above.)5 -
Not different foods. Just correct portion sizes. Also consider your plate - Half vegetables, Quarter Meat, Quarter Starch.0
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WinoGelato wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
How specifically do things like boxed pasta, rice, canned beans or tomatoes, or Greek yogurt harm my health? Why, with no medical reason to limit salt or sugar, should I avoid foods with it added, in the context of an overall balanced diet.
Everyone has their own opinions. That was mine. YOU don't have to do what I'm doing or what I'm writing lol. Just giving my own preference. To each their own. No hard feelings. Love life and take care of your temple because we only live once!2 -
I like the paleo / keto diet, had pretty good results from it. Plus it's pretty close to what our ancestors ate for 1 million years so it kind of make sense.0
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francoisrousseau8888 wrote: »I like the paleo / keto diet, had pretty good results from it. Plus it's pretty close to what our ancestors ate for 1 million years so it kind of make sense.
Actually they found grains in a Paleo cave recently--so this arguement makes no sense.4 -
The "healthiest diet" in my opinion is a well balanced diet of micro/macro nutrients . After years of rollercoaster dieting (losing weight for a couple months, gaining it back the next month plus some more) I have realized no diets are healthy unless you are able to sustain them indefinitely ..which incase you would say what is the healthiest lifestyle change. I dont believe in the diets that restricted carbs.. i feel like carbs are an essential energy source.. now the type of carbs you in take are another story ie yams, sweet potatoe, potatoe, oatmeal, brown rice (even jasmine and basmati rice) are much better for you than the ones you get from processed food. I feel like everyones body reacts differently to carbs/protein/fats and that is why it is crucial to monitor that intake and weigh yourself daily so you can change those numbers accordingly. I also believe that restricting yourself to certain foods is what causes binging eating... a huge side effect to dieting... to some degree I do like the notion of IIFYM (if it fits your macros) because it allows you to be flexible with your "diet" based on the number of protein, carb and fats you set yourself up with... for example I am on a 2000 calorie diet [25%Fat 35% protein 40%carb] (currently 5'11 228lb with a target goal of 205lb- started at 270lb March 2016) I make an effort to work in something like a serving of dark chocolate or skinny cow ice cream sandwich because it makes the weight cut so much more bearable - OR if I have pizza for lunch i am now filling the day with low calorie foods such as spinach and veggies. I also plan on once a week doing a refeed day where I hit my maintenance caloric in take just to let my body know that im still here...when I hit my goal of 205lb ill change my settings in MFP to maintain weight (unless I want to cut more weight...to be decided)and figure out the food i can eat and essentially stick to that but occasionally do have that beer or mcdonalds or ice cream but just know that the next day ill have to spend that much more time in the gym... at the end of the day if you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight and if you eat less calories than you burn you will lose weight.... dont think i answered the question and i ended up talking about myself...classic Andy.
**Hope that everyone hits their goals!! Just know that weight loss is not linear some days you will be heavier than others so its a good idea to monitor weight daily and take the avg for the week**2 -
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
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Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
.....
So is cheese also a "highly processed food"? Or fruits and vegetables (most of which have been genetically modified and gas ripened)? Dairy which has been pasteurized from cows injected with hormones? What about yogurts?
You fail to realize that all foods today are processed to some extent. Whey protein is a byproduct of the cheese making process.4 -
rainbowbow wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
.....
So is cheese also a "highly processed food"? Or fruits and vegetables (most of which have been genetically modified and gas ripened)? Dairy which has been pasteurized from cows injected with hormones? What about yogurts?
You fail to realize that all foods today are processed to some extent. Whey protein is a byproduct of the cheese making process.
Well yes and no - I understand processed food to be food that has preservatives added or sugar and salt added to preserve the food for longer. Processed does not mean cooking. Yes some cheeses like cheese slices or babybel is processed cheese
Food processing is taking raw ingredients and altering them into a food product. That includes cooking and butchering. Yes, it's a quite literal take on the word "process", but that doesn't negate that cooking is a process. That's why many ask what people mean by "processed foods".3 -
rainbowbow wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
.....
So is cheese also a "highly processed food"? Or fruits and vegetables (most of which have been genetically modified and gas ripened)? Dairy which has been pasteurized from cows injected with hormones? What about yogurts?
You fail to realize that all foods today are processed to some extent. Whey protein is a byproduct of the cheese making process.
Yes, everybody knows that there are varying degrees of processing.1 -
Traveler120 wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
.....
So is cheese also a "highly processed food"? Or fruits and vegetables (most of which have been genetically modified and gas ripened)? Dairy which has been pasteurized from cows injected with hormones? What about yogurts?
You fail to realize that all foods today are processed to some extent. Whey protein is a byproduct of the cheese making process.
Yes, everybody knows that there are varying degrees of processing.
Then how is making statements like "anything processed is bad" helpful as a rule to live by? The fact that there are so many varying definitions of a completely arbitrary rule is what many of us take issue with, when this advice is given.4 -
Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
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No, everything else on that list falls into the poster's definition of "processed foods" (in a box, can, or package), which that poster was saying couldn't be part of a healthy diet.
I mentioned protein powder because -- although I of course agree it's highly processed -- it often has no added sugar or salt and often few additives beyond the whey it's made of. So it seems inconsistent with the poster's argument. Which was, rather obviously, the point.
It would be helpful if you'd try to follow the discussion before jumping in, although if you have something to say that is actually relevant to that discussion I'd be interested.3 -
rainbowbow wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
.....
So is cheese also a "highly processed food"? Or fruits and vegetables (most of which have been genetically modified and gas ripened)? Dairy which has been pasteurized from cows injected with hormones? What about yogurts?
You fail to realize that all foods today are processed to some extent. Whey protein is a byproduct of the cheese making process.
Well yes and no - I understand processed food to be food that has preservatives added or sugar and salt added to preserve the food for longer. Processed does not mean cooking. Yes some cheeses like cheese slices or babybel is processed cheese
That is not what "processed" means or what processed food is (it IS processed food, but so are many other foods, including all cheese).
You seem to be mixing up "processed" with "preserved foods." (But as far as that goes, frozen foods are preserved, and food I can at home also are.)
Without preserving foods, traditionally those of us (including you and me, Jake), who live in more northern climates wouldn't have much produce in the winter or early spring.4 -
WinoGelato wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
.....
So is cheese also a "highly processed food"? Or fruits and vegetables (most of which have been genetically modified and gas ripened)? Dairy which has been pasteurized from cows injected with hormones? What about yogurts?
You fail to realize that all foods today are processed to some extent. Whey protein is a byproduct of the cheese making process.
Yes, everybody knows that there are varying degrees of processing.
Then how is making statements like "anything processed is bad" helpful as a rule to live by? The fact that there are so many varying definitions of a completely arbitrary rule is what many of us take issue with, when this advice is given.
Well, people just have to use a bit of common sense. A blanket statement like "anything processed is bad" is meaningless and inaccurate because some minimally processed foods can be perfectly healthy whereas some highly processed foods can be part of a healthy diet if kept to a minimum. The silliness begins when one considers frozen spinach a processed food.
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Traveler120 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
.....
So is cheese also a "highly processed food"? Or fruits and vegetables (most of which have been genetically modified and gas ripened)? Dairy which has been pasteurized from cows injected with hormones? What about yogurts?
You fail to realize that all foods today are processed to some extent. Whey protein is a byproduct of the cheese making process.
Yes, everybody knows that there are varying degrees of processing.
Then how is making statements like "anything processed is bad" helpful as a rule to live by? The fact that there are so many varying definitions of a completely arbitrary rule is what many of us take issue with, when this advice is given.
Well, people just have to use a bit of common sense. A blanket statement like "anything processed is bad" is meaningless and inaccurate because some minimally processed foods can be perfectly healthy whereas some highly processed foods can be part of a healthy diet if kept to a minimum. The silliness begins when one considers frozen spinach a processed food.
I don't think it's silly to consider the washing, chopping, and freezing that goes into a bag of frozen spinach "processing."
Common sense would be accepting that there are all sorts of processed foods and some of them are incredibly valuable from the POV of nutrition, accessibility, and affordability. That would lead us to conclude that "processing" isn't a great yardstick for determining whether one should eat a food and we should look at questions like "Does it fit my nutritional/calorie goals?", "Does it fit my budget?", and "Do I like the taste of it?" instead of the far less useful question "Is it processed?"6 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
.....
No, everything else on that list falls into the poster's definition of "processed foods" (in a box, can, or package), which that poster was saying couldn't be part of a healthy diet.
I mentioned protein powder because -- although I of course agree it's highly processed -- it often has no added sugar or salt and often few additives beyond the whey it's made of. So it seems inconsistent with the poster's argument. Which was, rather obviously, the point.
It would be helpful if you'd try to follow the discussion before jumping in, although if you have something to say that is actually relevant to that discussion I'd be interested.
I was agreeing with your response with the exception of the protein powder since she was talking about what's a whole food. Seems like a perfectly relevant response on my part.
And a product having no additives or additional ingredients doesn't make it a whole food. Olives are a whole food. Olive oil has one single ingredient, no additives and it's still a highly processed food.
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Traveler120 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »Traveler120 wrote: »
Protein powders are the very definition of a highly processed food. Everything else on that list is a whole food.lemurcat12 wrote: »Whole food. Foods that aren't in a box, can or package. What do you think people were eating a long time ago? Lol.
That's not a diet. You can eat huge range of ways without foods in a box, can, or package, some of which will be nutritionally adequate and some of which will not, even apart from whether one also has a healthy approach to food.Anything that is processed is bad whether it's fruit or veggies because they still add sugar or salt and other things to it.
Numerous foods in a "box, can, or package" are without added sugar, salt, or "other things." For example, eggs in a carton (including the ones I get from a local farm). Meat in a package (same). Frozen fish. Canned beans or tomatoes, which can be purchased without any additives. Frozen veg and fruit (normally don't have additives). Most dairy. Dried beans and pasta. Oats. Rice. So on. Even plenty of protein powders.
.....
So is cheese also a "highly processed food"? Or fruits and vegetables (most of which have been genetically modified and gas ripened)? Dairy which has been pasteurized from cows injected with hormones? What about yogurts?
You fail to realize that all foods today are processed to some extent. Whey protein is a byproduct of the cheese making process.
Yes, everybody knows that there are varying degrees of processing.
Then how is making statements like "anything processed is bad" helpful as a rule to live by? The fact that there are so many varying definitions of a completely arbitrary rule is what many of us take issue with, when this advice is given.
Well, people just have to use a bit of common sense. A blanket statement like "anything processed is bad" is meaningless and inaccurate because some minimally processed foods can be perfectly healthy whereas some highly processed foods can be part of a healthy diet if kept to a minimum. The silliness begins when one considers frozen spinach a processed food.
Pointing out how basically all foods which are commercially available and/or processed in many of the ways a scratch home cook using primarily Whole Foods would apply to ingredients before eating them may seem silly or extreme or assume a lack of common sense to you... but it's exactly the point that needs to be made in order to demonstrate how vague and unhelpful a label of "processed" is and how arbitrary and unnecessary basing food choices on that label would be.
Pointing out to someone that their rule of "nothing in a box, can or package" can eliminate many healthful foods by using these extreme examples may be just what that person needs to hear in order to adopt a more logical, pragmatic approach to building a sensible diet..,4 -
diannethegeek wrote: »Moderate fats and no large fat bombs at meals (it's satiating for me but I have no gallbladder)
Moderate carbs (to help with my depression)
More protein than I get with my usual diet (I aim for 80-100 grams)
Plenty of veggies (I buy lots of frozen to help with cost)
I prefer to think of what I need to add into my diet instead of what I'm cutting out of it. Concentrating on the things I struggle to hit my minimums on helps keep me from stressing about the things I choose not to have. That and a serving of ice cream most nights are good for my mental health.
Nicely put.0
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