"Four terms that make dietitians cringe" - Why we say what we do on these boards

MikePTY
MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
edited December 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I found this article the other day and it's a good clear explanation of why some of us on these boards say what we do when confronted with these claims, specifically claims that put moral judgement on food choices. It's good back up to read so that you don't think we are just a bunch of crazy no nothings on the internet. Here it is from dietitians saying what is largely said on these boards.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/theres-no-such-thing-as-bad-food-four-terms-that-make-dietitians-cringe/2019/06/05/b10d7058-8238-11e9-bce7-40b4105f7ca0_story.html?utm_term=.8b71e767117c

The four terms, and some excerpts about them

1. Good/bad food
Not surprisingly, almost every dietitian I surveyed ranked the categorization of food as good or bad high on their cringe list. It is the root of unhealthy food-speak, as most of the other reviled terms can be traced back to this notion. Pinning a black or white value to one particular food shifts focus from the big picture, the overall eating patterns that really define a person’s well-being. Sure, some foods have a better nutritional profile than others, but context matters immensely. Broccoli may easily win a “good” label, but if all you have eaten all day is broccoli, another serving of it may be the last thing you need.
Also, labeling foods “bad” can make them even more desirable, as Rahaf Al Bochi, owner of Olive Tree Nutrition and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has found. When her clients declare certain foods “forbidden,” they are more likely to be preoccupied with thoughts of those foods and crave them more intensely.

2. Clean eating
The notion of clean eating is an offshoot of the good/bad food concept that marketers seem to adore, to the dismay of many dietitians. “The original [clean eating] philosophy appears to be one I think we could all get on board with: eating food as close to its original state as possible, in the most nutritious form possible (a.k.a. minimally processed). But what was once a sense of awareness about food seems to have spiraled into a diet-culture-driven system. On social media, it’s become yet another form of body and food-shaming,” explained Jaclyn London, author of “Dressing on the Side” and nutrition director of Good Housekeeping. “No matter what, the alternative to ‘clean’ sounds fearmongering.”

3. Guilty Pleasure
“Eating is not cheating, and guilt should have no role in food choice,” explained Ward. “Your diet does not need to be perfect. Guilt robs you of the pleasure of eating and makes you feel bad afterward, which can start a downward spiral of shame that prevents you from learning to make better eating choices while allowing for treats. As a dieter in my teens and early 20s, I battled guilt and shame, and I found it to be extremely unproductive.”

4. Low-carb / cutting carbs
But somewhere along the way, “carb” has become synonymous with unhealthy. That is a big problem, because many of the most healthful foods in the world are rich in carbohydrates.

“I’m asked if fruit is bad because it’s a ‘carb’ at least once per week,” wrote Marjorie Nolan Cohn, owner of MNC Nutrition and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The fact that people, who are trying to do right by their heath, actually question if fruit is bad for them is a window into how distorted our society’s view of food is.”

Wendy Lopez, co-founder of the online platform Food Heaven Made Easy, cringes when she hears people say carbs are bad for you. “People think they’re eating healthier by cutting down on carbohydrates,” she said. “However, carbohydrates are in so many nutritious and tasty foods. Aside from bread, pasta and grains, carbs can also be found in nuts, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and more! Carbohydrates provide our bodies with fuel, nutrition, and satisfaction.”
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Replies

  • smoofinator
    smoofinator Posts: 635 Member
    Kalex1975 wrote: »
    MythBusters did a segment on the 5-second rule a while back (I miss that show!)...

    Only click below if you're okay with me derailing the thread a bit more...
    People don't actually believe the 5-second rule is true, do they? I thought it was just a way to jokingly justify eating floor food (which is something I do on the reg)
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    smoofinator wrote: »
    Kalex1975 wrote: »
    MythBusters did a segment on the 5-second rule a while back (I miss that show!)...

    Only click below if you're okay with me derailing the thread a bit more...
    People don't actually believe the 5-second rule is true, do they? I thought it was just a way to jokingly justify eating floor food (which is something I do on the reg)

    I'm way to germphobic to actually employ the 5 second rule, whether it was true or not. I was just using it to riff on the idea of "clean" eating.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • missblondi2u
    missblondi2u Posts: 851 Member
    I didn't get to read the entire article because I hit a pay wall, but I'm curious as to whether hydrogenated oil would be a "bad" food. Not saying all calories aren't equal, but I do consider foods with hydrogenated oil bad, but maybe I've been misinformed.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Clean drives me crazy because someone will always make a joke about dirty food... oops.
  • missblondi2u
    missblondi2u Posts: 851 Member
    MikePTY wrote: »
    missblondi2u wrote: »
    I didn't get to read the entire article because I hit a pay wall, but I'm curious as to whether hydrogenated oil would be a "bad" food. Not saying all calories aren't equal, but I do consider foods with hydrogenated oil bad, but maybe I've been misinformed.

    No, they didn't make any specific determinations of foods to be considered bad, which would kind of defeat the point. They are not saying that some foods are not more nutritious than others, but that morally labeling them is counter productive.

    Thanks. That makes sense, because how can foods have morals :) I'm a big advocate of enjoying the foods you like within your calorie budget, but hydrogenated oil is the one thing I police strictly as my understanding is that it is bad for you, not because it is less nutritious than other oils, but because it is plain unhealthy and probably shouldn't be in food in the first place.
  • missh1967
    missh1967 Posts: 661 Member
    edited June 2019
    wannabeskinnycat wrote: »
    MikePTY wrote: »
    wannabeskinnycat wrote: »
    Brilliant.

    I'm often asked if I'm 'carbing down'? And do I feel guilty when I have a naughty snack?

    Arrrgggghhhh

    I'm eating clean in that I wash fruit and veggies before I eat them :wink:

    I do also try to not eat food if I've dropped it on the floor, at least if it goes past the 5 seconds rule. So I guess I clean eat too ;)

    Haha I did the 5 second rule in work a few weeks ago and stood back up to see horrified faces. Mightn't have been so bad if I hadn't said it out loud. Errr I've got 5 seconds to put it in the bin ....

    I work in a hospital. No way in hell I'm eating anything that falls on the floor. :D

    glassyo wrote: »
    *runs in*

    "With ingredients you can pronounce."

    *runs out*

    :D:smiley:
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    OP 👍🏻👍🏻
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