every food group is "bad for you"!

As I have been losing weight I have also been trying to optimize my diet. During the week I want to eat pretty much the same thing every day except for dinner. That way I don't really have to think about food.

Here's the problem I've been having. As I research foods, it seems like every food has some claim as to why it's bad for you. Nuts, legumes, and grains are high in phytic acid which apparently binds to iron, magnesium, and calcium so they cannot be absorbed by your body. Now they're saying eating more dairy gives you a HIGHER risk of osteoporosis and that it can also give you cancer, and mess with your hormones, and that dairy is unnatural and so forth. Soy products of course give you cancer and make your estrogen levels too high (I have actually noticed an effect when I ate too much soy in the past). Grains...you've got the gluten-free people telling you that gluten is a poison. And of course any high-carb food people are going to be saying how "carbs are just sugar," glycemic index this and that, blah blah blah. If all these health claims are true it's like you really can't win. What are you supposed to eat?

Weirdly enough the only foods that I don't see people side-eyeing that much (other than vegetables) are lean meats! Personally I only have meat maybe once or twice a week...it's a hassle to prepare and I also try to limit my meat consumption for personal reasons. Therefore my main protein comes from legumes, nuts, and dairy, which everyone seems to be up in arms about.

So I guess I just need some advice...are these foods really that bad or is this just fear-mongering from people obsessed with paleo/gluten-free/dairy-free/etc.?
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Replies

  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    Fear mongering. Also, eat your meat. :D
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    There are truths to some of the things you said.
    Nuts, legumes and grains should be soaked to remove phytic acid.
    Eating a lot of dairy say 20% of your diet was shown to likely cause cancer but 5% was fine.
    Soy is estrogenic, disrupts hormones and I believe it shouldn't be eaten unless fermented.
    There is nothing wrong with gluten if you don't have a sensitivity.

    For optimum health you should eat fruits and vegetables, fish, grass fed meat, organic eggs, soaked beans, soaked nuts, soaked grains, and soaked seeds.
  • countscalories
    countscalories Posts: 418 Member
    If you feel good eating only eating meat once or twice a week, and getting you main protein from legumes and nuts and dairy, then just eat that way! Your body will let you know if it's wrong for you. Every week on the news, there's an item about the evils of one food or another. Funny thing is that a month later, the same foods are being touted as a "must eat". If we listened to all of this bull, we'd never eat another bite. Give yourself a break!
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    There are truths to some of the things you said.
    Nuts, legumes and grains should be soaked to remove phytic acid.
    Eating a lot of dairy say 20% of your diet was shown to likely cause cancer but 5% was fine.
    Soy is estrogenic, disrupts hormones and I believe it shouldn't be eaten unless fermented.
    There is nothing wrong with gluten if you don't have a sensitivity.

    For optimum health you should eat fruits and vegetables, fish, grass fed meat, organic eggs, soaked beans, soaked nuts, soaked grains, and soaked seeds.

    Can you please link the research that says that?
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    OP, its basically fear mongering. Many of us buy it. I just left a thread where they said that rice has poison in it or something. If that were the case, China wouldn't have more than 1 billion population there.

    Just eat everything in moderation. Keep excitement in your life and jazz up your plate. Don't live to eat but at the same time, realize that food has potential to brighten up your day with its taste. moderation is the key
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    taunto wrote: »
    OP, its basically fear mongering. Many of us buy it. I just left a thread where they said that rice has poison in it or something. If that were the case, China wouldn't have more than 1 billion population there.

    Just eat everything in moderation. Keep excitement in your life and jazz up your plate. Don't live to eat but at the same time, realize that food has potential to brighten up your day with its taste. moderation is the key

    It's not fear mongering, it's the truth. Rice has arsenic in it. The truth is most if not all foods have some type of toxin even if it's in parts per million.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    taunto wrote: »
    There are truths to some of the things you said.
    Nuts, legumes and grains should be soaked to remove phytic acid.
    Eating a lot of dairy say 20% of your diet was shown to likely cause cancer but 5% was fine.
    Soy is estrogenic, disrupts hormones and I believe it shouldn't be eaten unless fermented.
    There is nothing wrong with gluten if you don't have a sensitivity.

    For optimum health you should eat fruits and vegetables, fish, grass fed meat, organic eggs, soaked beans, soaked nuts, soaked grains, and soaked seeds.

    Can you please link the research that says that?

    It was in "Forks over Knives" from the book "The China Study".
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    edited November 2014
    taunto wrote: »
    OP, its basically fear mongering. Many of us buy it. I just left a thread where they said that rice has poison in it or something. If that were the case, China wouldn't have more than 1 billion population there.

    Just eat everything in moderation. Keep excitement in your life and jazz up your plate. Don't live to eat but at the same time, realize that food has potential to brighten up your day with its taste. moderation is the key

    It's not fear mongering, it's the truth. Rice has arsenic in it. The truth is most if not all foods have some type of toxin even if it's in parts per million.

    So how come I'm not dead yet? Huh? I've been eating rice since day one. :huh: Or the other foods that the OP mentioned haven't killed or sickened me. Even on my so called "diet" I continue to eat ALL FOODS. Why am I not dead? Huh? :huh:

    Because...
    It is fear mongering. OP, please enjoy food in moderation. Don't listen to this guy's DEVASTATING advice. :noway:
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
    Basically what it comes down to for most things is that eating it in excess of moderation is what causes any of the negative effects that people discuss, unless you have an allergy or sensitivity to it to start.

    Now, there is *some* merit to being concerned about the SOURCE of your dairy and such. This is because, depending on the source, you will be getting higher traces of things from the cattle or farms themselves. Typically, though not necessarily by rule, the foods that are cheaper are more likely to contain these things... Just meaning that the reason some foods are as cheap as they are in bargain brands is because they are the lower grade chuff of the other stuff.

    Soy is estrogenic, but it's not excessively so if used in moderation. Meaning, if you eat it as commonly as you eat meat, you're unlikely to experience hormonal problems. People who have these issues are typically those that use soy products as a primary source, and not just for "protein" replacement. You have to remember that someone hardcore about soy for vegetarian reasons, for example, not only uses it for their burger patty, but also for the cheese on said patty, and sometimes even for the mayonnaise and bun. This potentially quadruples the exposure, as compared to someone who enjoys tofu on occasion.

    Dairy is a concerning part not so much about the milk, as what has been found in the milk... anything from pus to antibiotics. While pasteurized, the source can determine the likelihood of these things getting in there... and while many would like to argue that organic farms don't have these problems, that's not necessarily true. I opt for almond milk because it has more calcium and protein, without the risk of that crap.

    Same with meats. They grade meat for a reason. Cheaper meats at the store are more likely to have imperfections and impurities, hence their lower grade. Educating oneself on these grades and what they mean can help them make better choices regarding what to buy, and how to prepare what they buy.

    Ultimately though, the problems come with imbalance and/or excess. All things in moderation, including aspartame, sugar, gluten, carbs, fats, etc etc etc are generally fine. Going overboard is what causes problems... Heck, even drinking water to excess can be hazardous, even fatal.

    The point of educating about these properties is to understand why balance is important. You don't want to eat so much of something that you cause yourself problems.
    It's kind of like how so many people will think taking vitamin supplements is no big deal, and that their body will process out what it doesn't need. Everything has its place, and understanding what eating this, taking that will do inside your body is a major part of understanding how to eat healthfully.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    So how come I'm not dead yet? Huh? I've been eating rice since day one. :huh:
    It is fear mongering. OP, please enjoy food in moderation.

    It's in really low amounts parts per million or billion and micrograms per serving. It shouldn't hurt you in those amounts.

  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    taunto wrote: »
    There are truths to some of the things you said.
    Nuts, legumes and grains should be soaked to remove phytic acid.
    Eating a lot of dairy say 20% of your diet was shown to likely cause cancer but 5% was fine.
    Soy is estrogenic, disrupts hormones and I believe it shouldn't be eaten unless fermented.
    There is nothing wrong with gluten if you don't have a sensitivity.

    For optimum health you should eat fruits and vegetables, fish, grass fed meat, organic eggs, soaked beans, soaked nuts, soaked grains, and soaked seeds.

    Can you please link the research that says that?

    It was in "Forks over Knives" from the book "The China Study".


    That unfortunately doesn't really sound like research. Just like me saying "Richard Simmons is a beautiful woman". I might believe it to be true but the proper research and paper done for it is non-existing and thus my statement cannot be trusted. I think we, as people who are here trying to give advice should arm ourselves with better source of information. Here is a better start on how to make proper claims:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10025099/guide-to-making-claims-based-on-research
  • Tim_Simons
    Tim_Simons Posts: 64 Member
    You have to eat in moderation. Eating too much is not good. You have to maintain a balanced diet to keep your body in its stable state. It may be fact or mongering, by the end of the day, we are still responsible for what we take in our body.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    All food has some poison in it, but not enough to harm you, at least not if you "spread the risk" and eat som from every food group every day. Not talking about intolerances and allergies.
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    It was in "Forks over Knives" from the book "The China Study".

    Ugh, the "China Study" was a big pile of BS.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    Oh well if cheese and bacon are going to kill me at least I will die happy :p
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    There are millions of healthy people that eat soy every day. There are millions of healthy people that eat legumes and grains every day. There are millions of healthy people that eat meat every day. There are millions of healthy people that eat dairy every day.

    How you balance your diet, how much you eat and how active you are will do more to determine health than cutting out certain foods or food groups.
  • CarrieCans
    CarrieCans Posts: 381 Member
    Arsenic in Food: FAQ
    How arsenic gets into foods, and what it means for you.
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/arsenic-food-faq

    That being shared, EAT RICE!
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
    The lesson to learn here is "everything in moderation". Too much of anything can be a bad thing. Also, many of the studies that many people stand on to make their health food decisions are based only on correlation. In other words, a direct link between food A and outcome B has not actually been established. Use your best judgment about what to eat and try to have a varied diet as many foods can mitigate the harmful effects of other foods. For example, protein is less challenging for the liver when accompanied by a carb.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    If we listen to all the different diet "camps" as to what we should and shouldn't be eating we would be left with nothing to eat. Even the air and water are polluted