Define "healthy" food...

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ndj1979
ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This has been coming up a lot lately, so I thought that I would combine it all into one thread so that we can have some fun and dig into this one. A lot of people say "I do not want to eat junk" OR "I only eat healthy food", which then naturally sparks the question what is "healthy" food.

My premise is that there is no "healthy" or "junk" food, there is just food that your body uses for energy, and that context of diet is what matters. Different combinations of foods will result in different results for each individuals diet.

For the person that is concerned with strictly fast loss, then it may make sense to get more of their calories from less calorie dense foods like vegetables, and then mix in the ocassional ice cream, cookies, etc.

For the person that is trying to maintain weight and has more calories to play with, they may be able to have a daily serving, or more than one serving, of their favorite treat, and consume more calorie dense foods.

For the person that is bulking/adding weight, they may get 25%, or more, of their calories from calorie dense foods, like pizza, cookies, ice cream, etc, and may fill in as many as 500 calories, or more, to hit their goals.

Is any one strategy more healthy than the other? IMO the answer is no. Vegetables are not more inherently healthy than ice cream.

So if I get 500 to 600 calories from ice cream and cookies to fill in my diet, does that make me less healthy than the person that is getting 75% of their calories from fish, rice, and vegetables?

At the end of the day there is no "healthy" food and a diet composed of 100% "clean" food is no more healthy then a diet composed of 25% ice cream, cookies, pizza, etc….

so feel free to disagree with me and give me a definition of "healthy"….
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Replies

  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
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    In for the $#!% storm!
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Sola dosis facit venenum...
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    In for the $#!% storm!

    :)
  • colejkeene
    colejkeene Posts: 84 Member
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  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,789 Member
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    I define healthy food as food that fits within my calorie goals, helps me meet my macronutrient goals, and has a noticeable positive effect on my energy, mood, and physical sense of well-being. A LOT of things that most people consider junk fall comfortably within these metrics; on the other hand, focusing on this definition of health ensures that I eat well and support my health while I achieve my weight goals. It's the best of both worlds, because I get to eat what I like for the most part and I feel a lot better than I did a couple of years ago.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Depends on whichever named diets camp counselor decides what is healthy
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    Food that keeps me alive. So, all of it.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    avskk wrote: »
    I define healthy food as food that fits within my calorie goals, helps me meet my macronutrient goals, and has a noticeable positive effect on my energy, mood, and physical sense of well-being.

    I like this.

    A lot.

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    martyqueen52 wrote: »
    Oh look.... of those those guys again. Stop posting redundant beat-up *kitten*.

    come on man! It was a serious post…

    I just wanted to combine it all into one….
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    As long as you hit your nutritional minimums I see no problems. As far as health, I feel like daily exercise plays more of a health role then food per se so again, I see no problems...
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    By definition of my nutrition book since I took a class at my college, healthy foods have more micro nutrients than the so call junk food "empty calories", foods with no micro nutrients, was what it was called in the book.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    By definition of my nutrition book since I took a class at my college, healthy foods have more micro nutrients than the so call junk food "empty calories", foods with no micro nutrients, was what it was called in the book.

    OK - so if I hit my macros/micors and calorie goals for the day, but I got 500-600 calories from ice cream and cookies is that then not healthy? Because empty calories??? (whatever those are)
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    By definition of my nutrition book since I took a class at my college, healthy foods have more micro nutrients than the so call junk food "empty calories", foods with no micro nutrients, was what it was called in the book.

    Right. So the question IMO is, once you hit your minimums, what is healthier, more veggies or ice cream?
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
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    I think that the OP's mindset is "healthy". I think there is this false assumption that you either eat healthfully, or you live on high calorie/nutrient sparse food.

    When in actuality, a little junk is a welcome addition to my diet.

    I wouldnt base my diet on say,doritos, but knowing that I can have them if I want them is comforting.

    It was useful to me (when I was losing lbs) to not purposefully avoid any one food/food group. I just took the attitude of, I can have it if I want it. I just have to make it fit into my day.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    By definition of my nutrition book since I took a class at my college, healthy foods have more micro nutrients than the so call junk food "empty calories", foods with no micro nutrients, was what it was called in the book.

    OK - so if I hit my macros/micors and calorie goals for the day, but I got 500-600 calories from ice cream and cookies is that then not healthy? Because empty calories??? (whatever those are)

    This line alone shows just how little you actually know about what you're talking about.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    Okay, I will be the one to give you the definition you want to debate. I define healthy food as nutrient dense foods, with limited amounts of salt, sugar and fat. Meaning vegetables, lean meats, fruits and whole grains. I define junk as nutrient sparse food with lots of salt sugar or fat. Meaning chips, cheezies, candy, donuts, onion rings etc.
  • rand486
    rand486 Posts: 270 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    My premise is that there is no "healthy" or "junk" food, there is just food that your body uses for energy, and that context of diet is what matters. Different combinations of foods will result in different results for each individuals diet.

    Actually, this is exactly what they teach people with Eating Disorders in therapy.

    Get the nutrition your body needs, at a caloric intake your body needs, and everything else is gravy (or ice cream, or pizza, or...) ;)

  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    edited January 2015
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    chivalryder wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    By definition of my nutrition book since I took a class at my college, healthy foods have more micro nutrients than the so call junk food "empty calories", foods with no micro nutrients, was what it was called in the book.

    OK - so if I hit my macros/micors and calorie goals for the day, but I got 500-600 calories from ice cream and cookies is that then not healthy? Because empty calories??? (whatever those are)

    This line alone shows just how little you actually know about what you're talking about.

    Please feel free to enlighten us.

    The point trying to be made is that you can only absorb so many micronutrients. If you eat a majority of nutrient dense food (or at least sufficient amounts), and fill the rest with pizza, chocolate, ice cream, or whatever, how is that bad.

    *And keep in mind that this thread is being argued by people who eat a hell of a lot more than 1200 calories a day. It's hard to fit in treats when you only eat a little every day. When your goal is 2000 calories or even 3500 calories, you can easily work in more calorie dense food and still get proper nutrition.

    ETA: And in for the coming shitstorm.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Fill your P/F/C with whatever you want. As long as you hit or goals, you're good. If you don't... oh well, your own fault.

    Calories determine weight loss, macros determine body composition. Look at Kane Sumabat for example, the IIFYM Godfather.

    If you have medical issues with sodium / carbs/ or whatever then the game changes, if not, you're ok.

    There's the McDonalds diet study, the Twinkie one, do research and stop beating this *kitten* to death.

    IIFYM studies have been done over and over with solid proof. You can eat what you want, within your caloric goal. Anything else said is *kitten* or personal preference. If you prefer salad over pizza that's your choice.
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