Define "healthy" food...

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  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    jofjltncb6 wrote: »
    If I eat an "unhealthy" food, but am made no less healthy as a result...

    ...is it truly an unhealthy food?

    Wouldn't that depend on your definition of "unhealthy"?
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Some legendary butthurt in hur
    348435911966517674759286.gif
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    auddii 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.

    "Empty calories (whatever that is)" was the line I was going at.

    The credibility of the original post was lost when the OP admitted she doesn't know what an empty calorie is.

    for the record I am a male…

    please feel free to explain what an empty calorie is..? I assume a calorie with zero units of energy…?

    No. An empty calorie is where you eat or drink a substance that has little to no nutritional value on a micronutrient level.

    Take 12 fl oz of Cola vs freshly squeezed Orange Juice for example. The orange juice contains 41mg of calcium, 0.74 mg of iron, 41mg of magnesium, 63mg of phosphorus, 744mg of potassium, 4mg of sodium, 0.19mg of zinc, 186mg of Vitamin C, 0.335mg of Thiamin, 0.112mg of Riboflavin, 1.488mg of Niacin, 0.149mg of Vitamin B-6, 112 ug of Folate, 37ug of Vitamin A, RAE, 744IU of Vitamin A, IU, 0.15mg of Vitamin E, and 0.4 ug of Vitamin K. That's all in 328 total calories.

    The Cola, on the other hand, contains 7 mg of Calcium, 0.07 mg of Iron, 41 mg of Phosphorus, 11mg of Potassium, 15mg of Sodium, 0.04 mg of Zinc, and absolutely nothing else. From 12 fl oz, that is basically nothing, for 152 calories. These are called empty calories. Calories you consume that have minimal nutritional significance, beyond the macro level.
    and OP was never seen again

    I suppose I should add that what I just explained there is a clear cut example of what is a "healthy" food and what is not a "healthy" food.

    Now, put that together into a 'diet' and you're not longer talking about what a singular healthy food is. You're talking about a diet. You can eat whatever the heck you want, but what you eat can, and will make a different physiologically. Mentally, if you need to eat the donut, then eat the freaking donut because it would be unhealthy to completely ignore your cravings all the time

    no, they are just foods with different calorie content, and micro breakdowns...
    you seem to understand the premise but are stuck on the fact that there is no hard definition of healthy, or clean, or even an empty calorie. these are all relative terms

    2 direct comparisons in front of you showing calorie vs micro count, you should be able to clearly state which is better for you. and short of some minor mental aspect that you could consider, the OJ wipes the table over coke any day

    that is exactly my point..

    there is just food that your body uses for energy ..combine them in certain ways, for certain goals…

    if someone wants to drink a cola to get in their calories for the day then so be it…does not mean that one is better than another...

    your still missing the micronutrient point. yes, if you have all micros in for a day then it makes no difference but how often does that ever happen without extreme planning and diligence to an very specific diet

    well again, context of diet has to be considered? If you have hit micros and drink the coke then what is the issue?

    The issue is that the OP asked about healthy foods yet you are talking about a healthy diet. I get your point, but you are really mixing topics.

    This.

    I am the OP and I said define healthy, but I also said that you have to take into consideration context of overall diet...

    at least, I am pretty sure that is what I said..

    I meant 'original post' more than 'original poster'. The subject is "Define 'healthy' food". In the original post it says "which then naturally sparks the question what is "healthy" food." then you go on to tell us your opinion.

    yes, and I clearly said in my first post that context of diet matters....

    And some disagree. Context matters when discussing a healthy diet. For many 'healthy food' implies a discussion of individual foods, not diet.
    The overall diet is composed of all the individual food choices. Since the individual food choices make up the diet, attention to them is obviously important.

    Food has no context. Broccoli doesn't cease to be broccoli on a dinner plate because you had an Oreo at lunch. It won't become and orange or an ice cream cone. Broccoli is still broccoli no matter what else you have eaten. If you took one tiny broccoli crumb and tossed it into a pile of corn, the broccoli crumb is still broccoli.

    The food has no context.

    If you're trying to decide whether or not you should eat something, then you might want to consider your overall diet and your overall health in that decision-making process. However, your overall diet will not make that particular thing any better or worse for you. If you have eaten nothing but Twinkies for six months, that doesn't make the asparagus any healthier. If you have eaten nothing but asparagus for six months, that doesn't make the Twinkie any healthier. The asparagus and the Twinkie are still just asparagus and Twinkies. They have no context.

    This concept of "Food is different depending on context" is just strange.

    My mother is allergic to mushrooms. In this context, are mushrooms healthy or unhealthy?
    My mother is allergic to wine. In this context, is wine healthy or unhealthy?
    My mother is allergic to cheese. In this context, is cheese healthy or unhealthy?
    My mother has to avoid yeast for her autoimmune disease. In this context, is yeast healthy or unhealthy?

    Of course food has a context. It doesn't sit in a vacuum until it goes bad, but rather it interacts with the other foods being eaten and the person doing the eating.
    The food doesn't have context. The mushrooms are no less healthy because your mother is allergic them. They remain mushrooms and have not changed in any way.

    Your mother shouldn't eat things if she is allergic to them. The food itself remains the same and remains unchanged.

    The mushrooms stay the same, true, but the context changes.
    The mushrooms have no context.

    People may or may not wish to make health considerations when they eat. None of the things we think about when we make food choices change the actual food.

    The food has no context and cannot be changed by thinking. There is no thought process that actually changes the food.

    Your choices, my choices, some other guy's choices will be different, based on our health, desires and abilities. But all the thinking we all do - even whether we think the same things! - will have no effect on the food itself.

    The food doesn't change.

    "Food is different based on context"...It's just a bizarre concept.

    one that you obviously have zero.zero percent understanding of.

    you can bail on this thread and save a sliver of dignity at any time...
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    yopeeps025 wrote: »
    untitled.JPG

    From this chart, I would guess that I'd be better off after a month with this vs Doritos. In my opinion.

    Why are you using an extreme example to argue a point? I go with this being a stupid question as the answer to it too.

    I never stated the conditions. I debated about TWO extreme examples. This entire thread is stupid because people cannot agree on the definition of healthy or unhealthy.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    It is absolutely ludicrous to suggest that some foods are not healthier than others.

    It would be similarly ludicrous to suggest that someone cannot be HEALTHY and eat UNHEALTHY foods sometimes.

    However, a person cannot be HEALTHY and eat ONLY EXCLUSIVELY UNHEALTHY foods. (capitals for emphasis, not sass.)

    Here is my simplified example:

    Op said something along the lines of "I've hit my macros/micros for the day, why can't I have a donut?" No one is saying you can't. Go right ahead. Enjoy.

    But if donuts were ALL you ate, you'd get pretty sick pretty quickly even if you ate them within a calorie limit. Now, in the context of WEIGHT LOSS, you would still lose weight eating 1000 calories of donuts per day and nothing else. But you would also be hungry, iron deficient, calcium deficient, protein deficient, etc.

    If you eat a relatively balanced diet there is absolutely no reason you can't indulge in unhealthy treats. But suggesting that in the abstract a can of coke is as healthy as a bowl of raw kale is downright silly. I think most of the people suggesting this are trying to use semantics to make a controversial argument and fluff some feathers.

    Someone a while back brought up the recommend diet for women during pregnancy, and it was dismissed as "well that's one of the only times it is reasonable to consider those things." I understand pregnant women need a greater amount of certain nutrients, like folic acid, etc, but I don't understand the logic of dismissing the implications of eating a better diet during pregnancy. Think about it this way- if you wouldn't want it going into the body of your growing child, why would you want it going into your own body? My personal answer? I don't, but I'm still going to have treats occasionally when I want to.

    Also, and this is an aside to the main point, given that this is a weight loss website I think it is important to note that it is MUCH easier to overeat on UNHEALTHY foods for most people. Most (not all, but most) people to not become obese by eating a diet comprised solely of HEALTHY foods. That is something that I think deserves consideration in this debate.

    This whole debate is a little like saying the following: Is smoking healthy? NO. Can a smoker BE a healthy person? YES. What determines whether or not that individual ends up dying at a young age of cancer? Who knows, it is a toss up. Some smokers will live to be 100. But many of us feel like we'd rather not take the risk.

    why is the healthy eating crews immediate fall back to ALWAYS build a straw man argument about having 100% of your diet from donuts. No one is advocating that.

    so if I eat kale, and ice cream and I have fulfilled micro/macro/calorie goals does that convert the ice cream from unhealthy to healthy?

    No, that is absurd. Ice cream is still an unhealthy FOOD, but if it is part of an OVERALL HEALTHY DIET then it is not at all a problem to have it. I'm not sure how you are not getting that, I am not the first person to explain it.

    How is ice cream an inherently "unhealthy food"???
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    PRMinx wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Wow, are there people who really don't know what a empty calorie is? Soda is a empty calorie, it gives you zero nutrients that your body can use. Depending on what ice-cream you buy, it can have things like protein and calcium (from the dairy). So, some might consider it empty because it's usually seen as a treat, but it's not a completely empty calorie if it has dairy, soy, or something else in it with some nutritional value.

    Don't forget genes, they play a pretty big role in how long you live. That is why grandma can smoke till she's 100 but the guy down the street died from lung cancer at 35.

    Obviously what is "healthy," is debatable, but if you only ate Doritos for a month you would probably feel a bit *kitten* by the end of the month and might even have a vitamin deficiency or two. If you don't look outside of Western societies where we tend to eat a variety and everything is fortified then it might seem like it doesn't matter. But, take a look at populations with limited food supplies and it matters to them. You really can have a vitamin or nutrient deficiency. There are people in America who die from malnutrition, just not very many. As long as there is some variety in your life then you are probably good, even if that variety is Taco Bell one day and McDonald's the next. There are a lot of studies that show excessive consumption of some things can cause earlier death in some populations. But, of course, genes play a role and the debate of which matters more is still plenty there. Nutrition is a newer science and there are a lot of variables.

    Malnutrition Death Rates by Country:

    http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/malnutrition/by-country/

    Ever drank a coke pre or post training? I'm going to assume you haven't.
    What ice cream has no calcium or protein?

    You used the example that if we only ate Doritos for a month then we would feel bad and have a deficiency or 2. Now, who eats only Doritos all day every day and nothing else. It's amazing how often you people use extreme examples like this to prove no point. A point you don't have. It's ridiculous. Let's say this, don't you think it would be just as bad if someone at pure broccoli all month, nothing but broccoli. You opened your statement by saying you were surprised at the fact that people don't know what empty calories are but you don't even understand nutrition so should you really be that surprised?

    From a nutrient value only, I'd probably be better off eating broccoli than Doritos all month.

    Really? Because Broccoli provides us with all of the nutrients we need?

    No. Because broccoli will stand a better chance at providing more nutrients we need vs doritos. That's just a guess on my part. But I never said either would provide all nutrients we need and never implied it. The issue here was eating ONE food for a month. Doritos or broccoli.
    Get out of here with you ridiculous argument.

    You know what? Why not address the question when you get called out instead of attempting to flame yourself out of the question poised to you. It was you that that presented the question.

    Let's say this, don't you think it would be just as bad if someone at pure broccoli all month, nothing but broccoli

    Well let's see, where will you get dietary fat and protein from?

    Then you said:
    It is debatable. the fact that broccoli doesn't have dietary fat doesn't mean it's the worse choice of the two over a month's time.
    You really think it's debatable that it's unhealthy to go without protein or fat for a month or 2?

    Broccoli has protein

    Wow just wow.

    Isn't it?
    broccoli-label.jpg

    Yes, broccoli does have protein. But, this is where context matters. You would have to eat so much broccoli to hit any kind of real protein and calorie numbers that you would be sick before you could get halfway there....

    Now, after weighing these two, I'd just like to say we are so lucky to have the resources we have so that we don't have to make such a choice.

    You know this (because you mentioned it), I know this because I posted that rather large picture. You need to tell MM there. He seems quite flabbergasted

    Well, no. I see what he is saying. For the amount of broccoli you would have to eat to hit a reasonable target, it changes the benefit. It would be much easier to hit his protein target with Doritos.

    For that particular macro, yes.

    And for dietary fat.

    What type of doritos? Don't you think by the time he hit his protein goal, he'd likely be over by a quite a bit on the other macros?
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    If all I care about is the way I look, what I eat does not matter.

    If all I care about is how I feel, what I eat is everything.

  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    penn_jillette.gif
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    squirrely, huh? I was responding to the OP's consistent use of ice cream as an example. I haven't been following your comments.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Wow, are there people who really don't know what a empty calorie is? Soda is a empty calorie, it gives you zero nutrients that your body can use. Depending on what ice-cream you buy, it can have things like protein and calcium (from the dairy). So, some might consider it empty because it's usually seen as a treat, but it's not a completely empty calorie if it has dairy, soy, or something else in it with some nutritional value.

    Don't forget genes, they play a pretty big role in how long you live. That is why grandma can smoke till she's 100 but the guy down the street died from lung cancer at 35.

    Obviously what is "healthy," is debatable, but if you only ate Doritos for a month you would probably feel a bit *kitten* by the end of the month and might even have a vitamin deficiency or two. If you don't look outside of Western societies where we tend to eat a variety and everything is fortified then it might seem like it doesn't matter. But, take a look at populations with limited food supplies and it matters to them. You really can have a vitamin or nutrient deficiency. There are people in America who die from malnutrition, just not very many. As long as there is some variety in your life then you are probably good, even if that variety is Taco Bell one day and McDonald's the next. There are a lot of studies that show excessive consumption of some things can cause earlier death in some populations. But, of course, genes play a role and the debate of which matters more is still plenty there. Nutrition is a newer science and there are a lot of variables.

    Malnutrition Death Rates by Country:

    http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/malnutrition/by-country/

    Ever drank a coke pre or post training? I'm going to assume you haven't.
    What ice cream has no calcium or protein?

    You used the example that if we only ate Doritos for a month then we would feel bad and have a deficiency or 2. Now, who eats only Doritos all day every day and nothing else. It's amazing how often you people use extreme examples like this to prove no point. A point you don't have. It's ridiculous. Let's say this, don't you think it would be just as bad if someone at pure broccoli all month, nothing but broccoli. You opened your statement by saying you were surprised at the fact that people don't know what empty calories are but you don't even understand nutrition so should you really be that surprised?

    From a nutrient value only, I'd probably be better off eating broccoli than Doritos all month.

    Really? Because Broccoli provides us with all of the nutrients we need?

    No. Because broccoli will stand a better chance at providing more nutrients we need vs doritos. That's just a guess on my part. But I never said either would provide all nutrients we need and never implied it. The issue here was eating ONE food for a month. Doritos or broccoli.
    Get out of here with you ridiculous argument.

    You know what? Why not address the question when you get called out instead of attempting to flame yourself out of the question poised to you. It was you that that presented the question.

    Let's say this, don't you think it would be just as bad if someone at pure broccoli all month, nothing but broccoli

    Well let's see, where will you get dietary fat and protein from?

    Then you said:
    It is debatable. the fact that broccoli doesn't have dietary fat doesn't mean it's the worse choice of the two over a month's time.
    You really think it's debatable that it's unhealthy to go without protein or fat for a month or 2?

    Broccoli has protein. And yet again, you misunderstood the question. The question is this. Which of the two if you ate for a month, would you be better off with at the end of the month. The question isn't if one would be an unhealthy choice. The question is which would be more healthy or unhealthy for you.

    Neither one. Because if you ate a diet of a 100% broccoli or 100% doritos for a month or two you probably end up in the hospital with either. That's why neither should be done and both comparisons are ridiculous.

    I disagree that one wouldn't be better than the other. You continued the argument, then once cornered, you went off on another tangent. Congrats. After considering the last two nutritional labels, I'd go with broccoli. but in reality, I wouldn't eat just one.

    But you know what? Because of this, you now know broccoli has protein. :)

    Right, you think you're teaching me something? I'm going to eat 30 servings of broccoli in order to get my protein requirements. While at the same time getting no fat. Makes sense. Please try again if you think an all broccoli diet for a month or 2 wouldn't land you in the hospital. You really are clueless.

    I'm the clueless one. Who here didn't know broccoli didn't contain protein? :) And what data do you have that shows that eating broccoli would land you in a hospital after 1 or 2 months? I'm not saying it wouldn't, I'm asking for how you are coming to those time frames
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    edited January 2015
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Wow, are there people who really don't know what a empty calorie is? Soda is a empty calorie, it gives you zero nutrients that your body can use. Depending on what ice-cream you buy, it can have things like protein and calcium (from the dairy). So, some might consider it empty because it's usually seen as a treat, but it's not a completely empty calorie if it has dairy, soy, or something else in it with some nutritional value.

    Don't forget genes, they play a pretty big role in how long you live. That is why grandma can smoke till she's 100 but the guy down the street died from lung cancer at 35.

    Obviously what is "healthy," is debatable, but if you only ate Doritos for a month you would probably feel a bit *kitten* by the end of the month and might even have a vitamin deficiency or two. If you don't look outside of Western societies where we tend to eat a variety and everything is fortified then it might seem like it doesn't matter. But, take a look at populations with limited food supplies and it matters to them. You really can have a vitamin or nutrient deficiency. There are people in America who die from malnutrition, just not very many. As long as there is some variety in your life then you are probably good, even if that variety is Taco Bell one day and McDonald's the next. There are a lot of studies that show excessive consumption of some things can cause earlier death in some populations. But, of course, genes play a role and the debate of which matters more is still plenty there. Nutrition is a newer science and there are a lot of variables.

    Malnutrition Death Rates by Country:

    http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/malnutrition/by-country/

    Ever drank a coke pre or post training? I'm going to assume you haven't.
    What ice cream has no calcium or protein?

    You used the example that if we only ate Doritos for a month then we would feel bad and have a deficiency or 2. Now, who eats only Doritos all day every day and nothing else. It's amazing how often you people use extreme examples like this to prove no point. A point you don't have. It's ridiculous. Let's say this, don't you think it would be just as bad if someone at pure broccoli all month, nothing but broccoli. You opened your statement by saying you were surprised at the fact that people don't know what empty calories are but you don't even understand nutrition so should you really be that surprised?

    From a nutrient value only, I'd probably be better off eating broccoli than Doritos all month.

    Really? Because Broccoli provides us with all of the nutrients we need?

    No. Because broccoli will stand a better chance at providing more nutrients we need vs doritos. That's just a guess on my part. But I never said either would provide all nutrients we need and never implied it. The issue here was eating ONE food for a month. Doritos or broccoli.
    Get out of here with you ridiculous argument.

    You know what? Why not address the question when you get called out instead of attempting to flame yourself out of the question poised to you. It was you that that presented the question.

    Let's say this, don't you think it would be just as bad if someone at pure broccoli all month, nothing but broccoli

    Well let's see, where will you get dietary fat and protein from?

    Then you said:
    It is debatable. the fact that broccoli doesn't have dietary fat doesn't mean it's the worse choice of the two over a month's time.
    You really think it's debatable that it's unhealthy to go without protein or fat for a month or 2?

    Broccoli has protein. And yet again, you misunderstood the question. The question is this. Which of the two if you ate for a month, would you be better off with at the end of the month. The question isn't if one would be an unhealthy choice. The question is which would be more healthy or unhealthy for you.

    60 cups per day to hit my objective. It's ridiculous to consider it a viable protein source in that context.

    The answer is neither. The answer is "the question is stupid."

    I didn't poise the question. I only answered it. And the answer isn't "neither". There should be one that is actually going to net you more benefit.

    Neither will. You'll be sick within a week if you only ate one or the other, ad librium.

    Interesting. Do you have a study or data that only after one week, one would become sick from eating either one?

    Yeah, there are studies on mono-item diets. Highly unethical ones from the 40's done on prisoners.
    Scurvy takes 8 months.
    Intestinal flora, diarrhea, et... about a week.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Food has no context. Broccoli doesn't cease to be broccoli on a dinner plate because you had an Oreo at lunch. It won't become and orange or an ice cream cone. Broccoli is still broccoli no matter what else you have eaten. If you took one tiny broccoli crumb and tossed it into a pile of corn, the broccoli crumb is still broccoli.

    But the point is that whether broccoli is a better choice than, say, some shortribs or a bowl of pasta carbonara depends on context. Some would say (including you I would guess, but will let you say) that the broccoli is always better, because those foods are high fat (high saturated fat, even) and lower in micronutrient content, but if you've mostly eaten fruits and veggies that day I think either would be a better choice than more broccoli. You probably need the calories and certainly need fat and protein.

    Now, more often than not, people easily get enough fat, and don't have that much trouble coming up with better sources of protein (per calorie, no value judgment here) than the dishes referenced, and might be short on vegetables and, to a lesser degree, fruits and other sources of fiber, so it's easily to assume that those foods are per se healthy and the others ones to avoid, but it's really the overall mix that matters, not the specific foods. At least, not unless the food is actively unhealthy, which for me means certain things like transfats (and more, but I'm not really interested in getting into a debate about this). From what you've written I get the sense that you consider a healthy diet much lower fat, especially low sat. fat, and also low sodium, whereas I am not so concerned about those things (in the context of my overall diet), so an individual food that brings you over your limit of those could reasonably be considered unhealthy by you and not by me, but again I think that's context.
    I don't know what is in carbonara. Tasted it, didn't like it. Can't discuss it.

    Food isn't different based on what one person eats. The fact that I'm allergic to bananas doesn't make the bananas unhealthy. The bananas are fine. The fact that I cannot eat them doesn't make them unhealthy per se.

    I need to keep my fat low. That doesn't change the fat. The fat remains the same.

    The food has no context. It cannot be changed. If people think about what they ate earlier today, the food sitting on the plate does not change.

    Nothing anyone thinks has any effect on the food itself. The food does not change.

    wow, you totally do not understand dietary context do you?
    Food has no context.

    None of what you say or think will change the food itself.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    edited January 2015
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    To me healthy foods are foods that BOTH provide something your body needs (other than calories, because nobody on this site is in a situation where they might literally starve to death and could therefore call any food healthy) AND doesn't contain excessive amounts of anything that has been shown to negatively impact health. Now what I might consider "excessive" amounts might differ from someone else's definition, but oh well...that's a topic for a different thread.

    I view it in the context of overall health...not just weight loss. So if it has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc...then I don't eat it on a frequent basis and avoid as much as possible.

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    jgnatca wrote: »
    Our national health boards are medically conservative for a reason. Why is it that they are ready to weigh in on complex carbohydrates?

    Context. Within the context of the average diet eaten by the average American there are too many refined carbs (specifically white bread and added sugar and the like) and not enough fiber, so an easy fix to recommend is subbing some whole grains for the refined flour products, and doing that also tends to limit the sugary ones, which are invariably make with white flour, etc.

    But the points I made above seem valid to me and relevant to this discussion. Do you disagree with them? If so, I'd be curious as to how.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Uhhh...wow. Setting aside the obvious 'healthy' and 'not healthy' aspect of asparagus versus pizza, 'healthy' foods are foods that do not harm your body.

    Eating ice creams to fill my caloric intakw will give me diabetes. Eating pizza, pasta, and ice cream gave my father triple bypass surgery. Even if you work off the calories, some foods can and will leave behind more than just calories.

    Its about balance. I don't stuff myself with cheesy breadsticks and cinnamon with frosting dip, but I have pizza when I want it. I also don't have it all the time, because that isn't balanced.

    But you know what, let bad advice and stupidity weed out the population, lol, in my opinion its better for the gene pool.

    how do you know it was those specific foods? How do you know it was not hereditary? Or maybe due to lack of exercise and over eating? Food type is not going to kill you...overindulgence will.

    No one is making the argument that one should "stuff themselves" with cheese breadsticks and pizza" < perhaps that is why your father had to have triple bypass????
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    keola64 wrote: »
    jofjltncb6 wrote: »
    keola64 wrote: »
    LOL I've worked hard to get in the physical condition I'm in so no need to preach to me lol, and OBVIOUSLY THE MORE YOU EAT HEALTHY AND THE MORE YOU EXERCISE THE HEALTHIER YOU WILL BE. That's all I have to say! interpret it however you want.

    So you believe in extra credit for excess nutrition?

    Got it.
    Why..u mad? LoL , I'm proud of my health and the example I set for my children, so you can hate all you want.lol

    Do I sound mad?

    I disagree that you get extra credit for excess micronutrients. No hate.

    Are you implying that the example I set for my children is not good?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Food has no context. Broccoli doesn't cease to be broccoli on a dinner plate because you had an Oreo at lunch. It won't become and orange or an ice cream cone. Broccoli is still broccoli no matter what else you have eaten. If you took one tiny broccoli crumb and tossed it into a pile of corn, the broccoli crumb is still broccoli.

    But the point is that whether broccoli is a better choice than, say, some shortribs or a bowl of pasta carbonara depends on context. Some would say (including you I would guess, but will let you say) that the broccoli is always better, because those foods are high fat (high saturated fat, even) and lower in micronutrient content, but if you've mostly eaten fruits and veggies that day I think either would be a better choice than more broccoli. You probably need the calories and certainly need fat and protein.

    Now, more often than not, people easily get enough fat, and don't have that much trouble coming up with better sources of protein (per calorie, no value judgment here) than the dishes referenced, and might be short on vegetables and, to a lesser degree, fruits and other sources of fiber, so it's easily to assume that those foods are per se healthy and the others ones to avoid, but it's really the overall mix that matters, not the specific foods. At least, not unless the food is actively unhealthy, which for me means certain things like transfats (and more, but I'm not really interested in getting into a debate about this). From what you've written I get the sense that you consider a healthy diet much lower fat, especially low sat. fat, and also low sodium, whereas I am not so concerned about those things (in the context of my overall diet), so an individual food that brings you over your limit of those could reasonably be considered unhealthy by you and not by me, but again I think that's context.
    I don't know what is in carbonara. Tasted it, didn't like it. Can't discuss it.

    Food isn't different based on what one person eats. The fact that I'm allergic to bananas doesn't make the bananas unhealthy. The bananas are fine. The fact that I cannot eat them doesn't make them unhealthy per se.

    I need to keep my fat low. That doesn't change the fat. The fat remains the same.

    The food has no context. It cannot be changed. If people think about what they ate earlier today, the food sitting on the plate does not change.

    Nothing anyone thinks has any effect on the food itself. The food does not change.

    wow, you totally do not understand dietary context do you?
    Food has no context.

    None of what you say or think will change the food itself.

    ummmm I know you don't read so well but read what I said "dietary context"...there is no food in dietary...
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