Healthy Eating – Controversies

 

Healthy Eating

 

As part of your New Year’s resolution, you’ve decided to embark on the road of healthy eating.  No problem right?

 

First, you’ll go to your swagbucks account, type in HEALTHY EATING or HEALTH or HOW CAN I EAT HEALTHY and you’ll find an easy, healthy eating plan that everyone should follow.

Not Quite! What you’ll find is a number of sites that contradict each other. At this point, you will need to make a choice:

Give up on healthy eating or create your own healthy

 eating plan that works for you and your life.

 

Listed below are seven common controversies of “Healthy Eating”. 

 

Should we eat FAT?

YES! Pick the right fat though:

1. Mark Sisson says that while not all fats are created equal, “saturated fats serve critical roles in the human body.” 
2. The Weston A Price organization has a list of guidelines and dangers of eating low fat.
3. Sue Gregg says Nourishing Traditions/The Weston A Price organization,  has an incorrect balance of fats. 

NOPE – not a good idea:

1. Fiona Haynes writes for About.Com regarding the benefits of low fat cooking.
2. Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition states that “The “bad” fats—saturated and trans fats—increase the risk for certain diseases.”

Interesting books/article on the subject:

1. Gary Taubes wrote the book “Good Calories, Bad Calories.” ABC News had a few interesting things to say about the book. 
2. Dr. Bruce Fife wrote several books about the health benefits of coconut.
3. NY Times

A few bloggers and their point of views:

1. Katie at Kitchen Stewardship
2. Laura at Heavenly Homeakers
3. Kelly at The Kitchen Kop
4. Melissa McEwen Hunt Gather Love

 

Should we eat EGGS?

Depends:

1. Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D.from the Mayo Clinic  
2. WebMD

Don’t eat raw eggs:

1. Scooby Werkstatt

Eggs are a good choice:

1. Jonny Bowden
2. Journal of American College of Nutrition
3. Healthy Skeptic  

Cholesterol Issues:

1. The China Study
2. The China Study Refuted
3. The China Study Refuted 
4. Momma Blogger Food Renegade

 

Should we eat white bread, wheat bread or no bread?

White Bread

1. Three Experts say White Bread  
2. Marginally better to eat white, but why eat poison (see the comments)

Wheat Bread, Soaked

1. Mamma Blogger – Kelly the Kitchen Kop

NO!

1. Mark Sisson
2. Kurt G. Harris, M.D.
3. Fitness Spotlight

   

Should we eat BEANS?

Yes:

1. American Cancer Society
2. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

It’s not ideal:

1. Paleo Hacks
2. Marks Daily Apple

 

Should we eat RICE?

Sure, it’s okay if it’s white rice:

1. Dr. Ben Kim
2. Konstantin Monastyrsky
3. The Healthy Home Economist

No:

1. Don Matesz
2. Mark Sisson

Soaked Rice Only:

1. Sue Gregg

 

Should we eat OATS?

 

No:    Dr. William Davis  

Yes, soaked oats:     High on Health

Yes:   Healthy Food

  

Raw Spinach or Cooked Spinach?

  

Cooked: Weston A Price 

Raw: Raw Food Life
 

Conclusion: 

Based on my research, I have come to the conclusion that NOBODY knows for sure what I should be eating. Personally, I’ve found that doing an elimination diet has helped me the most. I started eating just meat and vegetables for one week and then I started adding one new food in at a time. Using a journal, I wrote down what I ate and then recorded how different foods affected my energy levels, my sugar and/or salt cravings and noted any digestion issues.

I’ve noticed that when I eat meat, I have amazing amounts of energy. If I eat fat with my meat I have amazing amounts of energy and I don’t need to eat every two hours. If I eat oatmeal and no meat, then I’m tired a few hours later and STARVING/EATING – ALL DAY LONG! I plan to continue testing different foods. It takes some time to do this plan, but it’s the best diet plan available and it’s FREE!

Here are some posts about the elimination diet:

about.com

Wholehealthsource

Eatwithoutguilt    

Thehealthyhomeeconomist 



P.S. I forgot to mention the controversies about eating Sugar vs. Natural Sugar vs. No Sugar. Cooling Inflammation has quite a few interesting posts to read.

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