Is there any real debate about heathy vs toxic food?
Hi all,
While my surgery was June 19, my journey really started much further back. Through my experience, reading, obsessive documentary watching, and researching I have come to the conclusion that the healthiest foods contain ONE ingredient. Now, that is not to say you can't combine those singular ingredients to make a healthy recipe, I am just saying....if we want to make the best choices for our bodies we would not buy hardly any (if any) food products that require a nutritional label. Also, I have come to believe that sugar has little value to the human body (if any).
I am not perfect. I too have fallen to the allure of Trader Joes marinated chicken breast. But, the vast majority of my intake is made up of things I made in my kitchen or things I "could" make in my kitchen. (think guacamole). Of course, the major exceptions are my protein drinks and greek yogurt (plain). But still, very basic stuff.
So by now you are thinking..."yeah yeah yeah" stuff we all know. But here is my question: if we know this. if we as parents and partners and spouses, etc know this...why do we provide foods that we know to be harmful to our loved ones? I had a small battle with my husband and teens when I first started down the road of eating more "clean" or "whole" or whatever you want to call it. But now that they have experienced how delicious grilled salmon served with zucchini can be, there are no more complaints. If I won't put white potatoes....or donuts....or sugar filled anything in my body, why would I buy it at the store, keep it in the house, and serve it up?
I am curious about others experience with this. Of course, I am NOT the food police, but since I am the chief shopper and cook in my family it would seem that I have the control of the major food intake while at home. Thoughts?
Anne
Consequently, what is "harmful" food is continuously up for debate and I don't think it's anywhere near as clear cut as you stated. For example how many foods, even unprocessed ones, are touted as causing cancer one day and are miracle foods the next? To me it's not about the food you serve your children, but the relationship you teach them to have with food in general.
One word: Daycare.
My kids are in full time day care. They get graham crackers and Goldfish for snacks. They go to birthday parties and get cake and chips and candies. Halloween. Going to their cousin's house where they eat crap and sugar all day long.
One thing we do as parents in our house, since we actually are health conscious, is not to have deserts actually in the house. We don't have cookies, but we do have Goldfish. Also, we rarely allow them to have any Red-dye #40 and anything with serious artificial colors. We buy a lot of organic, nothing with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Their PB&J are the 'all natural' brands, and the bread is from a local bakery that does 9-grain whole wheat. (we also don't allow them to drink tap water with the heavy metals, mercury, antibiotics and toxic fluoride in the city water - we have mountain spring water delivered in Italian Glass Bottles, 5- gallon bottles.).
Also, my kids love bread, crackers, rice, fries and starches. They would eat that all day long if they could. But, when serving dinner, we hide the pizza and organic chicken nuggets, and only put a plate of freshly steamed broccoli out with butter on top. They eat that first, then they get the rest of the meal.
There are LOTS of shades of gray with this topic. I personally love they way we doing things - I feel it is balanced and they won't want to rebel against us later by only eating pure junk because they felt so deprived as little kids. They get some treats, just very selective and very carefully and thoughtfully chosen.
- Geneen Roth
on 8/6/13 12:22 pm
As you know, I have an intense interest in this topic. I believe strongly in the importance of eating foods in their natural state, or as close to it as possible. So it only stands to reason I would feed my family this way - yes?? Hhhmmmm...
Well, my kids are grown, but one of my primary desires was to raise kids with out "food issues" and.....that meant different strategies were necessary.
I was raised by an anorexic mother. I grew up with distorted thinking about food. My daughter is 12 years older than my son. She grew up in a different time than he and has -some- food issues. My son has no food issues. He keeps his weight down, eats pretty healthy, but doesn't have an obsession with it.
So I would hesitate to put such emphasis on food - what can and can't be eaten. My experience is that a food focus can wreck havoc. Just another perspective.
A
on 8/6/13 7:09 pm
Hi all,
While my surgery was June 19, my journey really started much further back. Through my experience, reading, obsessive documentary watching, and researching I have come to the conclusion that the healthiest foods contain ONE ingredient. Now, that is not to say you can't combine those singular ingredients to make a healthy recipe, I am just saying....if we want to make the best choices for our bodies we would not buy hardly any (if any) food products that require a nutritional label. Also, I have come to believe that sugar has little value to the human body (if any).
I am not perfect. I too have fallen to the allure of Trader Joes marinated chicken breast. But, the vast majority of my intake is made up of things I made in my kitchen or things I "could" make in my kitchen. (think guacamole). Of course, the major exceptions are my protein drinks and greek yogurt (plain). But still, very basic stuff.
So by now you are thinking..."yeah yeah yeah" stuff we all know. But here is my question: if we know this. if we as parents and partners and spouses, etc know this...why do we provide foods that we know to be harmful to our loved ones? I had a small battle with my husband and teens when I first started down the road of eating more "clean" or "whole" or whatever you want to call it. But now that they have experienced how delicious grilled salmon served with zucchini can be, there are no more complaints. If I won't put white potatoes....or donuts....or sugar filled anything in my body, why would I buy it at the store, keep it in the house, and serve it up?
I am curious about others experience with this. Of course, I am NOT the food police, but since I am the chief shopper and cook in my family it would seem that I have the control of the major food intake while at home. Thoughts?
Anne
I do believe you are my new best friend!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE this post..............
