There is a lot of nutritional advice out there, much of it conflicting. Worse, the easiest foods to get in our culture are the ones that are not particularly good for us. This combination, plus the overall busy-ness of our lives, can lead to poor eating habits. It’s entirely understandable that we don’t eat the best foods for us. Fast food companies have huge advertising budgets, fad diets make their creators rich, and trusted sources of information are scarce on the ground.
So what should we eat?
There are some basics to consider. We need enough calories in our food to power our activities. Those calories, ideally, should come from lean sources of protein, whole grains, vegetables, good-for-us fats, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Those of us who are older, who work out a lot, or are still growing may need more protein than we think.
If we are eating a varied diet, our vitamin and mineral needs may take care of themselves. A multivitamin can be insurance against any lacks, but I’m not going to recommend a whole suite of supplements (they have a big industry behind them, too.).
The general principle is that food is most nutritious for us when it is closest to how it started. An apple, with its peel, is better for us than a glass of apple juice, no matter how organic and free range. (Yes, I know that apples do not fall far from the tree and thus do not range at all, but it makes me laugh to think of them doing so willy-nilly.)
It is also important that our food gives us joy. There are certainly times when it is absolutely good for us to eat a food that is not the most nutritional choice—celebratory pizza with the kids after a great report card springs to mind, or eating Grandma’s special pie on a visit with her. The key is to make those choices consciously and occasionally.
More tomorrow!
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