Nutritionist explains why food should not be classified as good or bad
Is it possible to divide food into good and bad (photo: Freepik)
Everyone is used to classifying food as good or bad. However, this is not correct, as even food that is not particularly healthy can still provide other benefits for health, according to Ukrainian nutritionist Natalia Samoilenko.
What to know about good and bad food
According to the expert, it is not worth classifying food as very good or bad, as the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
In particular, compromises can be made with any food, but there are medical indications in some cases where it is necessary to limit salt, sugar intake, or fried food if a person has certain health problems.
Of course, there are nutritionally dense foods that have more beneficial properties. They have a complete composition of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and are rich in vitamins and micronutrients.
Such food should be considered more beneficial. However, it is very difficult for a person to live exclusively on healthy foods, and some unhealthy food can provide emotional support, giving a person satisfaction.
"Let such food be part of the diet. We can consider that these nutritionally poor foods have one important component for health - they improve mood, and that is also medicine," Samoilenko explained.
Therefore, it is possible to mix healthy and not-so-healthy food in order to have both pleasure and benefits at the same time.
Consequences of food categorization
Think back to childhood: hidden candies were always more tempting to eat than the sweets that were available on the table. This principle applies to many life situations, especially to food.
It's important to know that the more aggressively you forbid yourself from eating unhealthy food, the more you crave it.
According to the nutritionist, any restrictions lead to overeating. For example, if you love chocolate but decide not to eat it for the next month, when you finally get your hands on it, you might end up eating an entire bar or more.
Categorizing foods creates a restrictive type of eating disorder. The only things that should be avoided are trans fats, as these increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Trans fats are found in margarine, spreads, low-fat dairy products, breakfast cereals, and ready-made convenience foods.
