Food Hype: Do You Err on the Side of the Latest Craze or Common Sense?
I’m not usually one to venture into the badlands of ‘healthy eating’. Most of my culinary preferences run along the lines of pizza and pasta. I have nothing against fruits and veggies, anything fresh and tasty works for me, it’s simply common sense. But I can’t help noticing the overwhelming buzz about gluten-free. It’s become as much of a public obsession as ADHD was when my kids were growing up. I always suspected that 80 percent or so of ADHD diagnoses were nothing more than extreme cases of discipline-gone-AWOL, and a similar number of professed taste-free (of course I meant gluten-free) advocates have gravitated toward this pretentious trend for the satisfaction of acceptance on the nutrition-nazi band wagon.
So many healthy food ‘facts’ that are breaking news today turn out to be head-shaking myths tomorrow. Coffee is good for you, no it’s not, yes it is. Everyone should be a vegetarian, but then of course the lack of protein is causing muscle loss and consequently unhealthy weight gain and easily injured limbs. I was all over the good news about dark chocolate and red wine, but that gelatinous mass that is chia makes me want to plunge right into the next starvation diet… who eats that stuff??
Fortunately Barbara Pronin of RIS Media’s done a little research of her own and I find it mildly satisfying that she acknowledges that a lot of food decisions and personal health comes down to nothing more than common sense.
Food Trends: What’s the Hype on Coconut Oil and Gluten-Free?
By Barbara Pronin
Nutritional guidance, like ready-to-wear, tends to go in and out of fashion. Eggs, once slammed for their high cholesterol, came back into dietary good graces in 2015 when a government report dropped its warning. More recently, gluten-free foods have been proliferating in supermarkets while coconut oil appears to be the new rage for chefs.
What’s going on here, and what’s a consumer to believe?
A report published this year by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology offers some clarity on which foods are the best choices for health-conscious individuals:
Fresh fruits and fresh veggies, especially berries and leafy greens, remain the number one source of nutrients and antioxidants, and are best eaten raw or cooked, rather than juiced.
Whole grains and legumes, low- and nonfat dairy products and limited quantities of lean meat and fish are also among the mainstays of a heart-healthy diet.
Eggs, like nuts, remain a good source of protein, but moderation is key. Eggs, which do contain a fair amount of dietary cholesterol. Should be limited to one or two a day while nuts, which are high in fat, should be limited to a handful.
Coconut oil, like palm oil and all other oils, including olive oil, should be consumed in moderation because they are high in fat, although olive oil is still recommended as the heart-healthiest of the bunch.
Gluten-free foods are valuable for people with celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities, but there is no evidence for recommending them for use by the general population.
Dietary supplements, for which there no compelling findings of cardiovascular benefits or antioxidants, are recognized as a costly substitute for their fresh food counterparts.
Sugar and processed foods are best avoided whenever possible.
The report concludes that following these dietary guidelines can reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, although physical activity and family history are also factors in determining personal health.
