This is the first in a series of posts describing nutrition mistakes people make. I get questions and/or comments regarding all of them and thought it might be worth giving another perspective.
#1 Following the Mantra "Anything In Moderation"
(click on link below to watch video first)
We have all heard that comment - some of us more than others. This advice and subsequent green light to over-indulge in junk food gets us in trouble fast (think obesity rates, diabetes, metabolic derangement, systemic inflammation). We convince ourselves that it's OK to eat french fries fried in partially hydrogenated soybean oil once in a while or - as the ridiculous video shows above - high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) once in a while (which, btw, is in just about everything processed!). If "once in a while" means once every 6-12 months, then maybe that advice may have some credibility (although with HFCS & partially hydrogenated anything - I beg to differ).
The problem is that most Americans take that once in a while to mean every weekend, every special occasion (these days, the special occasions come around weekly!), every time we watch a movie, have dinner guests, go to a sporting event...I could go on, but you get the idea. Those once in a whiles suddenly become a consistent part of your weekly nutrition and, in my book, no longer falls under "moderation".
So what does the Corn Refiners Association that promoted the video define as "in moderation"? What is a "safe" amount to give your young children a highly refined and overly processed food ingredient that has detrimental biological effects that can often times take years to reverse? You don't think HFCS has anything to do with the continual rise in the obesity epidemic?!
What about MSG - a common ingredient in junk food - it has a negative impact on neurological function - is that OK "in moderation". In this household, we avoid HFCS and MSG like the plague.
Same with sugar - there are cumulative effects that are detrimental to our health. One needs to look no further than someone you know who has diabetes, is overweight, has cholesterol and blood pressure issues or any other chronic health condition. Is that damage OK "in moderation"? I'm willing to bet doctor's visits, prescriptions, time and money spent on treating the afflictions go beyond "moderation".
Here's a funny spoof on the Corn Refiners Association tactic:
(clink on link to watch video)
The priority has to come from you in terms of how important your health and the health of your family truly is. If you are still reading this, your health must be important enough to you to want to do everything you can to avoid compromising it. Make a decision that will have a positive impact towards the INTEGRITY of your health, not the CORRUPTION! The more you turn away from the junk food, the easier it will become and before you know it, you will see the flaws in "anything in moderation"
Maria, I love your blog. Thanks for the article. Wanted to share that today I was at a health food store buying SALT and the awesome lady helping me said, "Do you realize there is SUGAR in that SALT?" I said no!! She educated me that the salt I was buying was so processed and refined to nothing that DEXTROSE was added. So, I returned it and got REAL salt. So your advice to read ALL labels is profound!
ReplyDeleteRachel -
ReplyDeleteThat is CRAZY! You are at a "health" food store!! Hats off to the smart gal that was helping you - I am impressed! Any chance you could post here what brand of salt that was so folks who read this will know what to avoid?? ;)
Thanks for your input, Rachel!!