5 Reasons Why We Don't Eat Healthy Food
Despite all the campaigns to promote fruit and vegetable intake - only a third of Americans eat two or more pieces of fruit per day. 25% don't eat any vegetables at all (ref).
Why not?
Recent research from Mintel shows 5 reasons for not eating healthy:
- Availability
- Cost
- Confusion
- Time constraints
- Taste concerns
From industry site FoodNavigator:
"consumers are not willing to trade convenience for health or other benefits. Products cannot be healthful at the expense of convenience or they will not be successful."
Whole foods require preparation. Processed foods generally require you to open the packet and eat. Which do you reach for when your hungry and in a hurry?
Busyness is the enemy of healthy eating. This is followed closely by lack of knowledge (no surprise given the bewildering contradictions that constitutes dietary advice).
If you choose to eat healthy - you will need to address each of the above 5 reasons.
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I've read the arguments about the kinds of fat and am pretty confused. I use olive oil, eat nuts, have about four-six eggs a week, have tofu once-twice a week, and maybe two ounces of cheese a day along with 2 cups of low-fat milk and/or soy milk. I'm not sure how this breaks down...
ReplyActually, I purposefully avoid keto. I eat enough carbs to stay out of it. I try to make most of my carbs lactose, the ideal carbohydrate for bodybuilders. Plus, keto doesn't have to be done on saturated fats.
ReplyWhat to shoot for: keep saturated fats high, monounsaturateds moderate, polyunsaturateds low, and your Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio as close to 1-1 as possible. Pasture-fed animal fats are the best you can get for this. I'm on a milk and egg diet right now, so for me this means cream and egg yolks. Extra virgin tropical oils are good too. You can use a little extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil for salads.
Nuts are ok in moderation. Eggs are excellent, as long as you don't throw out the yolk. Use full fat milk and cheese. Throw out your tofu and soy milk. Avoid supermarket vegetable oils, like canola, even if they're not hydrogenated.
ReplyThe reason to keep unsaturateds low is because they are unstable molecules and are prone to becoming oxidized, polyunsaturateds being most prone. A saturated fat is already complete. As far as the benefits of saturated fat: hormonal health, calcium absorption, cell stability, immunity, utilization of EFAs, and plain old general vitality.
ReplyOh yeah I do everything empirically. I gave up on following the scientific info. I eat nuts, avocado, oily fish, take extra Omega 3, but I also switched from fat-free milk to semi-skim. I already used to have regular cheese around 2 or 3x a week, and lean meats and eggs with the yolk before. I still eat my meats lean, but when I cook pork or chicken I cook it with the fat in it and remove it later, so that is more saturated fat. The other change I made is when I microwave vegetables I use butter and not olive oil on them (still use olive oil on salads) and I eat my bread with butter instead of fat-free cottage cheese (again this is something I do maybe 3x a week). These small changes made me feel more energetic to work out and I swear I'm also sleeping better. I have fewer mood swings and my PMS is pretty much gone, I have better skin and stronger nails. I didn't start any supplementation or make any other changes to my diet or start getting more rest or anything.
I have a lot of hormonal problems though, and cholesterol is responsible for hormone regulation, so I theorize I must feel these changes more dramatically than healthier people.
Ryan, I remain in ketosis eating the amount of carb you eat although I'm considerably smaller than you. It is like my body goes through carb really fast, and this was before starting taking metformin, which helps with insulin metabolism. I'd be afraid to try it now. I can eat an entire pineapple in a day + carrots, tomatoes, etc. and still be in ketosis if I have no starch. It is crazy.
ReplyEvery time I wander into the latest buzz about fat (not to mention protein and carbs), the more confused I get, and the more I appreciate Michael Pollan's advice (and Jan's approach).
ReplyQuito!
Here! I can't take it any more. :-) Or search diet and fat and read what you wish.
Replyhttp://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/low_fat.html
Here's the whole story!!
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats.html
ReplyYes, I am a bodybuilder. My calculations for my most common meal day plan were about 900 calories protein, 1700 fat, and 400 carbs (I am rounding a bit of course). So, we're talking 30% protein, 56.66% fat and 13.34% carbs. When I said 1.5-2 dozen eggs and 1/3-2/3 cup cream, it's either 1.5 dozen eggs and 2/3 cup cream or 2 dozen eggs and 1/3 cup cream. I only need about 60 or 80 grams of carbs to stay out of keitosis. That number of course varies between people.
As far as what's good for bodybuilding, yes, high-fat and lower-carb is the way to go. Carbs are only in the diet to provide glycogen for workouts. In the body, they only function as energy. I use lactose for carbs because it is also a great protein sparer. Protein and fats, however, are used in the process of building muscle and producing hormones. If you want to learn the ultimate in bodybuilding nutrition so far, look up Rheo Blair and find out as much as you can; I can fill in any gaps.
To Jan: I will be the first to admit I am not qualified to give advice to people with weird metabolisms like you.
To Dr. J: Cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, and the whole HDL/LDL thing is flawed to the point of being useless.
ReplyI'm running a half marathon tomorrow, so today I'm ignoring all this diet stuff and enjoy my carbs... I'm shooting for a stately 1:50.
ReplyQuito!
ReplyHave fun at the marathon!! The second link is closer to what I believe. I minimize fat, sugar and salt. To those that think a high fat diet is a good thing, best of luck! Just know, as a doctor and a surgeon, medicine cannot restore you to what you were before you created your disease with your lifestyle choices. The suggestions I make on this site are backed with a long career and lifestyle choices that have worked for me over a long time. The good thing about a democracy is that everyone has an opinion, the bad thing is that some opinions are better than others! Choose wisely my friends.
As we say in the tech field, have some more Kool-Aid!
ReplyWe have said in the medical field, for a long time
...First, Do No Harm!
We don't know who said it originally , and sometimes we can't achieve it, but it's a nice motto anyway. :-)
ReplyAmen to that!Reply
I agree with those reasons. Most of the farms are far from the city and the freshness of fruits and vegetables is important. That's why it's not available in some areas that are far and hard to access.
ReplyIt's all good!! I've never had a time goal in a race. The things I like about the 1/2 is it doesn't punish you like the full marathon and you get the same fun running with so many people and those watching from the sidelines helping you along. I really run for the long term so over the week, I really run further if I don't have marathon days. Besides knowing that the 'first runner' died in front of the king was enough to get my attention :-)
ReplyI'm a vegetarian and I hate vegetables. My tastebuds just can't adapt. Add on top of that that I can't cook and it makes it almost impossible. Only veggy thing I eat is potatos and lettuce. Give me some tips! I'm stuck living on pizza, pasta, and cheese subs.
ReplyStop being a vegetarian.
ReplyAnd now I add tips #2 and #3: Learn to cook and start eating some damn vegetables. Living on potatoes, lettuce, pizza, pasta, and cheese subs will kill you.
ReplyFor me, wow... it's about taste and convenience. I'm a big dude, about 205 and I LOVE working out. I HAVE to eat. Although I could purchase a can of turkey n beans for like $1.29 that has 12 grams of fiber, 34 grams of protein, and only 6 grams of fat, it just tastes like shit. I tried eating it a few days, it was fine. Then the taste just finally got to me. I SERIOUSLY feel like puking everytime I see it at the grocery store. Man... *sighs* and I can't cook either, it's too much time. I need a wifey. Somebody that can cook me healthy meals full of protein n fiber. Cuz I ain't ever gone do that on my own, best believe LOL> I'm a gutter-boy like that. It's how I live. It sucks. I'm fat now cuz of it. Really I wish I could just get some protein shake mix and fiber pills. Then I'd be fine. Tonight, I could have mad pasta with tha turkey slices but so SICKKK of eating that. So I went for pizza. TASTED SOOOO FRICKEN GOOD AND FILLED ME UP! Damn I can't wait until them Star Trek TNG days come into play and we got those machines like I can talk to it and say 'Yo machine, make me a really tasty sammich that is healthy. Gone do that for me' hahaha.. im silly. Just a gutter-boy tho. 1.
ReplyAt the age of 10 which I am I find it possible to eat healthy, yes involving fruits and vegis. If you are in a hurry, as stated above, it is possible to grab a fruit, which is far more filling then a bag of chips. The five reasons above are things you have to consider, but availibilty, they have tons of general fruits such as apples at local stores, and cost: you can buy normal fruits and vegetables such as lettuce and bannas for a reasonable price, exept the price matters when you endulge with more exoitic fruits like pomerainans. Time constraints are things you only worry about when preparring a full meal, even then you can get healthy frozen foods and they can be made in under a few minutes. And with taste concerns, it depends what type of stuff you eat regulary, if you like sour thins go for sour fruits, if you like sweet fruits you can eat bannas or simply caramalize plantains. If you like food with out a big taste or a WOW! Go for something simple like an apple or broccili. And if u want something zesty, go for broccili smotherd in lemon sauce. My point is the 5 reasons above are just excuses people make to avoid eating healthy.
Replywhy do healthy foods taste bland and look boring? What are the reasons?
ReplyIf given the choice between fast food/convenience food and not eating, I'll probably not eat. Its a bad habit I've gotten myself into, I know. But if I'm doing something important I delay eating all of the time. I started having the symptoms of low blood pressure last year and my doctor figured out that it was because I was (on average) getting 1000 calories or less a day... often 800 of those calories in the one meal a day I was eating at a restaurant on my way home from work.
I need to lose 4 inches off my belly and hips, and build some bone strengthening muscle. I know that these actions require fuel and much more than 1000 a day.
But what can I do when I don't know how to cook, I don't know what to eat that tastes good if it doesn't come off the menu at my favourite restaurants, and I don't want to eat 6 times a day. I don't have that kind of time! I'm lucky when I get a bowl of cereal, a Luna bar and then dinner at a restaurant all in the same day.
I don't eat crap, but the way I am eating is not working for me.
ReplyLori!
Check out this site. I don't agree 100% with Mark, but in your case, I think you will find his information useful. Good luck!
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
Replywhat does regular diet mean?
What are some ways to make healthy foods appetising?
Replyok,you say it costs so much to get healthy food but it dosnt cost alot to go out and eat every night?i dont get it
ReplyIt's actually much cheaper to prepare your own foods than it is to grab fast food all the time. You can easily burn 300 dollars a month eating fast food 3 or more times a week. I know, because my husband used to do this. Fresh food may cost more to start, but it's cheaper in the end, and better for you.
ReplyEat a lot of fruits,vegetables and grains.Eat a lot of oils (ice cream and sundaes)of 25% total fat and never go to the dentist every week.I am 142 pounds and I am 7 years old.I don't like healthy food,so get more diet and I FEEL SO BETTER NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply