Decreasing the Food Stigma: Why We Need to STOP Labelling Foods
I'm about to tell you a secret.
This is a secret that the fitness industry has kept from you for years.... A secret that has destroyed so many people's relationship with food. Labeling food "good" or "bad" is NOT healthy and perpetuates harmful diet culture! SERIOUSLY. Food is not inherently good or bad! I'm sure you've seen plenty of diet culture nonsense talking about how you should avoid 'bad foods' at all costs; I'm here to tell you that we need to stop assigning foods moral values! A cheeseburger is not 'bad' and a salad is not 'good'. Foods vary in macronutrient and micronutrient distribution- so a cheeseburger might have less micronutrient value, but that does NOT make it a 'bad food'.
Assigning labels to food can actually be pretty harmful mentally...
When we begin to see foods as 'good' or 'bad', we tend to view certain foods as 'off-limits'... which usually makes us crave them more! Picture this scenario (which you’ve probably experienced before!): You go the whole week eating so healthy. You hit your calorie goals, you hit your macro goals, you’ve eaten plenty of fruits and vegetables, and you’ve totally accomplished your goals. Then Friday rolls around… And you have a beer or two (or five)… And you see a Burger King commercial. Next thing you know, you’ve demolished two Whoppers, and you’re kicking yourself for eating such ‘bad foods’; the next week is full of regret and self-hatred because you ruined your diet.
Listen folks… this relationship with food is NOT healthy or good for you! You should be able to eat foods you enjoy without wanting to punish yourself for it; even if it pushes you over in calories for the week, you still deserve to treat yourself and not regret it.
Instead, think of food this way:
Everything you eat is a mixture of macronutrients and micronutrients- just in different amounts! Some foods are higher in carbs, some are higher in protein, some will help you attain your goals, some will help put a smile on your face. No matter what the nutrient make-up of the food is, you can enjoy it; moderation is key! So yes, while it's a good idea to have the majority of your diet be made up by whole foods in order to keep your body healthy and happy... don't forget to include some of those "bad" (cue eye-roll!) foods that make your heart happy, too.
Comparing ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ Foods
Going even further, many of the foods we demonize are not nearly as ‘unhealthy’ as we claim, and many of the foods we idolize are the epitome of health. Don’t get me wrong, some foods (looking at you, Trans fats!) are genuinely a threat to your health and should be avoided at all costs, but most foods are a pretty average mixture of macronutrients that shouldn’t be avoided. For example, let’s look at a traditionally ‘healthy’ food and compare it to an ‘unhealthy food’.
Now, when many of us think of healthy foods, we think of those delicious, colorful dishes we call acai bowls, and I’ll admit: I am a FAN. However, a lot of the time, acai bowls (and smoothies in general) are put on a health pedestal and seen as the "good" choice; in reality, they aren't much healthier than some of the 'bad options' we're warned about! For example, let's look at the nutrition information from an acai bowl from Jamba Juice...
Calories: 510
Total Fat: 10g
Carbohydrates: 101g
Dietary Fibers: 11g
Sugars: 65g
Protein: 8g
Pretty average, eh? Pretty high in sugar, but that’s to be expected from so much fruit. To compare, however, let’s look at an ‘unhealthy’ food that most people would call ‘bad’: a medium hot fudge sundae from Dairy Queen.
Calories: 430
Total Fat: 15g
Carbohydrates: 66g
Dietary Fibers: 1g
Sugars: 52g
Protein: 9g
Did you notice anything when comparing the two? That’s right: the nutrition facts for the two are not that different; in fact, the 'good' option actually has more sugar- and less protein! When looking at the two, there are some differences to note, like the higher amount of micronutrients in the smoothie bowl; but aside from this, these foods are pretty comparable! Now, I'm not saying that you should eat a sundae every day, or that smoothie bowls are bad for you: I'm just pointing out the line between 'good' and 'bad' foods is thinner than you think; in fact, it shouldn't exist at all!
I want to challenge you to get rid of these harmful labels.
Now, I don’t want you to think all food should be consumed equally, and I really don’t want you to think moderation in your nutrition should go out the window; it’s extremely important that we do stay within macronutrient and micronutrient guidelines in order to stay healthy. But more than anything, I want you to stop letting diet culture guilt you into avoiding foods you enjoy. When you're at dinner with your friends, don't get a salad because you're 'trying to be good'- get a salad because you enjoy how it tastes and makes you feel. When you're relaxing on a Saturday night, don't eat that cheeseburger because 'it's a cheat day and I want to be bad!'- eat that cheeseburger because you love cheeseburgers! Life is all about finding a balance, so if your diet consists of plenty of whole foods and micronutrients, then don't be afraid to enjoy your 'unhealthy' favorites- and don’t be afraid to remind yourself that there is no such thing as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods, too. Eat what makes you happy, eat what makes you feel good, and stop assigning foods labels!