We live in a culture where sex sells, and it’s no different when it comes to nutrition and weight loss. As a nutrition educator for over 15 years, I have been preaching “portion control” and “eating in moderation” for years, but the message just isn’t as exciting as others out there. Although many nutrition messages and weight loss gimmicks may appear to be more appealing, that doesn’t make them healthy or worth trying.
Our society tends to bash individual foods and categorize them as bad or good. These days, sugar is the ultimate recipient of media bashing with some folks taking extreme measures to avoid it. And added sugar isn’t the only type people are avoiding. Folks will eliminate all fruit because it contains sugar, albeit natural sugar. They dismiss the fact that fruit brings to the table positive attributes such as fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients that outweigh its sugar content.
Gluten, a protein found in wheat, is thought to be the devil of all carbs. When Googling “gluten,” I got over 141 million hits with article headlines including “6 Reasons Why Gluten May Be Bad for You” and “Gluten: Bad for Us All.” I also came across a plethora of gluten-free recipes, product lists and food manufacturers who sell gluten-free foods. Following a gluten-free diet is a hot trend, but unless you are diagnosed with celiac disease, gluten can be part of a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Data has found that many people who avoid gluten tend to also eliminate dairy. Eliminating two food groups just opens the door to nutrient deficiencies. Dairy foods provide nine essential nutrients including several nutrients of concern like calcium, potassium and magnesium. Insufficient dairy has been shown to lead to osteoporosis (or brittle bones) later in life. It may sound sexier to avoid it, but if you don’t take in the recommended daily amount of these nutrients (which most Americans already lack), you may pay the price later in life.
Does this information want to make you run and grab a glass of milk? Probably not. Maybe seeing sexy stars donning a milk mustache would make you more likely to grab a glass of milk. Harrison Ford, Miranda Lambert, Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum all looked scrumptious (pun intended) in their “Got Milk?” ads.
Going vegan is another trend that’s caught the public eye. Last month, Beyoncé launched a meal delivery service called 22 Days Nutrition, which promotes clean, gluten-free vegan food. There’s no doubt Beyoncé is one of the sexiest cultural icons, but a diet eliminating all gluten-filled and animal foods including eggs, dairy and fish can lead to nutrient deficiencies if not well planned out.
Last month, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s report recommended we stop demonizing food. It suggested we look at our diet as a whole and start viewing food in a positive light. The report also advised Americans to eat more vegetables, since studies are still showing that 90 percent of Americans aren’t meeting the recommended requirements for vegetable intake. The message to eat more vegetables is not any different than 30 years ago when I was growing up. Teachers, parents and even television programs were touting the benefits of vegetables and reminding us to eat more.
Although much of the information in the media is confusion, sound nutrition advice really hasn’t changed over the years. It really is about portion control, moderation, variety and, most important, enjoyment of food. I could have a scantily dressed model tell you this information if it makes it seem sexier, but the information won’t change.
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Why Sound Nutrition Advice Just Isn’t Sexy originally appeared on usnews.com
