Don’t Fear Your Food

The following post is a modified version of an audio piece titled “Don’t Fear Your Food” I did for the Comatose Podcast. If you’d rather hear me read this to you, check out episode 53 of the Comatose Podcast at https://soundcloud.com/comatose-podcast/episode-53. While you are there, take a listen to some other episodes; it’s a great show that focuses on short audio stories and opinion pieces and there is something for everyone there. Thanks – Roger

Don’t Fear Your Food

I have a question for you. When was the last time you ate something without thinking beforehand whether it was “good” for you or not? I don’t mean the last time you had something that was obviously a decadent treat, like a rich molten chocolate lava cake with raspberry sauce and whipped cream. I mean things that are a little more mundane. A little more every day, like say, an apple, or a glass of milk, or a turkey sandwich, or a kale and carrot smoothie. Unless you live without television or the internet, you’ve probably been trained to question everything you eat (whether you realize it or not). Worse yet, you are probably being slowly conditioned to fear your food.

Let me list a few things off, and think about how you react to them as you read them:

Fat
Carbs
Cholesterol
Pesticides
Toxins
Soybeans
Red food dye
GMOs
Gluten
Conventional Agriculture
Artificial Colors
Pasteurization
Irradiation
Sodium
Factory Farms
Wheat
High Fructose Corn Syrup

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. You’ve no doubt heard about some or all of these things, and you no doubt have opinions about them as well. The problem is that it’s really easy to start believing that the act of eating and drinking is as fraught with peril as playing Russian roulette with a Bond villain. Is this thing I’m eating going to give me cancer? Alzheimer’s? Diabetes? Will it inflame my joints? Will it make me obese? Will it make me breakout with acne? You’ve got your own questions I’m sure, and it’s all pretty scary stuff. Particularly if you have a legitimate condition that makes eating a bit dangerous, like a food allergy.

One thing I can tell you with absolute certainty: eating and drinking is the single best thing you can do to not die. I don’t recommend you try going without food or water to test this hypothesis. Just take my word for it, ok? All joking aside, here’s the thing: There are a lot of people out there that are going to tell you they have a miracle food or diet regimen or plan or supplement or vitamin that will change your life, and that a bunch of other food and stuff out there will absolutely ruin you (in other words, you should fear this or that because the consequences of eating or drinking it are potentially dire). You eat wheat? Uh oh, brain damage on the way. You eat non-organic bananas? Enjoy your toxic does of pesticides. You want to lose weight? Well then all you need are more goji berries in your life, or better yet, buy my sponsor’s miracle juice!

We’re suffering from the fallacy of oversimplification. There is no fast track to amazing health, just as there is no direct line to ruin. You’ve heard that moderation is key, that couldn’t be more true when it comes to what you eat and drink. Eating a slice of molten lava cake once in a while will not ruin your life or your health, despite what some people may want you to believe. Eating it everyday for breakfast could be a problem however. How’s that for an oversimplification?

I’m not saying there aren’t legitimate questions about health benefits or adverse effects of goji berries, or GMOs or cholesterol or the paleo diet or whatever, but fear-based decision-making will cause you more trouble in the long run. The key is learning to make healthy decisions that cut through the clamor and din of internet diet gurus, quick fixers and conspiracy theorists. This isn’t easy to do as those voices are ubiquitous and always offer attractively simple solutions to complex problems. Do your research and be skeptical of all claims. Talk to a farmer. Talk to a nutritionist or dietitian. Talk to scientists. Do your best to base your decisions on the most complete set of information you can gather.

So the bottom line from me is this: Get plenty of exercise. Eat lots of fresh veggies and fruit. Cook more for yourself and your family, and most importantly, don’t be afraid of your food.