Are there good foods and "bad" foods?
Vincent Carrié
We often put foods into good and bad, but there are no bad foods and the idea of this can be detrimental to our relationship with food. Classify foods as good; raw, pure, fresh, sustainable and bad; Junk, high-calorie, processed food can be influenced by the packaging, as well as the information accessible through the media.
We increasingly use social networks as a source of information on nutrition and diet, which often provide low-quality, simplified or even incorrect advice3. As people's interest in their diet and health increases, people need to have more access to correct, evidence-based information.
Eliminating certain food groups because they are considered "bad" is not good for your health
Many diets that are promoted as healthy or to help you lose weight involve restricting a particular food group or having a list of rules to follow.
Although being in a calorie deficit is necessary to lose weight, the diet has been linked to long-term weight gain. This is because restrictive diets do not lead to sustainable changes in the overall diet; Instead, the focus should be on making lifelong dietary changes.
Eliminating a certain food group can lead to nutrient deficiencies and can even be bad for your health in the long term. For example, the Keto diet is a very low-carbohydrate diet that has been promoted for weight loss; However, this can lead to a low intake of vitamins, minerals, fiber (which can negatively affect our gut health) and also cause fatigue. Following any type of restrictive diet should only be done under the supervision of a health professional.
The benefit of Plant Points
The American Gut Project found that participants who ate more than 30 different plants per week had more diverse friendly bacteria in their gut compared to those who only ate 10 per week6. You can learn more about the benefits of Plant Points here. Emerging research has shown that less diverse gut microbiomes may be linked to an increase in chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease.
Plant-based foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals such as polyphenols, and prebiotics that provide a number of health benefits that support our immune system and digestive health. Studies have also found that plant-based diets are linked to promoting a healthier weight and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Counting how many plant points you have is easy and encourages you to add more foods to your diet instead of restricting or eliminating certain foods. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, spices, herbs, tea and coffee all count towards your 30 plants a week.
Why "clean eating" is problematic
Clean eating is a widely used phrase for many diets on social media platforms. However, there is no clear definition of what "clean eating" actually is, as some people advocate reducing consumption of processed foods, while others focus on restrictive diets that eliminate certain food groups (e.g. wheat and sugar). There are concerns that "clean eating" diets may lead to obsessive eating habits in some women and may even mask eating disorders. If you think you are struggling with your relationship with food, don't hesitate to contact Beat.
Because the definition of clean eating is so varied, it's hard to say what the impact on our gut health would be in the short or long term. One aspect that is often encouraged in clean eating trends is reducing or avoiding the consumption of ultra-processed foods. There has been some research in animals that suggests that high intake of these types of foods has negative effects on the intestinal microbiota and an increased risk of inflammatory diseases, however, more research is needed in humans11. More research is also needed on how restrictive diets may affect our gut microbiome.
The key takeaway here is that it's all about eating foods in moderation. Eating a healthy diet throughout life is associated with a lower risk of diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Looking at our entire diet is vital to making sustainable healthy dietary changes that we can stick to long term, rather than focusing on a single food or food group.
Are there any foods that should be avoided?
There are specific foods that should be limited due to connections to poor health. In the Western world it has been shown that, in general, we consume too much salt, sugar and certain fats that negatively affect our health. In fact, the World Health Organization highlights that our dietary choices and lack of movement are now one of the biggest risks to our health.
Salt, sugar and fat intake in the UK is generally too high, due to a high intake of ultra-processed foods such as baked goods, chips, sugary cereals and ready meals. There is a need for people to make conscious decisions to reduce intake, due to an increased risk of health problems such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases related to excessive intake of these nutrients13. Ultra-processed foods have been found to consume up to 60% of daily energy intake in some countries, highlighting the importance of encouraging the switch to more nutrient-dense home-cooked meals.
However, ultra-processed foods can still be enjoyed in small quantities as part of a healthy diet. Some ultra-processed foods, such as bread and baked beans, are a staple in many UK households, in these cases switching to more nutrient-dense versions, such as wholemeal/wholemeal bread or low-salt/sugar baked beans , can improve the nutritional quality of these foods.
The link between gut health and overall health
Our gut is home to over 100 trillion microbial cells, so early research has found that our gut microbiome can influence our digestion, immune system and mental wellbeing, so it may play a vital role in our overall health.
Current research has shown that probiotics, a source of good bacteria found in our gut, have the potential to help conditions such as IBS and eczema18,19. Much more research is needed to look into the benefits of probiotic supplements and individual strains of bacteria in humans; However, we currently know that increasing our dietary fiber intake to support our gut health will be beneficial to our overall health.
Myth or Reality?
"All carbohydrates are bad for your health"
Myth! Foods with carbohydrates play an important role in a healthy diet, as they are necessary to provide energy to all the cells in our body, in addition to being a source of fiber essential for intestinal health.
"Gluten is bad for everyone's health"
Myth! Gluten-free diets are essential for people with gluten intolerances or celiac disease; However, there has been an increase in people adopting these diets unnecessarily. There is a perception in the media that restricting gluten can be beneficial to health; However, this can lead to nutritional deficiencies in poorly planned diets and also an unnecessary increase in financial costs.
"Fresh fruits and vegetables are always better"
Another myth! Frozen vegetables may offer a more cost-effective and accessible way to increase vegetable consumption, without decreasing nutritional value.
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7353191/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833521000460
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7698912/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7538029/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8322232/
- https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msystems.00031-18
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6366966/#:~:text=Gut%20microbial%20diversity%20generally%20decreases,obesity%20and%20type%202%20diabetes.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7352986/#B1-nutrients-12-01708
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164197/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835660/
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/how-to-read-food-labels/
- https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/new-evidence-links-ultra-processed-foods-with-a-range-of-health-risks/
- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/
- https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e027546#DC1
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3667473/
- https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(23)04838-2/fulltext
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09546634.2022.2080170
- https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/23/11204
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4224210/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5866307/
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1559827614522942
