As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I support a healthy eating pattern: a diet of fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and heart-healthy oils. We can’t eat unlimited quantities of food all the time, but I think that there is room for some flexibility and I worry that with some of the rigid messages about “eating do’s and don’ts”, too many of us end up with feelings of guilt and uneasiness about food, and we lose a sense of ‘balance’. We may be eating healthy foods, but sometimes our relationship with those foods is anything but healthy.
Part of healthy, balanced eating and normal eating is the enjoyment of food. It means feeling good about what you eat – even if it’s not a veggie or so-called ‘superfood’. It means listening to your body and allowing your taste buds to have a vote on what you eat. So, although we should be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, breathe easy on days that it does not always go as planned – and always enjoy your food.
by Matthew Larsen, RDN, CDE
