What do you consider healthy eating?

[DawnM]

I think we can all agree that processed food is not good for us, but I find HUGE differences in what we consider healthy and the right way to eat.

 

Here are some varying ideas:

 

Raw foods at least 80% of the time

Low fat

No fat

Only healthy fat

Vegetarian

Vegan

no red meat

no meat

No dairy

 

And then you get on the

 

Low Carb

Limited Carb

Only good carbs

Almost no cars (20 grams or less)

No white carbs

 

If I did all of the above I would be left with lettuce and maybe a cucumber or two if I count the carbs. And no dressing.

 

So, I am curious, what do YOU consider healthy eating? This doesn't have to do with weight, although you certainly can mention it.

[MIch elle]

Atkins is losing weight on a low carb/hi fat diet and then slowly working UP to YOUR level of carbs/day to maintain a healthy weight. Most people do NOT do the Atkins diet according to the book. It's about finding YOUR level of insulin resistance and working with it to maintain a healthy body weight. :001_smile:

[Jennifer in MI]

Real foods in as close to their natural state as possible.

 

For me that means:

 

Real butter, cheese, cream cheese, etc.

Whole milk (non homogonized, low temp pasteurized)

Organic meats (sparingly)

Beans

Eggs from people we know

Lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies

Organic grains

Very little processed foods. If I can, I make my own - that includes salad dressings, cereals (I make our own granola), breads, humus, etc. Working on making my own pasta.

 

But, I have to admit, a lot of this started because of my food-allergic son. It became a necessity to cook everything from scratch. After I started doing it, reality hit me! This is healthier!!! So, he's outgrown most of his allergies and we continue cooking this way.

[Parrothead]

Pastured meats

Pastured dairy

Wild-caught seafoods

locally grown produce

locally grown grains

local honey

 

I think sustainable is an important part of a healthy diet. Unfortunately local ans sustainable isn't reality for most of the world. I do buy local pastured meats. My local dairy adds stuff so I buy organic from a regional source. The "fish guy" comes on Fridays. I buy from him when I can. But he isn't out there year round, so I'm stuck with the fish counter at the market.

 

I do buy the local produce, but it is only in season a very short time. Like six weeks.

 

So I do what I can, and try not to be bothered by the rest.

 

I also try to have a balance between convienence foods and scratch. I can't make bagals, English muffins, fruit and nut muffins, granola, etc. every week for the family. Who has that much time? So I buy the more difficult/ time consuming items ready-made. The other stuff I try to get either from the local bakery or from organic sources at the market.

 

The same goes with other food stuffs. I prepare my own dried beans and freeze the left overs instead of buying canned. Those are easy and not cook intensive. On the other hand I buy dried pasta.

Edited August 18, 2011 by Parrothead

[happypamama]

I personally consider healthy eating to mean eating foods as unprocessed and close to their natural states as possible, without man-made stuff added to them. Local and seasonal is not absolutely crucial but not completely bonus either. I tend to lean more toward the traditional/primal side of things as well.

 

So for us, that means:

-fresh (or frozen without additives) fruits and veggies; lacto-fermented or home-canned acceptable too.

-meats of various types, from animals fed their natural diets and allowed to roam freely (same with eggs); no worries about nitrite-free bacon or sausage.

-raw dairy products from grass-fed cows when possible, but if not, preferably from cows not given artificial hormones

-nothing artificially low-fat -- if it's a low-fat food naturally, fine, but not low-fat milk or cheese

-lots of good-quality fats -- from dairy, meat, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, lard -- but not trans fats or hydrogenated oils

-whole grains, soaked if possible

-limited gratuitous sugar -- unless someone was eating fruit to excess, I wouldn't count the sugar in fruit (or in dairy), but I wouldn't consider added sugar to be healthy. And no matter how low-fat an item, if it has HFCS, I don't consider it to be healthy. Sweets should be occasional treats, not daily expectations.

-water as the default drink (and sometimes raw milk); juice, soda, chocolate milk, etc. should be very rare, especially for children.

 

I do kinda lean toward a lower-carb thing too. I'm not really convinced that we need 6-12 servings of grains every day. When my DH goes low-carb and eats mostly vegetables, proteins, and good fats (by our definition of good fats), he keeps weight off and feels good.

 

(And I don't always follow my own advice. There is ice cream in my freezer, and I'm drinking a Dr. Pepper right now. And sometimes finances make it hard to afford the really high-quality meat and such. But those are my general parameters and guidelines.)

[Momof3littles]

I eat low carb. I have PCOS and am insulin resistant. My husband's family has a strong history of Type 2 diabetes. He and I are not overweight, but we eat LC for our overall health.

 

For us it is embracing:

natural fats including natural saturated fat

grassfed dairy

grassfed/pastured meats as we are able

if we can't do that, we look for hormone/antibiotic free and/or organic

eggs

veggies

lower glycemic/lower sugar fruits (berries, small servings of melon, half an apple at a time, etc)

minimal to no grains

nuts, seeds

 

I think some people can tolerate whole grains, but the concept that "grains are good" has been overblown IME. 20-25% of the population has symptoms of IR and/or metabolic syndrome. It assumes everyone has the same type of insulin sensitivity, which isn't true. Thin and normal weight folks can definitely be insulin-resistant, but that rarely seems to get any press. I think insulin's metabolic effects in non-diabetics has been overlooked for far too long.

 

I am a big fan of Gary Taubes' work. I also think most nutritional recommendations are not well supported with solid evidence. There are studies saying "fat is bad" when the study participants are eating bakery items, cheetos, and other carby goodness right along with their fat. But it is always the fat that is evil :glare: People are afraid to eat eggs for breakfast, but think Cheerios are "heart healthy" and "lower cholesterol." In the meantime, folks have soaring triglycerides and smaller LDL particle size (which is more dangerous than the more bouyant large LDL cholesterol), which are far more dangerous, even if their overall cholesterol total # doesn't change or drops a bit (like the 5 points or whatever that Cheerios claims it can drop your cholesterol by).

[RahRah]

Atkins is losing weight on a low carb/hi fat diet and then slowly working UP to YOUR level of carbs/day to maintain a healthy weight. Most people do NOT do the Atkins diet according to the book. It's about finding YOUR level of insulin resistance and working with it to maintain a healthy body weight. :001_smile:

 

:iagree:

 

I've done controlled-carb for a decade now....and few actually start and follow the plan according to the ideal, where you increase carbs and types of carbs slowly back into your diet. There seems to be a mentality that you're forever stuck with lettuce and meat. So not true! Now granted, some who have serious insulin issues may have to limit carbs more strictly, but the wide variety of foods one can eat is still HUGE.....one simply cannot and will not get fat eating even insanely high amounts of non-starchy vegetables!

 

Here is what I eat liberally:

 

Salad greens - all varieties

Tomatoes

Onions

Cucumbers

Shredded carrots

Baby carrots

Red cabbage

Asparagus

Green beans

Wax Beans

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Zucchini

Summer Squash

Celery

Spinach

Leeks

Peppers - all varieties

Lemons

Limes

strawberries

Black berries

Cantaloupe

Honeydew

Cherries

Plums

Apples

Pears

 

I eat in smaller portion size (usually around 1/3 of cup), but still include throughout the week, usually once a day in a meal:

 

Sweet potatoes

Parsnips

Beets

Carrots

Winter Squash

Fingerling potatoes

Red Bliss Potatoes

Wild Rice

Couscous

Quinoa

Beans - all varieties

Peas

 

For fats/oils I don't use heat processed vegetable oils, but do use cold pressed EVOO, walnut oil, safflower oil, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, peanut oil, butter, coconut oil and *gasp* sometimes even a little bacon fat! I use oil & vinegar most often for salads, but will also use full-fat dressings too.

 

I have a shellfish allergy, so I avoid that....but have beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, goose, quail, buffalo, venison and fish. I also eat eggs and raw cheese. I don't like milk, so don't include that, but do use half & half in my coffee.

 

What I avoid: white potatoes, corn (except occasional corn on the cob in the summer), pasta, white rice (and usually brown rice too), bread, cereals, large portions of higher GL fruits (bananas, watermelon, grapes), dried fruits (except as a condiment in a salad, like dried cranberries), most processed foods.

 

Now I'll say this - I'm not majorly IR (on the HOMA-IR scale, I'm insulin sensitive), so if we're out and say celebrating a birthday for a friend and they serve cake, I'll have a small piece - it doesn't send me into a tailspin.....it could for others, but it doesn't seem to trigger carb cravings for me, so I will also have an occasional treat (usually about once a month or so) when I want. When I've kept track out of curiosity, my carb intake ranges from 90-150g a day....but I don't consciously count carbs anymore, I just know what I can eat without worry.

[The Girls' Mom]

Real foods in as close to their natural state as possible.

 

For me that means:

 

Real butter, cheese, cream cheese, etc.

Whole milk (non homogonized, low temp pasteurized)

Organic meats (sparingly)

Beans

Eggs from people we know

Lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies

Organic grains

Very little processed foods. .

 

:iagree: this exactly. Although I have a hard time always sticking to it, we are much closer to this than we were just a few years ago. I struggle the most with meat...we have a very carnivorous family of 5 and I can't afford the meat I WANT us to eat.

[DawnM]

I think I would rather be vegetarian than low carb with a lot of meat. I just don't like meat!

 

Interesting that most of you chose low carb.

[Orthodox6]

The only "safe" answer in a public forum is that opinions will vary wildly.

 

One woman's "healthy" is another woman's "poison."

[Peela]

I think there are many ways to eat healthy but they pretty much all involve real food (not processed, and preferably grown/raised ethically and healthily) and a wide range of food.

For most of us in temperate (or tropical) zones, a wide range of local fruit and vegetables as a large part of the diet. Meat and dairy in small quantities. Grains as tolerated- gluten grains are causing an epidemic of problems in western countries.

I tend to feel a balance between carbs, protein and fats is good, rather than taking any one of those to any extreme or limiting it.

 

I think you can always eat "more" healthy. Going from a typical SAD diet, just cutting back on refined sugar and processed foods is a step forward, as is adding in more fruit and vegetables.

But once you are eating a real food diet you can still keep going forward from there.

 

I tend to feel it is very difficult to get all the necessary nutrients from even an excellent diet nowadays (due to soil depletion) so I like to add in superfoods- which have a high nutrient density, as well as take supplements.

 

I like the raw food movement but I don't think its the only way to be healthy.

I think eating too much meat is unhealthy and its the main problem I have with the low carb movement.

 

Generally I like Michael Pollan's pithy statement as to how to eat well in Food Rules.

Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

That pretty much covers it.

[DawnM]

True, but I really wnted to know. I guess it isn't safe to post too much.

 

Dawn

 

 

 

The only "safe" answer in a public forum is that opinions will vary wildly.

 

One woman's "healthy" is another woman's "poison."

[Orthodox6]

For me, then, low glycemic (index and load) veganism would be the ideal diet for a human being.

 

Weston Price would be the archetype of "poison."

 

Bring on your bears, folks ! :D

 

True, but I really wnted to know. I guess it isn't safe to post too much.

 

Dawn

[Jennifer in MI]

The only "safe" answer in a public forum is that opinions will vary wildly.

 

One woman's "healthy" is another woman's "poison."

 

I'm enjoying reading what others consider healthy! And, I think we agree that what might actually be healthy for one would not be for another. (I could never do a specific low carb diet because I just can't eat that much meat! But, my husband could never be a vegetarian (where I lean) because he likes meat too much!)

[DusksAngel]

My husband and I are really working toward a pescatarian diet. Mainly vegetarian but still eating fish/seafood 2-3 days a week. We also try to limit white (high GI) carbs

 

Now that I'm cooking for my mother and grandmother, I've got to get them onboard. :001_smile:

[PiCO]

I have struggled with my weight since I graduated from college. Before that I struggled with disordered eating. Lately I have been on a quest to find a way of eating that works for me, without me feeling like I'm starving myself to lose weight.

 

Right now I've been eating LCHF (low carb, high fat) for a month. I feel GREAT, my blood sugar is stabilizing, my head is clear, I have so much energy. I feel satisfied after meals. If I go too long without eating, I feel a normal amount of hunger, I don't feel like I'm starving like I have on other eating plans.

 

I'm going to get bloodwork done in another month, and my guess is that all my numbers will have improved since my last test a month ago.

[Snickerdoodle]

I love eating meat of all kinds and do so with great frequency.

 

I probably eat more vegetables than many vegetarians.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Fuhrman's (Eat to Live) plan is perfect for me.

 

I feed my family whole foods, including meat, fish, fowl, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans, butter, olive oil, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, whole grains, maple syrup, honey.

[Ria]

Real foods in as close to their natural state as possible.

 

For me that means:

 

Real butter, cheese, cream cheese, etc.

Whole milk (non homogonized, low temp pasteurized)

Organic meats (sparingly)

Beans

Eggs from people we know

Lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies

Organic grains

Very little processed foods. If I can, I make my own - that includes salad dressings, cereals (I make our own granola), breads, humus, etc. Working on making my own pasta.

 

 

This sounds similar to how we eat as well, without as much emphasis on organic. We eat real foods, not processed stuff it at all possible, and yes, this does mean cooking lots and lots of stuff from scratch. We also try to eat seafood once a week, and try to limit the amount of meats we consume (I'll try to have meats as part of the meal rather the entire main course).

 

As an aside, my teen boys walked to the store today (we've been out of the country, are leaving for vacation, and have very little in the house) and came back with a loaf of Wonder Bread. Dear Lord in Heaven! I grabbed the bag and showed him the list of ingredients (extensive....amazing, really) and said, "My bread has wheat (which I grind myself, lol), water, salt, yeast, and maybe some butter." He laughed, but admitted that it doesn't even feel like bread. Boys!

[RahRah]

I think I would rather be vegetarian than low carb with a lot of meat. I just don't like meat!

 

Interesting that most of you chose low carb.

 

Personally I'm of the opinion that one needs to find the dietary style they can stick with and it provides for their essential nutrient needs - the base of that is *real* *whole* *foods*.....be it a low, moderate or higher carb diet, with more or less meat - it's choosing the foods themselves for their wholeness and nutrient-density that will matter more (barring metabolic derrangements of insulin) than percentage of calories from the macronutrients.....it's what's IN your food that matters more IMO (essential nutrients), not necessarily a particular ration of protein-carb-fat. If you don't like meat, there are lots of other ways to eat really healthy....!

[amy g.]

Our family includes one vegetarian, one on Atkins, one gluten free and at least two more who are epic picky.

 

We eat home grown eggs, meat, full fat dairy, fruits and vegetables, and sometimes include whole grains such as oatmeal and bread from freshly ground wheat berries, but not that often.

 

None of us are overweight or have any known health problems, so it seems to be working for our family.

[butterflymommy]

These are the guidelines I follow for myself-- I am a very picky eater so much of this is taste as much as health-consciousness. I really dislike meat and dairy so don't eat much it either.

 

 

-stay around 1700 calories a day, unless I'm nursing. A little less or more is ok .

 

-4 very large servings of greens a day, preferably half raw

 

-unlimited fresh fruit, usually ends up being about 4 servings/ day

 

-unlimited beans, usually ends up being 1/2 -1 cup a day

 

-very limited fruit juice or dried fruit

 

-unlimited nuts or nut butters (usually ends up being about 2-4 servings a day)

 

-dairy -- only lowfat yogurt -- usually 1 serving a day (I try to get calcium from greens)

 

-sweets ok in moderation-- i make homemade cookies for myself about once a week and use maple syrup in salad dressing

 

-only meats are poultry and fish, usually not more than once a week

 

-only whole grains-- whole wheat, quinoa, etc. I try not to eat bread until I've had a lot of fruits and veggies, and I always eat it with a nut butter. I love bread so am careful not to go overboard.

 

-fat in moderation, only olive oil, or butter, usually

 

I think it's also important to stay somewhat active-- when not pregnant I try to walk 2-3 miles a day.

Edited August 18, 2011 by butterflymommy

[goldberry]

I personally consider healthy eating to mean eating foods as unprocessed and close to their natural states as possible, without man-made stuff added to them. Local and seasonal is not absolutely crucial but not completely bonus either. I tend to lean more toward the traditional/primal side of things as well.

 

So for us, that means:

-fresh (or frozen without additives) fruits and veggies; lacto-fermented or home-canned acceptable too.

-meats of various types, from animals fed their natural diets and allowed to roam freely (same with eggs); no worries about nitrite-free bacon or sausage.

-raw dairy products from grass-fed cows when possible, but if not, preferably from cows not given artificial hormones

-nothing artificially low-fat -- if it's a low-fat food naturally, fine, but not low-fat milk or cheese

-lots of good-quality fats -- from dairy, meat, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, lard -- but not trans fats or hydrogenated oils

-whole grains, soaked if possible

-limited gratuitous sugar -- unless someone was eating fruit to excess, I wouldn't count the sugar in fruit (or in dairy), but I wouldn't consider added sugar to be healthy. And no matter how low-fat an item, if it has HFCS, I don't consider it to be healthy. Sweets should be occasional treats, not daily expectations.

-water as the default drink (and sometimes raw milk); juice, soda, chocolate milk, etc. should be very rare, especially for children.

 

I do kinda lean toward a lower-carb thing too. I'm not really convinced that we need 6-12 servings of grains every day. When my DH goes low-carb and eats mostly vegetables, proteins, and good fats (by our definition of good fats), he keeps weight off and feels good.

 

(And I don't always follow my own advice. There is ice cream in my freezer, and I'm drinking a Dr. Pepper right now. And sometimes finances make it hard to afford the really high-quality meat and such. But those are my general parameters and guidelines.)

 

:iagree:I was trying to formulate a response, but you nailed my philosphy right there! (Unfortunately, including the disclaimer! :blush:)