Why Food Sense?
Because food and eating are out of control. Common sense has gone out of the window. We have never been more swamped by a deluge of diets and the latest must-have metabolism-boosting superfoods. Does anyone really know what they should be eating any more? Paleo, low carb, gluten-free, clean eating; it's a veritable pick'n'mix ('scuse the imagery) of magic bullets, all of which will transform your body and your health in a matter of weeks - if only you can stick to planning your meals with military precision and a brain surgeon's attention to detail.
Time was when we had much less choice and just put on the table what we could grow/afford. Now we are surrounded by head-spinning claims of 'optimum' nutrition and more 'facts' than we know what to do with.
And no, I'm not suggesting we eat potatoes three times a day and ignore all the wonderful produce we have to choose from now. But a little simplification and back to basics wouldn't hurt, would it? You don't have to get your protein from chia seeds or your antioxidants from goji berries. Not that there's anything wrong with either of these; it would be daft to suggest avoiding nutrient-dense foods generally. It's just good sometimes to remember that it was actually possible to to eat well before 'superfoods' became a thing. And a cauliflower is a LOT cheaper.
Don't misunderstand me, the huge strides in obesity science and nutrition research have led to enormous health improvements. And yes, for some people, health dictates they avoid certain foods. We must also open our eyes to what is genuinely harmful to health. But aside from this, we have lost sight of normal eating and reduced it to numbers, guilt and 'good' and 'bad' foods. When you inevitably 'slip' from your pure-eating pedestal and greedily inhale a muffin/latte combo for breakfast instead of your green smoothie, the failure of falling off the wagon means most of us will simply give up. And you'd be forgiven for turning back to the poorer eating habits which led you to try something drastic in the first place. We're just not designed to restrict and deny and count and measure our food constantly. Food is social, pleasurable, and for sharing; enjoying it is as crucial a part of the human psyche as feeding our bodies.
It is possible to feel relaxed around food and to finally free yourself from the fear of eating what you want. I will go behind the sensationalist headlines, the miraculous health claims and drill down to the facts and what they mean, if anything, for our own health.
Let's get back to eating and enjoying our food, not calculating it.
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