The problem with labeling a food as good is that it automatically makes other foods bad, and vice versa.
In truth, all foods have good and bad aspects.
So no food can be totally good or bad.
(Trans fats are evil, but the trans fat CLA is being studied for possible anti cancer / tumor properties.)
Sometimes it the dose that determines the foods value.
Alcohol comes to mind.
Other times it’s the simple fact that, well, foods are both good and bad.
Caffeine comes to mind here, as does saturated fat….and chocolate.
I think a large part of the need to classify our foods comes from the fact that we have been taught to mistrust ourselves.
We’ve been taught that ‘food’ and ‘eating’ are much larger than our own ‘better judgment’ can possibly comprehend.
But in the end, when food is food our own judgment is pretty darn good.
We know a bag of cookies is not a good snack.
We know the fruits and veggies are generally beneficial.
We also know that too much of ANYTHING is never a good thing.
And, we know to trust our past experiences.
Our bodies can tell us.
If 4 cups of coffee gave us a headache, we know that no matter how ‘good or bad’ it is, we shouldn’t do it again.
If certain fruits or vegetables made your stomach feel horrible, better judgment says to avoid those foods and eat them in only in moderation.
A piece of birthday cake, versus the whole cake..that sorta thing.
There are no good or bad foods.
However, you can misuse foods, and that’s the real issue.
BP
PS – Comments will be back on in two weeks, just going through some redesigns right now.
