Honestly, it's difficult because a lot of the institutions that are supposed to give us reliable information have bought into the bullshit idea that being thinner is healthier (it's not, there's no evidence for it) and that we can control our weight through what we eat (also no evidence for it).
There are a couple of things which do seem to be pretty consistently true. I'm going to list them below but first: Remember to be kind to yourself and to chill out and enjoy food. We are on this earth to enjoy being alive and food is one of the ways through which we do that. Joy is healthy. Stress is very unhealthy. See 'health advice' as things that can give you a little boost, not as a strict code to control your life.
So here are a couple of basics:
Alcohol and nicotine are bad for you. Reducing or quitting drinking and smoking are some of the biggest ways that most people can improve their health.
Fruits and vegetables are good for you. It doesn't matter if they've been processed, frozen, canned, massed or if they're on a pizza or covered in salad dressing. They're all still good for you.
Variety is good for you. Most foods have some of the nutrients that you need but no foods have all of them.
There are no bad foods or bad ingredients (except alcohol and nicotine). Our bodies need calories, fats, carbs, salt and sugar. We need all of it. It is possible to have too much of some ingredients. Most people would be healthier if they ate (and drank) less salt and sugar. But having some sweets and fries and ice cream occasionally is all perfectly fine.
Food safety is essential. Keep your kitchen clean, cook food thoroughly and avoid bullshit like 'raw milk'. Save leftovers in the fridge for a day or in the freezer for a month. Do not eat pasta, rice or potatoes that have been left unrefrigerated for multiple hours. Regularly clean your water bottle and food containers.
These basics are really enough for most people.
If you have high cholesterol or if a lot of people in your family have problems with their heart, then here are two more things, they are a little bit more complicated but still quite easy once you get used to them:
Whole grains are healthier than refined grains because there's extra good nutrients in it. You can usually tell which is which by the color: darker breads, pastas and rice are more likely to have whole grains, while white bread, white rice and white pasta has refined grains. It is not unhealthy to have white bread, white rice and white pasta. It's just even better to frequently go for the whole grain option.
Unsaturated fats are healthier than saturated fats. Unsaturated fats are things like fish, vegetable oil, peanut butter, avocado. Saturated fats are meats, butter, crisps. Fried foods are also less healthy, even if they're fried in vegetable oil. It is not unhealthy to have some meat, butter, crisps or fried foods in moderation. It's just better to frequently go for the unsaturated fats.
Things you DON'T need to do:
Don't count calories. It's very stressful, often causes disordered eating and there's no evidence that it's good for your weight and there's no evidence that a low weight is healthy.
Don't go on diets. They don't work and they're often unhealthy.
Don't worry about protein. Almost everybody who isn't an athlete gets enough protein just by eating whatever they like.
Don't worry about hydration or '2 liters of water per day'. You don't need it. Drinking when you're thirsty works fine. Try not to drink a lot of stuff with a lot of sugar in it.
Don't worry about carbs. They're not bad for you at all.
Don't waste money on special 'health foods', they're almost all bullshit and you don't need them.
Don't worry about 'ultra-processed foods'. It's not a thing.
stormborns
prguitarman
romaincrisis
annaxmalina
titsay
baratheonpilled
izzy806
discoholicmusic
