Concepts, Diet, Entrepreneurial Health, Food, Health Matters,Mindfullness, Recipe
With articles popping up all over the place with fear mongering headlines like “Don’t eat this” , “These 10 Will Give You Cancer”, “Just Kidding, a New Study Says it’s Okay to Eat it Now”, it’s no surprise that people are more confused now than ever before about what they should be putting on their plates. All this negative media has started a new trend of discriminating against foods that flat out don’t deserve it. I’m talking about FOOD SHAMING.
FOOD SHAMING: Pre-judgment or forming an unfavourable opinion in relation to the nutritional value of a food before becoming aware of the relevant facts. Food Shaming is often influenced by the internet, “a friend of a friend” or just plain bad information.
So how does one navigate through this confusing world of food shaming? Eat real food. Get informed. Listen to your body and if you need some extra help, consult with a resourceful Nutrition Warrior . Each and every one of us is biochemically unique, so why would we assume that if our pal Sally can’t eat bananas, that we can’t either? It’s important to tap in and listen to what YOUR body needs.
Just to be clear, I’m standing up for FOOD. The real stuff straight from mother earth. Not the fake “PHOOD” impostors that have infiltrated our food supply. Man made flavours, processed foods, additives, preservatives, artificial colourings & sweeteners aren’t legitimate foods, so feel free to discriminate against them all you want. Actually, I encourage it.
Today I’m taking a stand for my little tuber buddy, the potato. He has fallen victim to food shaming for far too long. It’s time to relax people. It’s okay to love the potato once in awhile, if it works for you. Now, I’m not promoting a “meat & potatoes” diet, I’m simply reminding you that demonizing foods without just cause is a habit we need to ditch. I eat potatoes maybe once every month or two and it’s typically in the form of this rich tummy hugging soupor roasted in the oven.
Does the potato match up to the almighty Kale when it comes to nutritional value? Not quite (which is why it is not a staple in my diet), but the humble potato does offer up some nutritional value of it’s own when prepared without the typical cheese & bacon bits or in a deep fried bath of rancid oil. Potatoes are a good source of Vitamin B6, potassium, copper, manganese and surprisingly Vitamin C.
Bottom line: remember to make love, not war with your food. Food is our friend, our medicine and our fuel. Not our enemy.
In honour of the misunderstood potato, I’ve whipped up this recipe for a super tasty potato leek soup. If potatoes work for you, I highly suggest checking it out!
Sure, some people may do better when avoiding potatoes (or other normally healthy whole foods) but before banishing a food from your diet based on advice from a well-intended but potentially misinformed friend, let’s talk about your unique case first.
In health and humble veggies,
Heather