>>Yes, they did say "junk food," which is way different from healthy fats.<<
Agreed.
>>Gedgaudas that there is no such thing as an ok amount of junk food.<<
That's an interesting article. I think it falls down on practicality, alas. Most people are not capable of sustained perfection; consistent participation is much more likely if the goal is to eliminate "most" rather than "all" junk food. Also, a lot of people don't have access to the makings of a purely healthy diet; either the stores don't carry that stuff, or it's too expensive. By the time you cut out all the things with dire ingredients, a store is almost empty -- there may not be enough left to assemble a balanced diet. And frankly a lot of "health food" is just not very tasty. You're left trying to find single-ingredient foods and cook from scratch, which is great ... if you have the time and skill. Those are in ever-shorter supply.
This is as much as birdcage problem as racism or sexism.
>>The problem is, society has defined junk food as anything with a high fat content. <<
I consider junk food to have some combination of these features: * highly processed * little or no nutritional value * high in calories, fat, sugar, etc. * contaminated with monosodium glutamate, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors/flavors/preservatives, or other obnoxious chemicals.
Junk food is like a "superegg" -- something that is more attractive than the real thing, in a way that causes problems. When people eat junk food instead of wholesome food, they do not get the nutrients they need, and they ingest substances which can cause harm (especially in combination or quantity). It is bait, and it is about as good for you as bait is for fish.
Individual ingredient fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, dairy products, etc. cannot be junk foods unto themselves, although advisable quantities of each will vary. However, they can be turned into junk foods by overprocessing them.
>>As for people who can't digest meat, that's actually indicative of overall digestive problems. Avoiding meat does not mean they are avoiding other health concerns.<<
Food intolerances are often, though not always, part of some other health issue. Avoiding trigger foods may not solve the problem -- which may or may not even be solvable -- but does a good job of reducing the harm.
Re: Hmm...
Agreed.
>>Gedgaudas that there is no such thing as an ok amount of junk food.<<
That's an interesting article. I think it falls down on practicality, alas. Most people are not capable of sustained perfection; consistent participation is much more likely if the goal is to eliminate "most" rather than "all" junk food. Also, a lot of people don't have access to the makings of a purely healthy diet; either the stores don't carry that stuff, or it's too expensive. By the time you cut out all the things with dire ingredients, a store is almost empty -- there may not be enough left to assemble a balanced diet. And frankly a lot of "health food" is just not very tasty. You're left trying to find single-ingredient foods and cook from scratch, which is great ... if you have the time and skill. Those are in ever-shorter supply.
This is as much as birdcage problem as racism or sexism.
>>The problem is, society has defined junk food as anything with a high fat content. <<
I consider junk food to have some combination of these features:
* highly processed
* little or no nutritional value
* high in calories, fat, sugar, etc.
* contaminated with monosodium glutamate, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors/flavors/preservatives, or other obnoxious chemicals.
Junk food is like a "superegg" -- something that is more attractive than the real thing, in a way that causes problems. When people eat junk food instead of wholesome food, they do not get the nutrients they need, and they ingest substances which can cause harm (especially in combination or quantity). It is bait, and it is about as good for you as bait is for fish.
Individual ingredient fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, dairy products, etc. cannot be junk foods unto themselves, although advisable quantities of each will vary. However, they can be turned into junk foods by overprocessing them.
>>As for people who can't digest meat, that's actually indicative of overall digestive problems. Avoiding meat does not mean they are avoiding other health concerns.<<
Food intolerances are often, though not always, part of some other health issue. Avoiding trigger foods may not solve the problem -- which may or may not even be solvable -- but does a good job of reducing the harm.