I know there are health benefits like lower cholesterol, less weight gain, and lower triglycerides. But what about mood benefits or things like that?
I have decided to start trying to lose weight again so i’ve cut calories down a bit and i’m eating healthier (lower GI, lower calories, lower fat, higher fiber, higher protein). I notice when I eat like this I don’t get hyperhidrosis as badly and my mood seems more even. Are these placebo benefits or is there a valid reason for them?
What about all the talk about ‘unprocessed, organic foods’, are there legitimate benefits to eating those foods or is it just a form of future shock and people have become phobic about technological advances?
Losing weight will definitely improve your mood. I lost a ton of weight a few years ago and have taken a hobby-like interest in my diet ever since. I’ve tried low fat, low carb, vegetarian and all-natural diets to see how they make me feel, and a few weeks ago went completely caffeine and alcohol free. Some of my dieting friends claim that they have more energy eating lots of complex carbs, and I have found it easy to maintain my weight by avoiding sugar in general, but overall I haven’t noticed a lot of difference.
I think most diet claims are based in hype and fear, but plain old common sense does rule. The trick is not regarding any food (or drink) as poison but approaching the whole spectrum with balance. Any approach that doesn’t embrace the whole is probably faddish and destined to fail over the long run.
Eat your vegetables.
An apple (fruit) a day keeps the doctor away.
Too many sweets are bad for you.
Your eyes are bigger than your stomach.
Don’t eat that extra roll.
Easy on the butter.
Etc.
Etc.
As much as I hate to say it (and it’s painful) the stodgy old food pyramid thing of textbook infamy is pretty realistic. Too much bread, pasta, potatoes, etc. will make you feel stuffed and sleepy. Too much meat and fat will make you feel clogged. Too many sweets will make you feel glutted.
The thing with eating unprocessed food is that we really don’t know what it is that keeps you healthy. We know about obvious deficiencies like scurvy but we don’t know the exact reason eating fruits and vegetables keeps you healthy. Here’s a study just posted yesterday that showed taking vitamins and anti-oxidants does not offer the same protection as eating real food. So the surest bet to be healthy is to eat foods that haven’t been messed with so you don’t miss out on some important ingredient we haven’t identified yet.
As far as organic being worth it or not, I don’t think it’s been conclusively proven one way or another. There are pesticides that are toxic or cause cancers in large doses. Do we need to worry about much smaller amounts? We don’t know for sure. A lot of people choose not to experiment on themselves and would rather eat organic. It’s up to you to way the risks.
As to mood? The mind and body are so intimately connected that it makes total sense a better diet will improve your mood. If you’ve ever experienced even mild hypoglycemia, you know how it can make your thinking fuzzy. Plus, when you feel better physically, it can make you feel better overall. There have been studies linking Alzheimer’s and a diet high in saturated fats so food definitely affects your brain.