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In a world obsessed with body image and fad diets, I think the true meaning of healthy eating has been lost, or at least somewhat confused.
Society (e.g. through media) has deemed certain food groups as completely “bad” or “unhealthy”, however in moderation this is not the case.
The NHS defines healthy eating as:
Eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Take note of the word “variety”, at no point is the absence of the odd chocolate bar, cookie or ice cream mentioned! Each of the five food groups play an essential role in keeping our bodies functioning properly. For example fat is needed by our bodies for insulation, vitamin absorption and energy and protein primarily for growth and repair. Therefore the absence of one due to fear of its unhealthy or fattening etc. label can have serious consequences.
* the eat well plate shows that in the right small proportion you don’t have to completely eliminate ‘treats’ in order to live a healthy lifestyle. It’s all about being educated properly.
What am I getting at? Simple, in the UK alone 725,000 were diagnosed with an eating disorder in 2014, and although yes a very extreme end of the spectrum I believe the mixed and misleading messages, along with unrealistic body expectations have had a large impact on this total. So this post isn’t only a reminder to readers but also myself that in moderation everything is okay, be sensible but don’t deprive yourself of something you love.
Love,
Em x
Published by Emma Dalton
7 years ago 
