Vegan, Paleo, Keto ... Plant Based ... UGH which is it?!?!

[Anonymous]

One of my grandmother’s spent most of her life eating fad diets of the time - grapefruit diet, grape diet. She was obsessed with being thin. My children’s grandmother eats processed everything. She boils broccoli until it is brown. My grandmother thought it was weird I drank so much water. She would only drink tea and coffee. She thouhht organic a waste of money.

While I think there is a lot of information out there on what is healthy, I do think we are getting bettter educated. I think the problem with “official” data on what is healthy is the intensive lobbying by parts of the food industry. Also the research that led to most people eating high sugar low fat food in the 1990s made people more suspicious of health professionals giving advice about food.

I enjoy reading people’s experiences with different diets. I take components that work for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

To the registered dietitian: thank you very much for your post. I completely agree with you on the enormous amount of "advice" and information out there. Your post was refreshing. Can you point me to a website/book something "real" that gives me some direction on what my 3.5 year old should eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner, snacks etc. and particularly how much sugar is actually an acceptable amount. I do have Marion Nestle's book "what to eat" from years ago, perhaps I need to revisit that although it didn't provide direct advice on how much of what one should eat.

The whole family is healthy, no illness, no medications, we are active and fine with weight. So I do appreciate your advice that if all that is in order then we are fine. But then I wonder, what about things on the molecular level, could things be going bad deep inside without any sings (yet)?

Can I ask you - do you eat ice cream, processed snacks, yogurt, cereal? Can you give me a sample week (in summary) of what you eat?

THANK YOU.

The registered dietitian/ chef posting again. Thank you, OP, for these questions.

I'm enjoying reading everyone's comments. First, yes, the grandmother comment. OK, I'll drop that one (although I do use it sometimes in my practice and people seem to get what I mean!) But I understand that not everyone's grandma was a good cook or even a healthy eater; what I mean is that generally, of that era, people were more sensible about food in general than we often are now.

Before I get back to OP I also want to address one other piece of advice here that I think is wrong, and one that I hear a lot. "Shop the perimeter of the store" and you'll be fine. I personally think this is bad advice as it cuts out too many foods. Also, PP, you have no idea to whom you are speaking when you make statements like that. Most value foods are found in the central part of the store and absolutely, one can eat healthily from across the aisles.

OP, to your follow-up post:

I am in private practice as an RD and chef and I do have clients who come in with questions that mirror what you have written here. Forgive me if I jump to conclusions and make assumptions about you, but I know enough about this line of thinking to take some leaps in how I respond. And the biggest one I'm going to say right off: You need to relax! You are stressing too much and worrying too much about eating the "right" foods and feeding your kids the "right" way, and discounting common sense in the search for perfection. I see this from time to time, often in clients who have anxiety in other areas of their lives about what they can and can't control. I'm not going there with you, but it's something you might think about.

The best advice I can give you is to stay away from specific books, diets, web sites, etc that are written by the latest guru, celebrity, doctor, or the person your next door neighbor recommends. If you seriously want to learn more about nutrition and healthy eating, stick with science based, credible, third-party sources: USDA, the American Heart Association, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (eatright.org).

To your question about sugar: The standard guideline (AHA) is no more than 6 tsps added sugar per day for women, 9 for men and 3-6 per day for children, depending on their age. At 3.5 years old, your's would be on the low end of that. Most people consume much more sugar per day than that because of course, sugar is in so many things.

To your question about specific foods: Do my kids eat popsicles? Of course - on a hot summer day, after going to the pool, at a birthday party. Do they eat them 365 days a year, camped in front of the TV? Absolutely not. Do I even have them in the house, except for aforementioned special occasions? No.

Do I eat ice cream? Yes! In fact, we're making some this weekend with some beautiful peaches I just bought.

Do I eat processed foods? Yes, I do, given that 95% + of foods in the grocery store are "processed" in some way, including most fruits and vegetables sold there! (Do you see how meaningless that term is? And how people who hang their hats on "no processed foods" generally have no concept of how the food industry works?)

The problem, OP, is that the truth is not sexy and will not sell a new book. You eat moderately, within caloric guidelines, in general following guidelines from the old Food Guide Pyramid or MyPlate as to the percentage of each type of food you need to consume. You maintain a healthy lifestyle - get enough sleep, drink alcohol in moderation or not at all, no smoking (ever), etc. Have annual check-ups and make sure your weight, cholesterol level and (most important) blood pressure are WNL. Could something be lurking at the molecular level with no signs exhibited, as you note? Of course. That's how cancer presents and that happens, unfortunately. That's where my reference to genes and luck come in. But I'll add this: if you do have malignant cancer in your body that has presented yet, you are not going to reverse it with nutrition. So what's the point of worrying about it?

It sounds like your family has won the lottery as far as good health goes. I think you need to just relax and enjoy that.

I hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

To the RD - you are very generous to write this excellent advice. Not OP, but still interested.

[Anonymous]

OP here. To the registered nutritionist - THANK YOU very much. This is very useful to read and you are correct on many of your presumptions about me, I do tend to stress and have some anxiety so I am sure it is playing out in this area of my life as well. Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

There is no confusion to most. O eat like my grandmother born in 1910 in Europe cooked. Contrary to popular belief, we ate many veggies and not just potatoes and meat. And I will have a chocolate and cake if I feel like it. But, just for comparison, one chicken fed 6 of us, with rice, and some veggies, chicken soup and a salad. I don't listen to anything any more. Tortes were a treat couple of times per year. We aren't meant to eat non stop, and yet people(even me often) do. I think only good advice is to stick to food that you know is food, and stop eating every single hour.

[Anonymous]

BTW, watched the same Keto documentary. They are killing their kids with coconut oil. Worst thing to cook in, said my kids' cardiologist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

To the registered dietitian: thank you very much for your post. I completely agree with you on the enormous amount of "advice" and information out there. Your post was refreshing. Can you point me to a website/book something "real" that gives me some direction on what my 3.5 year old should eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner, snacks etc. and particularly how much sugar is actually an acceptable amount. I do have Marion Nestle's book "what to eat" from years ago, perhaps I need to revisit that although it didn't provide direct advice on how much of what one should eat.

The whole family is healthy, no illness, no medications, we are active and fine with weight. So I do appreciate your advice that if all that is in order then we are fine. But then I wonder, what about things on the molecular level, could things be going bad deep inside without any sings (yet)?

Can I ask you - do you eat ice cream, processed snacks, yogurt, cereal? Can you give me a sample week (in summary) of what you eat?

THANK YOU.

NP - It's easy. Walk around the outside ring of your grocery store. Buy, prepare and eat anything from there that you want. Stay out of the middle aisles; there's nothing good for you there.

That might be true health-wise, but studies show that folks who do things like utilize takeout and prepared meals, have housecleaners and save themselves time and effort in other ways, are happier than those who don't. Happiness and lowered stress certainly contributes to good health.

OP: It sounds like you keep getting caught up in an all or nothing cycle. Try to eat well, like others have said. You probably know what "well" means for you and your family - not too much crap, lots of veggies, enough protein, some olive oil and avocado, etc. Being veg or vegan works for lots of people - I've been veg nearly my whole life and I love it - but not for others. Figure out what works for you and stop watching Netflix documentaries if they are driving you crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

To the registered dietitian: thank you very much for your post. I completely agree with you on the enormous amount of "advice" and information out there. Your post was refreshing. Can you point me to a website/book something "real" that gives me some direction on what my 3.5 year old should eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner, snacks etc. and particularly how much sugar is actually an acceptable amount. I do have Marion Nestle's book "what to eat" from years ago, perhaps I need to revisit that although it didn't provide direct advice on how much of what one should eat.

The whole family is healthy, no illness, no medications, we are active and fine with weight. So I do appreciate your advice that if all that is in order then we are fine. But then I wonder, what about things on the molecular level, could things be going bad deep inside without any sings (yet)?

Can I ask you - do you eat ice cream, processed snacks, yogurt, cereal? Can you give me a sample week (in summary) of what you eat?

THANK YOU.

The registered dietitian/ chef posting again. Thank you, OP, for these questions.

I'm enjoying reading everyone's comments. First, yes, the grandmother comment. OK, I'll drop that one (although I do use it sometimes in my practice and people seem to get what I mean!) But I understand that not everyone's grandma was a good cook or even a healthy eater; what I mean is that generally, of that era, people were more sensible about food in general than we often are now.

Before I get back to OP I also want to address one other piece of advice here that I think is wrong, and one that I hear a lot. "Shop the perimeter of the store" and you'll be fine. I personally think this is bad advice as it cuts out too many foods. Also, PP, you have no idea to whom you are speaking when you make statements like that. Most value foods are found in the central part of the store and absolutely, one can eat healthily from across the aisles.

OP, to your follow-up post:

I am in private practice as an RD and chef and I do have clients who come in with questions that mirror what you have written here. Forgive me if I jump to conclusions and make assumptions about you, but I know enough about this line of thinking to take some leaps in how I respond. And the biggest one I'm going to say right off: You need to relax! You are stressing too much and worrying too much about eating the "right" foods and feeding your kids the "right" way, and discounting common sense in the search for perfection. I see this from time to time, often in clients who have anxiety in other areas of their lives about what they can and can't control. I'm not going there with you, but it's something you might think about.

The best advice I can give you is to stay away from specific books, diets, web sites, etc that are written by the latest guru, celebrity, doctor, or the person your next door neighbor recommends. If you seriously want to learn more about nutrition and healthy eating, stick with science based, credible, third-party sources: USDA, the American Heart Association, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (eatright.org).

To your question about sugar: The standard guideline (AHA) is no more than 6 tsps added sugar per day for women, 9 for men and 3-6 per day for children, depending on their age. At 3.5 years old, your's would be on the low end of that. Most people consume much more sugar per day than that because of course, sugar is in so many things.

To your question about specific foods: Do my kids eat popsicles? Of course - on a hot summer day, after going to the pool, at a birthday party. Do they eat them 365 days a year, camped in front of the TV? Absolutely not. Do I even have them in the house, except for aforementioned special occasions? No.

Do I eat ice cream? Yes! In fact, we're making some this weekend with some beautiful peaches I just bought.

Do I eat processed foods? Yes, I do, given that 95% + of foods in the grocery store are "processed" in some way, including most fruits and vegetables sold there! (Do you see how meaningless that term is? And how people who hang their hats on "no processed foods" generally have no concept of how the food industry works?)

The problem, OP, is that the truth is not sexy and will not sell a new book. You eat moderately, within caloric guidelines, in general following guidelines from the old Food Guide Pyramid or MyPlate as to the percentage of each type of food you need to consume. You maintain a healthy lifestyle - get enough sleep, drink alcohol in moderation or not at all, no smoking (ever), etc. Have annual check-ups and make sure your weight, cholesterol level and (most important) blood pressure are WNL. Could something be lurking at the molecular level with no signs exhibited, as you note? Of course. That's how cancer presents and that happens, unfortunately. That's where my reference to genes and luck come in. But I'll add this: if you do have malignant cancer in your body that has presented yet, you are not going to reverse it with nutrition. So what's the point of worrying about it?

It sounds like your family has won the lottery as far as good health goes. I think you need to just relax and enjoy that.

I hope this helps.

NP: You are a breath of fresh air! You should write a book - how to eat well and enjoy your life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So after seeing the latest Netflix documentary about the benefits of Keto ( see details here https://www.netflix.com/title/80238655 ) I am thoroughly confused at what I should be eating and feeding my family. I tried vegan, it didn't work for us, then we followed Paleo pretty closely, then I read about the benefits of a plant based diet so we adopted that, now I am hearing grains and wheat shouldn't be eaten much....ugh I am exhausted. I realize that veggies are good no matter what under all so called plans and processed food is bad, but I am not clear on how much meat (especially red meat which is supposedly carcinogenic and cancer promoting) we should be actually consuming. We are currently a family of 3, daughter is 3.5 years old and we are about to have a baby in 2 weeks. Nutrition and health are important to me but I am honestly starting to doubt everything. Anyone else in the same boat? Ideas? Sources I can refer to? Thank you!

OP, as a registered dietitian and chef, your post saddens me, because I think you so perfectly spell out the mindset of so many people today when it comes to food and healthy eating. Too much information available, too much misinformation, too many fad/ trendy diets, too much judgment and less-than-scientific opinion available on what you "should" eat and what you "should" feed your family.

Do you want the bottom line truth, at least in my professional (see above) opinion?

Your grandmother was right.[u] Eat what you love, live an active lifestyle (read: exercise every day), keep portions under control. Crazy diets are just as you discovered with vegan: difficult to follow and almost impossible to put a family through. Moderation is the key. Learn to cook, eat seasonally and locally when you can (not "organic," necessarily) and you'll be fine. There is no magic bullet that will ensure great health; a lot of that is luck and genetics. Keep your weight under control, keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check and you're doing fine. And stay off the internet for advice: Registered Dietitians are the health professionals who have the science of nutrition in their backgrounds.

The rest of your post is great, but this advice is becoming really trendy, and every time I see it, it cracks me up.

My grandmother kept a fridge full of cocktail onions, and Vienna sausages. Before her grandchildren came to visit, she'd stock up on bizarre processed foods that she thought we'd like, such as onion English muffins. She was horrified that I drank water, and repeatedly told me to check with my doctor to make sure it was OK for me to do so. When I asked her what I should be drinking suggested gin and tonics.

My kids' grandmother would serve us a lunch of bologna on wonder bread, with a side of peaches in heavy syrup, a big glass of iced tea made from a powder that included saccharin and "artificial lemon flavor", plus some jello for dessert. For dinner we'd have hot dogs split in half, filled with cheez food, and wrapped in bacon, along with some rice a roni, a few frozen peas, and several helpings of Kool aid, dessert (a must have at every meal) might be chocolate pudding or rainbow sherbet.

I'm not a perfect parent, and I certainly don't feed my kids a perfect diet, but looking to grandma would not improve it.

Yes! My grandmother made us these "nachos" with Jewel-brand doritos, hamburger meat, and iceberg lettuce. Or this weird gravy with hamburger on instant mashed potatoes.

Or there is my grandmother who lived on a farm that ate biscuits and all vegetables cooked to mush in lard.

Very healthy.

[Anonymous]

I'm skeptical about this dietician. She/he uses a lot of words without ever specifically discussing food and health. Moderation is not health promoting necessarily. The whole point about eating the perimeter is that it encourages higher consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Yet the dietician poo poos that just because that seems to be the schtick - too denigrate all claims about food and health. Joel Fuhrman and people who focus on nutrient density and links between high sugar and poor health markers are not following "fads."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm skeptical about this dietician. She/he uses a lot of words without ever specifically discussing food and health. Moderation is not health promoting necessarily. The whole point about eating the perimeter is that it encourages higher consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Yet the dietician poo poos that just because that seems to be the schtick - too denigrate all claims about food and health. Joel Fuhrman and people who focus on nutrient density and links between high sugar and poor health markers are not following "fads."

"shop the perimeter" also can lead people to overdo it on meat, cheese, and similar foods. If I only shopped the perimeter, I'd miss out on nuts, beans, quinoa, barley, salsa, pickles, spices, and lots of other healthy foods that make my meals more interesting and enjoyable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BTW, watched the same Keto documentary. They are killing their kids with coconut oil. Worst thing to cook in, said my kids' cardiologist.

So just out of curiosity, did your cardiologist state the study he was basing this information on? Many cardiologists still believe that fat is bad for you. There have recently been several studies stating otherwise. Coconut oil is really good for our brains and there have not been any studies showing that it raises bad cholesterol. There have been studies done showing it may raise our good cholesterol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm skeptical about this dietician. She/he uses a lot of words without ever specifically discussing food and health. Moderation is not health promoting necessarily. The whole point about eating the perimeter is that it encourages higher consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Yet the dietician poo poos that just because that seems to be the schtick - too denigrate all claims about food and health. Joel Fuhrman and people who focus on nutrient density and links between high sugar and poor health markers are not following "fads."

"shop the perimeter" also can lead people to overdo it on meat, cheese, and similar foods. If I only shopped the perimeter, I'd miss out on nuts, beans, quinoa, barley, salsa, pickles, spices, and lots of other healthy foods that make my meals more interesting and enjoyable.

Don't take everything so literally. Shopping the perimeter encourages fresh fruits and vegetables and avoids all the chips and soft drinks and prepared foods full of who knows what. If you shop the perimeter, you cook, which creates meals that are far better for you than heating up a frozen meal or any other prepackaged prepared food. Nobody's saying you can't buy nuts or beans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BTW, watched the same Keto documentary. They are killing their kids with coconut oil. Worst thing to cook in, said my kids' cardiologist.

Why do your kids have a cardiologist?

[Anonymous]

For me, dairy, white carbs and red meat and over doing it on sugar aggravates my IBS, causes inflammation in my body and my joints ache and mobility is compromised.

When I focus on fruits, vegetables, some fish and chicken, my joints and my gut are fine so I go with that.

I say do whatever works to maintain a healthy weight and your vitality as you get older. In my 20s I could eat anything, no problem but as I got older I had to remove stuff.