Recently, in response to a comment I made about the calories in fruit juice, a friend said to me that fruit juice is “evil.” I am a philosopher who does a lot of ethics. So “evil” means something quite severe to me. Hitler and Pol Pot were evil. Fruit juice, not so much.
I checked back with my friend. No, he didn’t mean it was literally evil. Just that it’s as bad as a can of Coke. Still pretty bad, if not downright evil. It’s a “sometimes” food, not an everyday food. Other anti-juice people jumped in to clarify further. Juice is really, really bad FOR you. Harley Pasternak demonized it the other day in his talk too. He said that a cup and half of OJ has 240 calories. That’s not quite right, since a cup has 112 calories.
But I don’t want to quibble about orange juice in particular. It’s this whole notion of good foods and bad foods that really gets under my skin. Very few foods, eaten in moderate quantities, are actually bad for you. I ate a big and delicious piece of vegan chocolate cake yesterday. I don’t believe it was in the least bad for me. Why? Because I don’t eat cake every day. I eat it about once or twice a month.
I can’t trace the quote exactly, but a long time ago I read a great response by George Cohon of McDonald’s, to the claim that McDonald’s food was “bad for you.” He said something like that McDonald’s never said you should eat its food three meals a day, seven days a week. I hesitate to agree with him (because McDonald’s is problematic in other ways, in my view), but I agree. McDonald’s and orange juice, chocolate cake and potato chips…all of these can be part of a healthy diet without doing damage to the person who ingests them.
Moralizing food by calling some of it “bad” and some of it “good” gives the false impression that foods in themselves have moral qualities. It isn’t a huge jump, and people make this jump all the time, to the claim that people who eat “good” foods in the “right” amounts are virtuous and people who do not are bad.
We frequently think of chocolate cake as “sinfully delicious” and “decadent.” I’ve spoken to many a dieter who said, not that they had a good week, but that they were “good” that week. If they wandered off the plan by eating something they weren’t supposed to, they were “bad” that week. Some foods are considered “guilty pleasures.”
One of my favorite parts of both the intuitive eating approach and the the demand feeding approach to food is that they both tell us to “legalize” all foods. Carrot sticks are as legal as carrot cake, neither better nor worse than the other. I can already hear the rumblings in the comments. “But carrot sticks are better for you than carrot cake!” I can even hear those who would jump in against carrot sticks because they have a higher sugar content than celery sticks.
The whole thing brings me back to the idea of moderation, which Sam wrote about in such a lovely way recently. We can live life by strict rules and have all sorts of forbidden foods on a black list if we like. But forbidden foods are, for many of us, more attractive for being forbidden.
I know that when I finally truly legalized all foods, french fries, which I’d considered my favorite food for all of my life, suddenly lost their appeal. They’re okay, and I do enjoy them from time to time. But are they my favorite foods? No. If I had a choice of giving up fries for the rest of my life or giving up mangoes for the rest of my life, I’d give up the fries. And not because they’re “bad” or even “bad for me,” but because I simply love a good fresh mango.
The food police are those people who like to jump in and tell you about the evil foods that are bad for you and that you should avoid. I’m not interested in what they have to say. I am extremely well informed about nutrition and used to be able to rhyme off all sorts of fun facts about countless foods. I wrote them down every day and kept meticulous count. I avoided fruit juice and all caloric drinks so as not to waste the stingily parceled out grams of this or that. Like so many people, I felt so incredibly virtuous when I stuck with it, often for months and even years at a time.
I convinced myself, as I have heard so many others do, that I just loved this way of eating. It was so great! And I was so good! Meanwhile, I felt deprived, especially around celebrations and special occasions, which are enhanced by taking a meal together. I had my false sense of virtue, but it wasn’t much fun.
I have also witnessed the effect of “virtuous” eating on others who were not so virtuous but who thought they should be. People would apologize for themselves for eating. “I shouldn’t be having this, but…” That is always a preamble to the next day’s self-flagellation, “I was so bad at my daughter’s wedding yesterday.” Or this one, “I’ll just take a sliver.” When I was a young adult, my mother and I polished off close to whole banana loaf over the course of an evening by taking little slivers. Even today I look back and think I should have just cut off a good sized slice, slathered it with butter, sat down with it, and enjoyed it. Instead, I sneaked into the kitchen a few times and shaved off inadequate pieces that left me wanting more.
When we moralize foods into good, bad, evil even, we deny ourselves permission and set ourselves up not just as failures, but as moral failures.
If the foods that made people feel so bad weren’t forbidden or “sinful” in the first place, they’d be less attractive and people would be less likely to eat more of them than is comfortable.
Are there any foods that, for health reasons, we simply should not eat EVER, that even in tiny amounts are “evil”? For some people, there are “trigger” foods that they simply cannot moderate. I will have more to say about that in another post. And of course, some people are allergic to things that will kill them if they eat them. And as a vegan I am keenly aware of social, moral and political reasons for avoiding certain foods.
But those foods aside, I’m not sure if there are any foods that should never, ever, under any circumstances, be eaten because of our health. And if there are, fruit juice is not among them.
Some other posts about food, diets, and moderation:
Three Amazing Rants about Food, Nutrition, and Weight Loss
Metabolic Health Is a Feminist Issue
Why Sports Nutrition Counseling Is Not for Me
Moderation versus All or Nothing
[photo credit: Good-Wallpapers]
‘Good’ and ‘bad’ foods? Excessively simplistic for me. I can see some people do need simple directions but whoever considers fresh fruit juices ‘evil’ is gone too far. And yes you do miss fiber and vitamins juicing instead of blending, but hell, better relax and try 70% healthy than trying too hard and giving up.
Very interesting blog, Tracy, and thank you. Perhaps things have shifted too far the other way. So much of this language was used at one point to awaken people from their slumbers. Too many people to this very day eat “badly”. Just look at almost any fast food or the food served at almost any kiosk in a food court, and just how jam-packed these food courts are. These labels of good and evil were not meant to awaken people like you – that is, people who already exercise regularly and take stock of what they eat. They were meant for the people who eat very badly and there is a very real obesity problem out there. And that problem does not exist because fast food and orange juice have been demonized – it exists because too many people actually DO live off of McDonald’s and the like, and drink fruit juice and Coke like they should be drinking water, without much thought going into it. But I hear you nonetheless. Perhaps the demonization of such food has created other problems – perhaps those who have been awakened have started to become intolerant of others who do not eat well and actually judge others’ moral character on the basis of their eating habits. I actually know that this has occurred in some people, who are not actually EVIL people. Rather, they are simply misguided, and perhaps that is what you are trying to say. The demonization of food is misguided, because: (1) it make people intolerant of others, which if not actually evil, is almost evil; (2) it make people judge others’ moral character on the basis of their eating habits, which is ridiculous; and (3) it makes some foods so taboo that they become irresistible, as opposed to something you can just have a small piece of, like banana loaf.
Good 1-2-3 summary.
Thanks. Your blog really struck me, because I previously had no real clue as to why some people in my life who I think are basically good people, can be so judgmental and perhaps even hateful of fat people. I think what you’ve described and explained is an important part of that puzzle. Thank you again.
I think if there is a food that should never be eaten, it’s probably pork scratchings
I am loving your blog. As a woman with three daughters passing on the right messages around food and exercise has caused me to reevaluate my thoughts in these areas. I too am probably fitter and healthier now as i approach my forties and yet it seems easier n
Sorry phone cut me off! Going to say it seems easier now with a general health and fitness holistic goal than all those years of ” fitting into jeans” goals! Your blog really helps me find the right words to articulate and pass on messages to my daughters that empower them, so thanks! Ps as a New Zealander (and Otago graduate) I also love hearing about your experiences here.
Ascribing moral values to food is so common, and so unhelpful! This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently and you’ve articulated my thoughts way better than I could myself! Thank you.
The beautiful hyper-orange picture at the top of this post made me salivate! Now I want some oranges or maybe even some orange juice. 🙂 Thanks for this post– it really sums up, for me, how giving up on food morality opens space for enjoyment of all kinds of foods (and helps with removing the mystique of ‘forbidden’ foods, too).
The things you should never, ever eat because they are so bad for you are generally speaking not considered foods. Like strychnine. Or hydrochloric acid. Don’t eat those.
It’s interesting how so many of us want simple, clear-cut ways to be “good” and virtuous. Life is a complex place. Good and evil are equally complex. But we feel we have it nailed if we can pin it down to what we eat, or what corporations we buy from, or even what we wear.
(I grew up in a religious cult, so maybe my head just goes to that place.)
Thanks for sharing some very interesting thoughts with us.
This is a great though provoking post, so many foods today have this global reputation of being ‘evil’, but all it does is literally make you crave them more. Everyone knows that it’s human nature to want what we can’t have… so labeling foods as good and bad definitely has a knock on effect with our psychological relationship with food. Excess binging on any type of food will have a negative effect, for instance eating 25 bananas a day is going to make you sick… everything in moderation! 🙂 Thank you for this post! It really got me thinking!
I agree with you wholeheartedly : ) Great post.
Fascinating… I never realized it before, but you are completely right about how we tend to transfer the idea of good and bad food to the people who eat the food. Now that I think about it, this is a really worrying way of thinking about it, and something I’ll look out for from now on. Thank you for your thoughtful post.
Live long and prosper.
People seem to have it in their head that calories are bad. Calories are not bad.
Fruit juice isn’t bad (When you buy the type that isn’t filled with extra sugar).
“Oh its high in calories” I hear people say. So get off your butt and walk around the block.
Lack of exercise is bad. Smoking is bad.
Great article 🙂
Having worked with some of leading juice producers, I can tell you from the maker’s point of view, some of the things they do are evil. It is just an ordinary consumer may never know those things )
Such an interesting article! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I sincerely love this. This is a philosophy that I’ve really stuck by most of my life, I have eaten what I wanted when I wanted to, and it’s kept me healthy because I’ve never been a huge fan of super sweet things (although salty can be a killer :P), and that dislike has worsened over the years. It can’t be too much of a bad thing, to have that thought process. I really enjoyed this, congrats on Freshly Pressed!
Such a refreshing post! I’ve never liked the idea of people (esp. women) beating themselves up over what they eat. It just seems silly, and the guilt doesn’t help anyone emotionally. I certainly appreciate your perspective… and how intriguing that you have found so many examples of how we demonize food!
Thank you for this post! I totally agree. These kinds of things always make me think of a friend who demands we go to a restaurant that serves salads because she needs to lose weight, and then orders a Ceasar salad!!!!
Btw, we make fresh juice all the time with our juicer. It is delicious and can also include lots of veges, which people would say are good for you if not in a juice form 🙂
Love this post! Just found your blog. I’m a big fan of moderation myself and have blogged about it (in more of a humorous way, but still!) Thanks for this post … I dig it 🙂
Love this post! Especially love the orange photo! Thanks for making my day.
Some good thoughts here. It is true that it the prtion/amount and frequency of 1 type of food that one consumes, can make it better or not as good for one’s health.
Coke is not necessarily “bad”, it’s just not good to have it daily nor is it helpful for the body in a balanced diet.
I have never placed myself on a defined “diet” type –vegan, gluten-free, low-sugar, There are certain foods that I no longer eat much of nor as frequent because I physically don’t feel well /my body responds negatively ie. too much butter causes diaherrea, too much white rice/heavy pasta causes a sugar rush in me which makes me feel tired, etc.
So yes, over time, this is based on intuitive eating by merely reducing/avoiding certain foods that knowingly gives a person a negative physiological response.
This was very thought provoking yet funny post. When it comes to Good or Bad Food to me there’s no such thing just everything in moderation.
Great article!!! As a person who frequently feels “less than virtuous” when I am having a piece of cake or some other sinful delight, your viewpoint has made me see things much differently! Thank you!
Reblogged this on Lost countdown..
Well, I really like your article, because you are talking about something we all should know about, and I agree with the things you are saying, but some of them was really surprising for me, but only because I didn’t know nothing about them; now I know – thanks to you! Hope that more people will read this article and learn something from it!
Wefitu.
I agree
I completely agree! I love all foods specially cake whenever 😉
Definitely a feminist issue. Men are not encouraged to tie their health and dietary choices into their sense of morality.
My grandmother was killed by a gang of carrots. So, yeah. Carrots are evil.
The word ‘calories’ give me the shiver. Every time I hear people “counting” calories something shifts in me.
i say moderation… if you worry make your own juice smoothies from real fresh or frozen fruit… it is what we do…
You hit the nail on the head for sure. What a great post. You can tell that you really thought it out. Congrats on being freshly pressed and thanks for sharing. Angelia @ http://dixielandcountry.com
Moderation is really the key to healthy eating. It is Ok to eat a piece of cake once in awhile, it is Ok to drink juice sometimes. About twice a year I give into my craving for McDonalds French fries, completely Ok. Also, too much vegetables and fruits can make people sick.
Reblogged this on ReloNavigator and commented:
Healthy Foods provide your body the sustainability to exist and fight ailments. By choosing the right balanced of food intake, such as fruits, vegetables, drinks and snacks, you will be better and healthier. Choices are yours. Don’t get misled by false information that provide ‘evil-driven’ foods that are high in sugar, or modified foods in the market.
Great blog. I have always advocated the theory of intuitive eating and like you, i shall continue to enjoy occasional guilt-free chocolate cake!
Brilliant post – food is food. I remember when I had my first child and was beginning to get caught up in the whole obsession about what he was eating. My husband showed me a photo of a woman in Haiti feeding her toddler a bottle of ketchup, because that was all she had! It certainly put things in perspective.
Came for the Nietzschean reference in the title, stayed for a really interesting analysis on food. Bravo!
This makes a lot of sense. I think in the West, we have made disordered eating a social phenomenon. I’m currently trying to maintain a healthy diet (for various health reasons, but also include those of vanity). While I have set cheat days (usually social occasions), I do still feel a bit guilty if I am ‘bad’. Yes, that’s how it feels. This is a nice post, which will help me to keep things in perspective. Thank you!
Frankly I adore fresh juices, raw fruits and veggies. I wish I could eat more of them.
I liked your moderate approach and intuitive eating makes sense to me as well.
When people label their food as ‘bad’ or ‘junk’ or ‘evil’, I doubt if they realize that they are influencing the effect the food will have them. My post on this subject may interest you: http://sereneexpression.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/emoto-crystals-eft-food/
Thanks, will be following your posts 🙂
Awesome post Tracy ! Everyday we something on the news what good whats bad… I’m particularly tired of it.you hit every point on those nose. Excellent post
Food is not beyong good and evil, according to certain religions; why don’t you call them out by name? Afraid! Pork, Shellfish, Cola, Coffee, etc… Some religion will come along sooner or later and label your favourite food an abomination(Abel’s meat was good, Cain’s harvest was evil!!!). Eat up, time is running out.
Yes it’s all about balance in life. I am eating turkey bacon right now!
“O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations. Lawful to you are all the beasts of cattle” Quran 5:1
liberate all house cats
Anything in moderation is fine…anything
100% agree, all thtings in moderation, the more you ban a food the more you want it, or at least I do.
Moderation is definitely the key to life & the key to eating. I do agree that labeling foods “good” or “bad” is a problem because it encourages people to become food-centric. By this I mean that people forget to eat to live and fall into a constant cycle of craving, dieting, gorging. Sure, chocolate cake isn’t “bad” but, it certainly isn’t good if you don’t exercise and eat mainly highly processed food in large quantities.
Interesting essay! I think the key to talking about food & working to create change is to realize how powerful advertising is for some, how drug-like modern, processed food has become, and, to not assume everyone has the same level of knowledge regarding food as you and your very conscious peers possess.
I’m certain that the late Julia Childs, who died at 92, and my Sicilian grandmother would agree with your moderation stance.