I think it´s an illusion that one should eat as much variety as possible on every meal. It´s been proved in scientific tests that the more choice there is the more you eat. It´s quite obvious if you think about it. Eating and controling hunger is very much mental. Everyone knows that it´s highly recommended to eat regularly, at same times every single day. Easier said than done but no doubt it´s the best way to keep hunger at bay. That way you don´t even feel like snacking.
Another generally known fact is that not everything on telly is true. Quite many products that are thought to be healthy are not. Think about flavoured yogurt, a classical breakfast item. Finns, true believers in dairy, love it but don´t realize how much sugar there is. Yogurt is sweet, it doesn´t take a scientist to tell it´s basicly a DESSERT. I lost my faith in yogurt when I read a story in a paper about a family where the kids are given yogurt only once a week.
There´s also something fundamentally wrong in yogurts that claim to improve digestion. Do the math and you see that by changing your diet you don´t need the miraculous yogurt at all.
Talking of the love affair between Finns and dairy products, what´s the deal with drinking milk every damn day with every damn meal? In the ongoing "war of milks" in the right corner there is extremely processed skimmed milk and in the left corner the so called raw (fresh and untouched) milk. If you compare the two, the difference is stunning. Skimmed milk is almost see-through with the consistency of water. I wonder what´s so dangerous about fresh milk and its bacteria? Did people die of drinking milk before skimming and processing was invented? Why is lactose intolerance so common in the very countries where people drink milk like babies?
Another product, or actually a nutrient, that´s been on the agenda for some time is carbohydrate. Foods with a lot of carbs include e.g. bread, pasta, potatoes and cereals who have now gained a bad reputation. Carbs awake the question: to eat or not to eat? We know that they are vital for a human body but these products I just mentioned are really high on carbs. Carbs are actually everywhere, even in fruits. It´s said that low-carb diet can be a cure to many diseases of our time like coeliac and obesity. Interesting read for Finnish speakers: http://www.anttiheikkila.com/ This doctor is a serious supporter of low-carb diet that is based on natural fat, plenty of greens and just simple ingredients, no microwave meals...
Nowadays there is so much crap in shops that don´t even count as food. Everyhting is pumped up with preservatives, colours and anything to benefit the BUSINESS, not people´s health. As sad and controversial as it is, not everything in supermarket is good food. It is business and manipulation.
A helpful guideline for those who aim to eat more pure food is: "Don´t eat anything that man made".
