1. Avoid skim milk because the protein in it will harm you.
2. Do not eat margarine because it will cause heart attacks.
3. Eating pasta and bread will lead to weight gain.
4. Avoid red meat because it will plug up your colon.
5. Table sugar should not be eaten because it will cause diabetes.
6. Do not drink coffee because it causes cancer.
7. Avoid apples because they will raise blood pressure.
8. Eating bananas will clog up arteries.
9. Do not eat cabbage or spinach because they are toxic to the blood.
10. Drinking pop will damage your liver.

Quite often you read or hear about a list of ten foods to avoid. Many of these lists overlap a little because some of the foods are the same. The person or group responsible for the list will try to justify why those foods should be avoided. Almost without exception, the reasons given for eliminating these foods from the diet are unfounded and ridiculous.

There are some medical conditions where the consumption of certain foods may need to be reduced or eliminated. In such cases, professional guidance is needed. But, the messengers of these lists are talking more in generalities. The above examples are reasons given for avoiding some foods. All of them are false.

If all of the top ten lists were put together, the end result would be that no food should be eaten because all of it is bad for us. The people who assemble these lists are sending out a negative message that some foods are bad. In addition, another message which may be gleaned from all of this is that food is the only factor contributing to health problems. No one single food is solely responsible for heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, or any other medical condition. No one single food is solely responsible for maintaining good health. Even though food and nutrition play a major role in health promotion and disease prevention, there are obviously many lifestyle habits which determine the condition of our health.

If that wasn’t enough, the food police make the news quite often. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is the consumer group that has labeled Italian, Mexican, and Chinese foods as bad along with theater popcorn. The message that is sent is the same as the top ten lists: these are bad foods. Making the public aware of the fat content of foods is perfectly fine; this will help people make healthful food choices. But, CSPI takes the extreme and sends out a negative message which can turn people off. The outright attacks on foods by CSPI has done a disservice to the restaurant industry, the health profession, and the general public.

The danger of these food lists goes beyond misinformation and giving food a bad name. The elimination of foods can sabotage efforts of people trying to lose excess body weight. It is not realistic to eat only foods that are considered “good” because following such a dietary regimen will not satisfy the cravings many of us have for the “bad” food. Eating only the “good” foods is one reason many people fail to lose weight or keep it off. More importantly, eliminating food groups from the diet may lead to nutritional deficiencies which, in turn, may lead to health problems. When foods, more specifically food groups, are eliminated from the diet, professional intervention is needed to be sure that the diet is nutritionally adequate. If it isn’t, supplementation is needed and professional guidance is once again essential.

The amount of nutrition misinformation is all around us. This is why the following point is worth repeating: A diet is not food deprivation or starvation. A diet simply consists of the food we eat. There are no good foods or bad foods, just better food choices. There are exceptions, but for most of us, any food can fit into a healthful diet. The next top ten list that comes out should be sent to David Letterman. He will know exactly what to do with it.

Copyright© 1999-2006 Kevin Kelly, LRD. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.

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