Are we getting to the point where eating is going to harm us?

[signs_of_poetry]

Ok, so meat is harmful to humans. So is milk and other dairy products.
Processed food and stuff with added chemicals is harmful.
And now soy products are harmful?
What CAN we eat?

[Chelsea]

We can eat anything organic, local, ethical, and sustainable.

[T J]

drink lots of water and eat whatever you want to eat

[musicimprovedme]

Well, aside from allergies and individual health profiles, people can eat anything that is edible and not poisonous. The key to everything in life is moderation. Just think how much better off we would all be if everyone knew when enough is enough.

Our bodies need a balance of nutrients and that means we need a variety of food. That also means that there is room in a healthy person's diet for the occasional splurge on something you shouldn't eat everyday. What you do is exercise a little discipline about it to offset its effects. You eat the cake or the steak or the butter or the holiday feast, or the fast food or whatever treat you want, before or after a little extra workout, and then after a moderate portion, you continue your healthy ways. You get plenty of fiber and water to help you minimize the damage.

But there is one aspect of this question that I wonder if people are thinking about. And that is how much power we give food companies, including restaurants, in dictating what we will eat. Their way of getting what they want without regard for the little guy, or the planet, or our health is very concerning to me. If the healthiest food is choked out because mega producers don't want to make or sell it and small producers can't compete with mega producers...then our food quality is compromised. We should be eating responsibly so that we don't lose control of how healthy our food is. A related concern is how much impact to the planet is involved with the food production and food transportation, whereby, for the sake of eating, our health is compromised because we have polluted with our farming and shipping. For these reasons, it is really important to eat locally grown as much as possible, getting to know the farmers who make your food, and eating at small business restaurants that care about their ingredients and your community.

[andrew m]

High amounts of soy have steroids in them which enlarges breast tissue. But in small amounts, it is fine.
I am a vegetarian, and i have found many foods that are not harmful. "Cedar's" makes pita breads and other products like hummus where all the indgredients are simple and organic. Also if you are a fan of yogurt, "Stonyfields" makes dairy products like yogurt and cheese where the animals were not harmed, and the food is all natural. None of the names i have mentioned have preservatives in them, and they are delicious. I also enjoy quinoa flakes. Make it just like oatmeal and it is great! but if you really want healthy and fresh food, go as simple as possible. Produce is the way to go!