Newsflash: The everything in everything kills you. Get over it.

[Curtis2011]

Is anyone else a little tired of reading about all the things that are killing us?

It seems every day there is a "new discovery" that some once-thought-innocent food or ingredient is slowly killing us all. And yet, life goes on.

Personally, I would rather not hear about any of it. The fear mongering gets kind of annoying imo.

Anyone else feel this way?

[Lifeisamazing]

Not really. I feel that as long as food is as minimally processed as possible, then it's fine to eat it. Besides, there are so many ♥♥♥♥♥♥ studies out there that don't mean anything.

[metamorph]

Originally Posted by Lifeisamazing

Not really. I feel that as long as food is as minimally processed as possible, then it's fine to eat it.

This is also taking it to the extreme. I guess in the last 10-25 years it dawned on people in the western world, that ultra-processed foods esp in the fast food industry are not healthy. But rather than adopting a more gentle way of processing (e.g. steaming vegetables) people go to the other extreme and think everything is better raw. For some foods some processing definitely makes the food better digestible, more palatable, and in some cases healthier (try eating raw potatoes for a start).

[metamorph]

Originally Posted by Curtis2011

Is anyone else a little tired of reading about all the things that are killing us?

It seems every day there is a "new discovery" that some once-thought-innocent food or ingredient is slowly killing us all. And yet, life goes on.

Personally, I would rather not hear about any of it. The fear mongering gets kind of annoying imo.

Anyone else feel this way?

I agree. I really wonder when food became such an emotional issue. I hope it was not because of movies like "supersize me".

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by metamorph

This is also taking it to the extreme. I guess in the last 10-25 years it dawned on people in the western world, that ultra-processed foods esp in the fast food industry are not healthy. But rather than adopting a more gentle way of processing (e.g. steaming vegetables) people go to the other extreme and think everything is better raw. For some foods some processing definitely makes the food better digestible, more palatable, and in some cases healthier (try eating raw potatoes for a start).

Steaming and boiling are definitely fine in my book, even though potatoes are pretty much the only vegetables that I don't eat raw.

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by metamorph

I agree. I really wonder when food became such an emotional issue. I hope it was not because of movies like "supersize me".

It's a choice you can make. Tune out and avoid all information that says X is bad for you. You'll have easier time as stupidity is a bliss.

[Leesah]

I'll be honest, it scares me. Particularly here in this forum (ie. some people keep posting "X gives you CANCER" and "Y is KILLING you") .... I can avoid that in my normal life because I've given up reading/watching the news (for my health ... it was probably killing me ), and even when I do stumble upon dietary/lifestyle advice, or whatever, it's not worded in such an extreme, anxiety-inducing way.

I think giving people advice is great, pointing out healthier ways of life is great, sharing information and educating people who aren't aware of it can probably save/improve lives .... but people do it in such scare tactic ways that I think the majority feel so stressed hearing about it and THAT'S nearly as unhealthy as actually eating those foods in the first place, I imagine.

I absolutely love health programmes on the tv (you know, the ones that help obese people lose weight/get healthier and stuff like that), but they're often done in a much calmer way, they don't make scary claims. You end up wanting to follow the advice because it sounds good, not because you're terrified. So I don't mind those shows. But whenever things go to the extreme it brings me down.

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by Leesah

I'll be honest, it scares me. Particularly here in this forum (ie. some people keep posting "X gives you CANCER" and "Y is KILLING you") .... I can avoid that in my normal life because I've given up reading/watching the news (for my health ... it was probably killing me ), and even when I do stumble upon dietary/lifestyle advice, or whatever, it's not worded in such an extreme, anxiety-inducing way.

I think giving people advice is great, pointing out healthier ways of life is great, sharing information and educating people who aren't aware of it can probably save/improve lives .... but people do it in such scare tactic ways that I think the majority feel so stressed hearing about it and THAT'S nearly as unhealthy as actually eating those foods in the first place, I imagine.

I absolutely love health programmes on the tv (you know, the ones that help obese people lose weight/get healthier and stuff like that), but they're often done in a much calmer way, they don't make scary claims. You end up wanting to follow the advice because it sounds good, not because you're terrified. So I don't mind those shows. But whenever things go to the extreme it brings me down.

I agree with you, Leesah. Besides, it's pretty hard to make those claims that one certain thing can give you cancer. I mean, we know pretty certainly that some things do that but most of them are just speculations.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by Leesah

I'll be honest, it scares me. Particularly here in this forum (ie. some people keep posting "X gives you CANCER" and "Y is KILLING you") .... I can avoid that in my normal life because I've given up reading/watching the news (for my health ... it was probably killing me ), and even when I do stumble upon dietary/lifestyle advice, or whatever, it's not worded in such an extreme, anxiety-inducing way.

I think giving people advice is great, pointing out healthier ways of life is great, sharing information and educating people who aren't aware of it can probably save/improve lives .... but people do it in such scare tactic ways that I think the majority feel so stressed hearing about it and THAT'S nearly as unhealthy as actually eating those foods in the first place, I imagine.

I absolutely love health programmes on the tv (you know, the ones that help obese people lose weight/get healthier and stuff like that), but they're often done in a much calmer way, they don't make scary claims. You end up wanting to follow the advice because it sounds good, not because you're terrified. So I don't mind those shows. But whenever things go to the extreme it brings me down.

That's why there are people like myself and a few others on this forum that are here to completely stomp on every single scare tactic put out by these people. So don't worry. When you see a thread like that, just go down a few posts, to read why it isn't actually true.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by metamorph

This is also taking it to the extreme. I guess in the last 10-25 years it dawned on people in the western world, that ultra-processed foods esp in the fast food industry are not healthy. But rather than adopting a more gentle way of processing (e.g. steaming vegetables) people go to the other extreme and think everything is better raw. For some foods some processing definitely makes the food better digestible, more palatable, and in some cases healthier (try eating raw potatoes for a start).

Who's to say we need any of the foods that aren't digestible raw? Potatoes, for starters, are pretty useless as a food. Don't really need to eat broccoli either. What other foods need to be cooked and why is it taking it to the extreme? And is eating only processed food, which most of America does, also considered taking it to the extreme?

[metamorph]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Who's to say we need any of the foods that aren't digestible raw? Potatoes, for starters, are pretty useless as a food. Don't really need to eat broccoli either. What other foods need to be cooked?

You can certainly survive without potatoes and broccoli, but but are quite healthy in general.

Other foods that I would not eat raw or that are better digestible/healthier when heated: eggplant, rhubarb, spinach, onions, lentils, beans....

[metamorph]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

And is eating only processed food, which most of America does, also considered taking it to the extreme?

Absolutely!

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by metamorph

You can certainly survive without potatoes and broccoli, but but are quite healthy in general.

Other foods that I would not eat raw or that are better digestible/healthier when heated: eggplant, rhubarb, spinach, onions, lentils, beans....

Out of all those foods, the only thing I've ever ate were beans. And I really don't care about those foods that much. I guess for me it would be easy to eat raw, as anything I'd need processed, would be because I really like the taste of the food, and that food is normally not considered healthy anyways. There really is no reason to eat to eat those foods anyways, so eating raw isn't as extreme as you might make it out to be.

I don't see it as "surviving" without those foods. I don't see those foods as necessities, at any level.

[metamorph]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Out of all those foods, the only thing I've ever ate were beans. And I really don't care about those foods that much. I guess for me it would be easy to eat raw, as anything I'd need processed, would be because I really like the taste of the food, and that food is normally not considered healthy anyways. There really is no reason to eat to eat those foods anyways, so eating raw isn't as extreme as you might make it out to be.

I don't see it as "surviving" without those foods. I don't see those foods as necessities, at any level.

Well, I am not saying I live off rhubarb (that is going to be another thread: eat 5kg rhubarb daily as your only food...)

To me food is all about variety, and I eat practically everything (OK, I am not crazy about corn). I get bored easily when I have to eat the same stuff over and over.
If you don't eat the foods I mentioned, and you only eat raw, you essentially cannot eat Indian, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, British and much of the French, Italien and Spanish cuisine apart from the salads (and the lichi

[Daffy Duck]

This topic is killing me! Ha!

Yeah, you do have a solid point. I just stick to what I know is best and has lots of evidence to support it: exercise is good for you, vegetables are good, fruit is good, water is good, internal peace is good, etc.

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Out of all those foods, the only thing I've ever ate were beans. And I really don't care about those foods that much. I guess for me it would be easy to eat raw, as anything I'd need processed, would be because I really like the taste of the food, and that food is normally not considered healthy anyways. There really is no reason to eat to eat those foods anyways, so eating raw isn't as extreme as you might make it out to be.

I don't see it as "surviving" without those foods. I don't see those foods as necessities, at any level.

What food is an absolute necessity and cannot be replaced with another food?

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by metamorph

Well, I am not saying I live off rhubarb (that is going to be another thread: eat 5kg rhubarb daily as your only food...)

To me food is all about variety, and I eat practically everything (OK, I am not crazy about corn). I get bored easily when I have to eat the same stuff over and over.
If you don't eat the foods I mentioned, and you only eat raw, you essentially cannot eat Indian, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, British and much of the French, Italien and Spanish cuisine apart from the salads (and the lichi

It's all about priorities. Some people choose to have their lives revolve around food. Any entertainment in their lives some how has to be food. Going out to eat. Eating at home with friends. Eating at a party. Eat eat eat. I'm not a raw foodist, except for every now and then. I've never really liked eating mixed foods anyways. By mixed, I mean meals with a bunch of ingredients in it. I've always just ate one food on my plate at a time, when everyone else piled food onto their plates. So maybe it's easier for me? I never thought I'd be a raw food proponent, but, well, there are SOOO many options when eating raw still. The only thing I don't agree with, is what raw foodist say, that they have MORE options then everyone else because now they have to relearn how to eat or something. I dunno their exact reasoning behind it.

But do you see how "being bored" because of food, means that food is too big a part of your life, and is no more extreme then being raw or processed only? You are supposed to live your life and enjoy it, and food being just a small PART of that picture.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by Lifeisamazing

What food is an absolute necessity and cannot be replaced with another food?

Is anything really?

[Daffy Duck]

Water.

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

It's all about priorities. Some people choose to have their lives revolve around food. Any entertainment in their lives some how has to be food. Going out to eat. Eating at home with friends. Eating at a party. Eat eat eat. I'm not a raw foodist, except for every now and then. I've never really liked eating mixed foods anyways. By mixed, I mean meals with a bunch of ingredients in it. I've always just ate one food on my plate at a time, when everyone else piled food onto their plates. So maybe it's easier for me? I never thought I'd be a raw food proponent, but, well, there are SOOO many options when eating raw still. The only thing I don't agree with, is what raw foodist say, that they have MORE options then everyone else because now they have to relearn how to eat or something. I dunno their exact reasoning behind it.

But do you see how "being bored" because of food, means that food is too big a part of your life, and is no more extreme then being raw or processed only? You are supposed to live your life and enjoy it, and food being just a small PART of that picture.

I'm not sure I clearly comprehend your thoughts. Of course food is only one part of life but definitely a very important part, so why is a need for variety a bad thing in this aspect of life?

You might be satisfied by eating one type of food all the time but it's because your are used to. Perhaps you'd enjoy eating more if you used a bunch of different ingredients from time to time.

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Is anything really?

Why is it even discussed then?

[metamorph]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

But do you see how "being bored" because of food, means that food is too big a part of your life, and is no more extreme then being raw or processed only? You are supposed to live your life and enjoy it, and food being just a small PART of that picture.

I know

It is just one of my passions

[Andrew Gubb]

Originally Posted by Curtis2011

Is anyone else a little tired of reading about all the things that are killing us?

It seems every day there is a "new discovery" that some once-thought-innocent food or ingredient is slowly killing us all. And yet, life goes on.

Personally, I would rather not hear about any of it. The fear mongering gets kind of annoying imo.

Anyone else feel this way?

Yeah, some stuff does kill us, but you need to have all the facts in a holistic perspective and not just fall for fear about one particular thing. Screw fear, no one needs fear who has the facts.

[Elrond]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

But do you see how "being bored" because of food, means that food is too big a part of your life, and is no more extreme then being raw or processed only? You are supposed to live your life and enjoy it, and food being just a small PART of that picture.

One can become bored of traveling the same way to work every day, the same route etc. But just because one is bored of it, does not imply that traveling to work is a too big part of ones life (though the more time of the day goes to traveling to work, the more likely one is of becoming bored of it. But some people are easily bored like that, even if that travel to work might only take 40 minutes total a day.)

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by metamorph

I know

It is just one of my passions

Nothing wrong with that at all. It's one of my passions as well. Food is a great pleasure of life, why not try to maximize the enjoyment and try new things frequently?

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by Elrond

One can become bored of traveling the same way to work every day, the same route etc. But just because one is bored of it, does not imply that traveling to work is a too big part of ones life (though the more time of the day goes to traveling to work, the more likely one is of becoming bored of it. But some people are easily bored like that, even if that travel to work might only take 40 minutes total a day.)

Yeah. Our minds need changes to be more fun and creative.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by Lifeisamazing

I'm not sure I clearly comprehend your thoughts. Of course food is only one part of life but definitely a very important part, so why is a need for variety a bad thing in this aspect of life?

You might be satisfied by eating one type of food all the time but it's because your are used to. Perhaps you'd enjoy eating more if you used a bunch of different ingredients from time to time.

What's one type of food that I eat? I never said I only eat one type of food. There are a lot of types of food I don't eat ( mostly veggies), but that's because I just don't like their taste. I eat many many types of food, and not even close enough to being "bored" from not eating.

It's really not THAT important part of life. Why is it? For people who want to have a perfect body? Sure, to reach your body type, we'd need to have food be an important part of our lives. But no one says we need to have 5% body fat. Those are all choices, which then makes you required to make food important in your life.

Most people in America, have their lives revolve around food, in one way or another. Some people choose food to be a part of their life, and some people choose food to be their lives. WHY should I enjoy eating food much? I mean, I DO enjoy when I eat the food. But what I mean is that it's not a big enjoyment in my life. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE food, and all the food I eat tastes great and I enjoy eating it every time I do. I don't need hours of my day put towards enjoying food, like everyone else seems to need. It's just not a big enough thing in my life, where I'd get bored. Now, getting bored OF food, is different then getting bored because of food. What seems to be going on, is that people are just bored in general, and need food to escape their boredom.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by Lifeisamazing

Why is it even discussed then?

because metamorph brought up that eating raw was an extreme, and I pointed out that there aren't foods that are necessary, that would require someone to eat cooked foods. Not wanting to eat a type of food, realy isn't that extreme to me.

[metamorph]

I think I was raised by a very experimental mother: I think I never had exactly the same salad twice

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Now, getting bored OF food, is different then getting bored because of food. What seems to be going on, is that people are just bored in general, and need food to escape their boredom.

You can say that about pretty much every activity. The result being someone who lives in the same place all his life, has the same jam for breakfast all his life, listens to the Beatles only all his life...

[metamorph]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

because metamorph brought up that eating raw was an extreme, and I pointed out that there aren't foods that are necessary, that would require someone to eat cooked foods. Not wanting to eat a type of food, realy isn't that extreme to me.

You seem to be pretty mellow about the topic. Some others are getting too religious about raw IMO. For me the only reason to eat raw only would be being on a hike and having burnt the last match