The Mediterranean diet is constantly lauded in the nutrition worldin fact,U.S.
But first,whyis the Mediterranean diet so darn popular in the first place?
Then theres the fact that the way of eating has been studied in the nutrition world for decades.
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So yes, there are scientifically backed benefits of eating the Mediterranean way.
And theres nothing wrong with following those tenets if thats what works for your body.
But it is definitely not theonlyway to eat healthywhich in itself is a loaded term.
Heres why this is so harmfuland what we can (and should!)
do about it in the nutrition world.
First of all, healthy eating involves more than just the nutrients in food.
There is much more to healthy eating than macro and micronutrients.
Besides, a good or a healthy food for someone might look very different from that of another person.
If someone has G.I.
issues like diarrhea, it might be a good idea to limithigh-fiber foodssuch as certain vegetables and grains.
Not to mention, we have taste buds for a reason.
Just because a certain food isnt providing you with certain nutrients, it doesnt make it bad.
Different foods provide different nutrients, which is more than okay.
Some foods will provide us with more fiber, some with more calcium, and some with iron.
Food is also meant to provide memories that are comforting to our soul and tied to our culture.
Thesecultural tiesare vital, and placing a certain cultural food or diet as top tier is unnecessary and untrue.
Placing the Mediterranean diet on a pedestal others different cultural ways of eating.
A lot of this comes down to Eurocentricity.
After all, according to theUnited Nations, there are 21 different countries that make up the Mediterranean.
Take tacos, for instance.
None of them are good, right?
It definitely can make you feel like your food, your culture, and your traditions are less than.
As a result, we might feel like we shouldnt enjoy these foods from our familial traditions and heritages.
Say, for instance, when we talk about various illnesses and diseases that are linked to certain populations.
We need to look at and acknowledge all factors related to food and health.
As an RD, I can say we play a huge role here.
We love to recommend ways that people can meet their individualized nutritional needs.
But how were doing so, however, requires deeper reflection.
We need to really examine whats driving these suggestions or swaps before we give them.
Once you acknowledge this, you’re free to grow past it.
There are many ways to talk about foods without stigmatizing language.
We need to remember that food has special meaning to many and it is not as simple as nutrients.