“Everything in moderation” is a very widely used term when it comes to diet and nutrition. I hear it all the time, especially from my dad. People everywhere are preaching that they eat certain foods only in moderation. What does moderation actually mean?
The general definition of moderate is to “keep within reasonable or proper limits; not extreme, excessive, or intense.”
You would therefore only consume what your body needs, while eating foods within the typical diet boundaries. The typical diet and the boundaries are completely up for interpretation. When you eat in moderation, your perception of reasonable or proper limits can mean everything or nothing based on what you consider a normal diet.
When you eat the standard American diet with many processed foods and limited vegetables or fruits, what would moderation be then? Is it when you moderately have veggies on your hamburger? You can see my point. These are factors to consider when it comes to the perception of moderation.
Food Groups
Everybody diets differently. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food pyramid recommends you eat specific servings of dairy, vegetables, fruits, grains, animal products, and sparingly used fats, oils, and sweets. How many people take the time to measure out and count the serving sizes they consume?
Vegetarians have a different outlook and will not consume meat, whereas vegans won’t eat animal products of any kind. I don’t believe moderation would include eating meat once in a while, although if they practice a holistic approach, moderation could mean they sometimes make cacao brownies with natural sweeteners they might not usually use. The standard American diet could moderately include store-bought sweets on occasion. Do you see the difference?
Nutrients
Other diets focus on specific nutrients rather than food groups. The purpose of eating foods is to obtain and absorb macronutrients and micronutrients. The ideal diet could include macronutrients in these proportions: 15% protein, 15% fats, and 70% carbohydrates. The USDA does not differentiate between good fats (such as extra virgin olive oil and avocado) and unhealthy ones (such as deep fried vegetable oils and processed meat).
The micronutrients of vitamins, minerals and fiber are also taken into consideration. Each individual needs specific micronutrient requirements based on deficiencies. Foods with greater amounts of micronutrients are important to achieve the perfect balance in that individual’s body.
Food Quality
Should you moderately consume foods that aren’t good for you? Will you eat junk food 40% of the time, and 60% of the time you will eat healthy foods? What ingredients do you eat? Are you conscious of the ingredients in purchased products?
I believe there are certain foods and ingredients you should never eat like genetically modified foods, artificial flavors and colors, and trans fats. Chemical ingredients such as ammonium phosphate dibasic, sorbitan monostearate, corn maltodextrin, and pentosanase should also be avoided. If you have trouble pronouncing it, would you still consider your processed meal or snack an acceptable food?
When you become aware of the harmful effects of various food additives, preservatives, and chemicals found in food, you should do your best to avoid them. You may still consume sweets and snacks; however, the ingredient list may be smaller or you might make your own.
When you consider meat consumption, people may moderately eat steak or chicken, but the quality also plays a factor. Are the animals considered kosher, organic, or factory farmed? The quality of the meat certainly affects your health based upon the use of antibiotics, steroids, and hormones. It is normal for the average American to eat animal products two to three times a day. Based on that “moderation,” it may be damaging to your health if the animals contain harmful chemicals for your body.
Moderation can have many meanings. Just as one man’s food is another man’s poison, one man’s moderation can be another man’s extreme.
Sources:
Hetzler, L., “What Does Eat in Moderation Mean?” LIVESTRONG.com web site, Feb. 7, 2014; http://www.livestrong.com/article/523349-what-does-eat-in-moderation-mean/.
“The Food Guide Pyramid,” USDA web site; http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/MyPyramid/OriginalFoodGuidePyramids/FGP/FGPPamphlet.pdf, last accessed Feb. 12, 2014.