I do not advocate for aiming for perfection. With food or anything else. It’s an unattainable goal and striving for it can often be more toxic than the things we’re trying to avoid. Only you know what you can manage and sustain in your own life, in your circumstances, and in your season. Some shoot for 80/20 and I think that’s very reasonable for many. You find your balance. If it’s 20/80 right now that’s okay! Maybe next week you can move your dial to 25/75. One foot in front of the other and just keep stepping.’
The more food that grown on plants and that is fueled by plants we can incorporate, the less room there is for food-like products made in plants.
It’s been a very short period of time in the history of human life that we’ve eaten things so far removed from the way they exist in nature. There are studies on either side arguing for or against engineered foods. The truth is, science doesn’t settle and we are all a part of a large scale experiment. Time will tell us more about the consequences of manipulating foods. I personally I feel much better when I eat food closer to the way it exists in nature.
Food was created to fuel our bodies down to the cellular level. Altered, modified, and engineered foods can speak to our bodies at cellular levels too.
We get to participate in fueling our bodies with every meal. Every bite is communicating with our very organs, systems, and even cells. Many foods have the ability to promote healing, reduce inflammation, minimize oxidative stress, balance hormones, contribute to mental health, and more. Most processed foods contain ingredients and processes shown to undo many of those things.
It can be a tough transition at first. It’s actually engineered that way. Many scientists and food engineers work together to make those food-like products something you crave. They actually try to make them addictive. Those processed foods have the ability to alter your taste buds. It takes time to break free of their hold for many. It did for me. One day. One bite. One meal at a time. You can take break the hold from those food industries who seek to make you “heavy users” and keep you addicted to their products. You deserve it.