Fear Not Thy Food.
I’m having ‘smoko’ (morning tea) at our family property. I’ve poured my cup of tea and am putting a heaped teaspoon of raw sugar into it. Suddenly a statement that is spoken with such conviction it just has to be true… ‘you know sugar causes cancer.’
I’m cooking a steak on the BBQ and out pops another statement… ‘chargrilling that steak is going to give you cancer.’
I’m reheating my leftovers in the microwave… ‘those microwave radiations are damaging your food and causing cancer.’
I’m picking up some tomatoes at the local grocery shop … ‘unless it’s organic, you’re going to do more harm than good eating that thing.’
By the sounds of my well-meaning friends and family, it appears to me that everything I put in my mouth is going to hurt me.
Why have we become so fearful of food these days? Many people I know have become self-appointed experts in nutrition and are eager as ever to speak evil of anything that we eat.
There are elements of truth to most statements. I agree that charcoaled meat can increase your risk of colon cancer for example.
But what I am trying to say is why focus on the negatives when there are so many beneficial aspects to the foods we eat. Where are the positive and encouraging words celebrating food?
Instead of focussing on the charcoaled meat, congratulate the rainbow of colours of the salad next to it.
Instead of being critical of the sugar in my tea, lets celebrate the benefits of tea.
Instead of fearing the pesticide residue on vegies, let’s celebrate the abundance of fruit and veg we have access to in Australia.
Instead of fearing microwaves, embrace how they can heat foods without reducing nutrient content.
Look what’s on your plate or lunch box today and find something beneficial to celebrate.
