Page 26 - The Villager May 2021

Lifestyle

THE EVOLUTION OF HEALTHY FOOd

BY MICHELLE L. RAYMOND
hile rummaging through my that they should only be consumed on We are faced now with the dilemma
collection of old magazines rare occasions. There was no mention of of deciphering what is ‘opinion’ versus
W(a genetic trait, I’m sure, raw vegetables other than the inclusion medical fact and what is ‘right’ for our
passed down from my grandmother who of a salad as a lunch meal. Breakfast body versus the latest fad. And more
kept every tram ticket she ever used for consisted of cereal with milk or yoghurt often than not, we have to use our
reasons I’ll never know), I came across a and fruit; dinner suggestions were common sense.
magazine published in 1999. It was both as simple as a protein with cooked Food, at its most basic, is fuel for the
nostalgic and hilarious to see the adverts vegetables and a starch. That was body to function optimally. Instead, we
back then and what was trendy. I shudder healthy eating in the nineties - how indulge in it, we abuse it, we used it as
at the thought of what I used to wear. things have changed! a tool for discipline and control (“Finish
I had kept the article specifically Nowadays, we have things called your food because there are starving
because it was about health, wellness SuperFoods, protein shakes, meal kids out there.”/”If you clean your room,
and nutrition - a topic I have always replacements and smoothies and I’ll give you a sweetie!”), and it is often
had, and still have, a keen interest in. It deciding on what to eat seems much the very reason and focus of our social
described a meal plan for maintaining more complicated, especially having to gatherings.
good health and vitality. It suggested consider various foods that arrived out Going back to the article I found -
what foods to avoid and what foods to of nowhere. I am still of the opinion that there, right on the opposite page, was
introduce or ramp up. Some of it is still Kale comes from another planet and is a full page advertisement that would
relevant today. Some of it - well, is not. not suitable for human consumption. draw anyone’s attention. A gorgeous
Sugar, as everyone knows, was Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), chia woman, wearing a rather small bikini,
described as ‘bad’ and in the red box seeds, coconut water, gluten-free standing suggestively next to a hunky
of foods to avoid at all costs. Processed pasta and wheatgrass shots came onto man, on a yacht surrounded by crystal
foods like deli meats and crisps were the scene around the introduction of clear water and blue sky, both looking
also a no-no. social media. Anyone with an internet so healthy, fit and tanned - an almost
Here is where it got interesting. connection could position themselves perfect image portrayal of the adjacent
Avocados and eggs were portrayed in a as an expert and create compelling, but article about health. It was then that I
‘bad light’ due to their high fat and high often misleading, messages about what had to giggle. The advert was for none
cholesterol content so it recommended is healthy and what diets to follow. other than Peter Stuyvesant cigarettes!!

24 • Issue 5 2021 • The Villager