Carrots and cupcakes: healthy eating made simple | Niki Bezzant | TEDxQueenstown

Summary

The speaker addresses the paradox of increasing health advice and declining health, using the carrot versus cupcake analogy to highlight dietary confusion. They humorously propose the 'South Pole diet' to illustrate the absurdity of fad diets, advocating instead for a balanced approach to eating. Emphasizing the importance of food, they debunk the one-size-fits-all diet myth, stressing the need for a personalized, sustainable eating pattern. The talk concludes with six key points for healthy eating, focusing on moderation, variety, and enjoying food without guilt, ultimately promoting a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Takeaways

• 📢 Despite the abundance of healthy eating advice, people are getting more confused and less healthy.
• 🥕 The example of a carrot and a cupcake illustrates the confusion around what is considered healthy, with even healthy foods like carrots being criticized for their sugar content.
• 🍰 The notion that a cupcake could be healthy if it's gluten-free, paleo-friendly, vegan, and without refined sugar highlights the absurdity of some diet claims.
• 🌍 The speaker humorously proposes a 'South Pole diet' to show how easy it is to create a diet theory, emphasizing that most diets lack sustainability and are not based on solid evidence.
• 💡 The speaker advocates for a genuine diet theory called 'moderation with a touch of relaxation,' suggesting that a balanced approach to eating is more effective than extreme diets.
• 🌱 The importance of food is emphasized, suggesting that it should be given time and importance in our lives without causing guilt or shame.
• 🚫 There is no one-size-fits-all diet, and what works for one person may not work for another, highlighting the need for individualized eating plans.
• 🌈 Eating a variety of foods and not too much of any one thing is encouraged, which aligns with the concept of moderation.
• 🥦 The speaker emphasizes the importance of eating vegetables, as they are a common factor in the diets of the world's healthiest populations.
• 🍳 Cooking at home is recommended as it allows for control over ingredients and portion sizes, and sharing meals can improve mental and physical health.
• 🥗 The final takeaway is to embrace moderation and enjoy food as part of a balanced lifestyle, without obsessing over specific dietary rules or restrictions.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the transcript regarding healthy eating advice?

The main issue discussed is that despite being surrounded by healthy eating advice, people are getting more confused and less healthy, with increasing rates of obesity and related health problems.

What is the speaker's demonstration using a carrot and a cupcake meant to illustrate?

The speaker uses a carrot and a cupcake to illustrate the confusion around what is considered healthy, pointing out that even a seemingly healthy vegetable like a carrot can be viewed negatively due to its sugar content, and a typically unhealthy item like a cupcake can be marketed as healthy under certain conditions.

Why does the speaker say that diets are not sustainable in the long term?

The speaker argues that diets are not sustainable because they often involve extreme changes to eating habits that are difficult to maintain over time, and they usually do not lead to lasting changes in lifestyle and eating patterns.

What is the 'South Pole diet' mentioned in the script, and why is it significant?

The 'South Pole diet' is a hypothetical diet invented by the speaker as a joke to illustrate how easy it is to create a diet theory. It is significant because it highlights the absurdity of some diet trends and the lack of real science behind them.

What is the speaker's stance on the idea of a 'one-size-fits-all' diet?

The speaker is against the idea of a 'one-size-fits-all' diet, emphasizing that there is no perfect diet that works for everyone, as different individuals have different needs, lifestyles, and preferences.

What is the main diet theory the speaker proposes instead of fad diets?

The speaker proposes the theory of 'moderation with a touch of relaxation,' suggesting that a balanced approach to eating, without extreme restrictions or obsessions, is the key to healthy eating.

According to the speaker, what is the role of food in our lives?

The speaker believes that food is important and should be given time and importance in our lives, but it should not be a source of guilt or shame, and it should be enjoyed without moral judgment.

What does the speaker mean by 'eat food, not nutrients'?

The speaker encourages focusing on eating whole, fresh foods rather than obsessing over individual nutrients like fat, carbs, or protein, as a balanced diet with a variety of foods will naturally provide the necessary nutrients.

Why is it important to enjoy food and not just focus on nutrition?

Enjoying food is important because it contributes to mental and emotional well-being, and it helps to create a positive relationship with food, which is essential for sustainable healthy eating habits.

What advice does the speaker give regarding the consumption of vegetables?

The speaker advises eating a wide variety of vegetables and making them the main focus of meals, as they are a key component of a healthy diet and are common to the diets of the long-lived people in the Blue Zones.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of cooking at home?

The speaker emphasizes cooking at home because it allows for control over the ingredients and preparation methods, fostering a healthier diet and also promoting family bonding and a shared food culture.

Outlines

00:00

😖 Confusion in Healthy Eating

The speaker begins by highlighting the paradox of being surrounded by healthy eating advice yet becoming more confused and unhealthy. They use the example of a carrot versus a cupcake to illustrate the conflicting information about food and health. The mention of a gluten-free, paleo-friendly, vegan cupcake without refined sugar exemplifies the complexity of modern dietary choices. The speaker emphasizes the high rates of obesity and pre-diabetes in New Zealand, the cost burden on the health system, and the ineffectiveness of fad diets, proposing a satirical 'South Pole diet' to demonstrate the absurdity of diet trends.

05:02

🤔 The Moderation Approach to Healthy Eating

The speaker advocates for a message of moderation in the face of prevailing extreme diets. They argue that moderation is radical in the current nutrition environment and present six points about healthy eating, focusing on mindset rather than specific foods. The points emphasize the importance of food, the absence of a one-size-fits-all diet, and the need to avoid moral judgments about food choices. The speaker criticizes diets that promise quick fixes and the weight loss industry, asserting that diets do not work in the long term and that a balanced approach is needed.

10:05

🥦 Prioritizing Food Quality and Pleasure

Continuing the discussion on healthy eating, the speaker stresses the importance of eating whole, fresh foods rather than obsessing over individual nutrients. They argue against the idea of forbidden foods and diets that promote restrictive lists, instead encouraging a balanced intake of all types of food in moderation. The speaker also emphasizes the role of food in providing pleasure and the importance of enjoying treats without guilt, while also considering long-term nourishment and happiness.

15:06

🍲 Embracing a Life of Culinary Engagement

The speaker concludes by highlighting the benefits of cooking at home, which allows for control over ingredients and a more mindful approach to eating. They suggest that sharing meals with others can improve both mental and physical health, and that modeling healthy eating behaviors can positively impact future generations. The speaker reiterates the importance of moderation, enjoying food, and not becoming overly fixated on diet trends, aiming to make moderation a natural and normal part of life.

Keywords

💡Healthy eating

Healthy eating refers to the practice of consuming a diet that is nutritionally balanced and beneficial for overall health. In the video, it is the central theme, with the speaker discussing the paradox of increasing health advice and decreasing health outcomes. The script uses the carrot and cupcake to illustrate the confusion surrounding what is considered healthy.

💡Confusion

Confusion in this context highlights the mixed messages people receive about nutrition, leading to a lack of clarity on what constitutes a healthy diet. The speaker mentions that despite the abundance of healthy eating advice, people are getting more confused and unhealthy, using the example of the sugar content in carrots to demonstrate this confusion.

💡Moderation

Moderation is the concept of balancing food intake without extreme restrictions or excesses. The speaker advocates for a diet approach based on moderation with a touch of relaxation, suggesting that extreme diets are not sustainable and that a balanced approach is healthier and more realistic.

💡Dietary patterns

Dietary patterns refer to the habitual consumption of certain types of foods and their combinations. The video emphasizes that there is no one-size-fits-all diet and that healthy eating involves finding a pattern that suits an individual's lifestyle, preferences, and needs.

💡Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition involving excess body fat to the extent that health may be negatively affected. The script mentions the high rates of obesity and its associated costs to society, indicating the severity of the issue and the importance of addressing unhealthy eating habits.

💡Pre-diabetes

Pre-diabetes is a state where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. The speaker uses the prevalence of pre-diabetes to underscore the importance of understanding and practicing healthy eating to prevent the onset of more serious health conditions.

💡Heart disease

Heart disease refers to a range of conditions that affect the heart's ability to function properly. The video script cites heart disease as a leading cause of death, linking it to unhealthy dietary habits and emphasizing the need for dietary changes to improve public health.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the context of diets refers to the ability to maintain a certain way of eating over the long term. The speaker argues that diets that promise quick fixes are not sustainable, whereas a moderate approach to eating is more likely to be maintained and lead to lasting health benefits.

💡Pleasure

Pleasure in relation to food is the enjoyment and satisfaction derived from eating. The video encourages viewers to find pleasure in eating and to not associate guilt with food, suggesting that a positive relationship with food is part of a healthy lifestyle.

💡Plant-based diet

A plant-based diet is primarily focused on foods derived from plants, including vegetables, grains, nuts, and legumes. The speaker highlights the importance of a plant-based diet, referencing the diets of the Blue Zones, where people tend to live longer and healthier lives.

💡Cooking

Cooking is the process of preparing food by applying heat. The video script promotes home cooking as a way to take control over the ingredients and quality of food, suggesting that it can contribute to better health and a stronger connection with food and family.

Highlights

Healthy eating advice is ubiquitous, yet people are getting less healthy and more confused.

The paradox of being surrounded by healthy eating advice while health statistics worsen.

The example of a carrot and a cupcake to illustrate the confusion around what is healthy.

The misconception that carrots are high in sugar and the demonization of sugar in the diet.

The absurdity of a gluten-free, paleo-friendly, vegan cupcake without refined sugar.

The increasing prevalence of obesity and pre-diabetes in New Zealand.

The high cost of treating type 2 diabetes and obesity on society and the health system.

The ineffectiveness of fad diets and the lack of sustainability in diet trends.

The humorous concept of the 'South Pole diet' to demonstrate the absurdity of diet theories.

The importance of moderation and relaxation in dietary habits.

The 'True Health Initiative' and its focus on lifestyle practices for reducing chronic disease risk.

The six points or 'rules' for healthy eating presented by the speaker.

The emphasis on the importance of food and giving it time and importance in our lives.

The idea that food should not be a source of guilt or shame.

The fallacy of a one-size-fits-all diet and the importance of personalization.

The concept of eating food, not nutrients, and the importance of a balanced diet.

The encouragement to enjoy treats in moderation without guilt.

The advice to eat a variety of vegetables as part of a healthy diet.

The benefits of cooking at home and the importance of sharing meals with others.

The final message on embracing moderation and enjoying food as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Transcripts

we're surrounded by advice about healthy

eating it's everywhere we go it's on

television it's in the newspaper it's on

TV it's just about every social

interaction that we have as well but a

funny thing has happened in the face of

all this healthy eating advice we're

getting less and less healthy and we're

getting more and more confused

let me demonstrate the idea here I have

a carrot and a cupcake which of these is

the healthiest or take the carrot it's a

colorful vegetable it's full of fiber

it's got vitamin A vitamin C what's not

to like right if you google carrots and

sugar you might come across people

telling you that carrots are a high

sugar vegetable and that maybe we should

limit carrots sugar is a demon food

right now it's killing us all so could I

kill myself with carrots what about the

cupcake well I'm crazy right because if

one knows that cupcakes aren't healthy

what if I told you that this cupcake was

gluten-free paleo friendly vegan what if

I said it had no refined sugar is that

adding to your confusion welcome to the

world of healthy eating in 2016 when

we're getting more and more confused and

less and less healthy Kiwis are actually

getting less happy by the day one in

three of us about 1.3 million people are

obese one in five one in five of you has

got pre-diabetes a lot of us don't know

that yet one Kiwi dies every 90 minutes

from heart disease now we can say this

doesn't affect me I'm healthy but

actually it affects all of us and the

burden that it puts on our health system

and on our society treatment for type 2

diabetes and obesity costs a billion

dollars a year on top of that there's

another two hundred million dollars in

lost productivity so that means it's

costing each one of us at least $200 a

year alongside all this ill health or

maybe because of it everyone's going on

a diet

people are going paleo or they're

coercing sugar or the going low-carb but

the diets are not sustainable how many

people do you know who've been on the

same diet for ten years or five it's

just not possible to do what's popular

in the world of diets as the new the

latest breakthrough the newest theory

but when you look at them most diets

that come along there's not there's not

much that's really new I've learned this

in 16 years of working in the food media

they all start to look quite similar

when you have a close look rose the

healthy food grade nutritionist and I

have been joking for years that we are

going to one day when we get sick of

doing the magazine we're going to write

a diet book it's going to be called the

South Pole diet we knew you need a

science of sounding theory to have a

successful diet so this is going to be

based on the theory that it takes us

takes our bodies more energy to

metabolize foods at cold temperatures so

under the strict rules of the South Pole

diet every food will need to be eaten

either cold or other children frozen now

you need a magic food as well so our

magic food that you're going to have to

eat at every meal will be cold cooked

potatoes they contain resistant starch

it's very good for gut health it's going

to kick-start your weight loss sounds

quite plausible right we'd also get a

celebrity maybe Oprah to endorse it now

I want to make a disclaimer this is not

a real diet please don't anyone try this

but you can see how easy it is to come

up with a theory and also how ridiculous

they are although this one is really not

any more ridiculous than a lot of the

diets that have done the rounds the

thing is diets don't work if they did I

wouldn't be standing here now we

wouldn't have a multi-billion dollar

weight loss industry and we wouldn't

have an obesity epidemic

we'd all be eating the same way and we'd

all be slim and healthy human beings

being what we are we love the idea of

diets we love that promise of the quick

fix so I'm going to give you a genuine

diet theory today and I'm not even going

to make you buy my diet book to find out

what it is

I call it moderation moderation with a

touch of relaxation now it sounds silly

to say it but in the current nutrition

environment we are extremes prevail a

message of moderation feels radical a

message of moderation draws criticism

potentially of being a little bit behind

the times that old fashioned but

moderation is what we need according to

the true health initiative which is a

global collaboration of health

professionals dedicated to consensus on

lifestyle as medicine we have reliable

knowledge of lifestyle practices

including dietary pattern associated

with the potential to reduce both public

burden off and personal risk for chronic

disease and premature death by as much

as 80% 80% and we've also we've known

this for 20 years or more in other words

we already know what we need to do to be

healthy we've just lost sight of it

along the way so with that in mind I

would like to present to you everything

you need to know about healthy eating

I've got six points you could call them

rules if you like I really hate the idea

of rules when it comes to food but diets

are full of them and and people quite

like rules as well if that's not for you

then you could choose to think of these

as reminders because you actually you

know them all my rules or reminders are

not about watch to eat with one

exception my rules are about how to

think about what you eat and here they

are number one food is important so at

least you think that by saying eat in

moderation I'm saying eat whatever you

like

I want to say that food is really

important and it deserves to be given

time and importance in our lives I spend

most of my time talking thinking and

writing about food so it's really

important to me but we all eat we all of

us have to make decisions at least three

times a day about what and how to eat

and these decisions fit fundamental

things how we think how we feel even how

long we live so food deserves to be

given importance if we don't care about

what we eat and we're really kind of

taking a bit of a backseat to the state

of our own health but we also need to

relax a little bit and remember food is

just food food should not be something

that affects how we feel about ourselves

food should absolutely not make us feel

guilty or ashamed that's not a healthy

way to think about anything that we eat

there's such an element of moral

judgment attached food these days we

notice this we judge people on it all

the time we judge each other I mean I do

it myself it's hard not to be judging

you see parents in the supermarket worth

sugary drinks and white bread I've had a

few sideways looks myself you know

people see me with maybe wine or ice

cream and my trolley you get healthy

food woman you know it's just it's just

human to judge but it's not really very

fair to and certain circles you'll be

made to feel like a pariah if you put

sugar in your coffee heaven help you to

give you a child something sweet and

then is the internet the pressure and

social media is full of this pressure

telling us that we're not truly good

people unless we're sitting in our

active wear with a bliss ball in one

hand and a green smoothie in the other

you know these people right they might

be some of these people here

but food is just food food is not a

guilty pleasure if we're going to feel

emotional about food let's feel joyful

because food is one of life's greatest

pleasures number two there's no such

thing as one perfect diet anyone who

tells you no matter how charismatic they

are or how much science they quote that

they have got the answer the one way of

eating that works for everyone they're

trying to sell you something and they're

also wrong because there are lots of

ways to eat to be healthy in the way

that works for you is probably not going

to be the same as the way that works

best for me the way that works for you

has to suit your life your family

situation your budget and your

personality the people who love the

longest and stay the healthiest and the

world the places they live unknown as

the Blue Zones they all eat really

really different diets from Okinawa and

Japan with a fish and rice tuna Koya and

South America where they eat beans and

yams the diets are really different but

they're all equally healthy they all eat

moderately and they all have a really

relaxed attitude to what they eat I

guarantee you the people in the Blue

Zones are not worrying about whether

what they're about to eat is allowed or

not allowed and their diet if there are

lists of foods that you can and can't

have that to me is a diet and that's not

really sustainable so I encourage you to

be just weary of any way of eating that

does this we are better off eating a

little bit of everything and not too

much of anything which you could also

call moderation number three eat food

not nutrients it's really really easy to

get bogged down in the detail of

nutrients fat carbs protein but we don't

eat fat carbs and

routine we eat food you'll hear people

say oh it's not the fact that's killing

us it's the sugar but you know what no

one thing is killing us and no one thing

is the answer to all of our problems if

you find yourself worrying about the

sugar and the carrot or the cupcake for

that matter it might be time to just

relax and go outside and have a walk

around in the sunshine if we just

concentrate on eating fresh whole good

food

the nutrients would tend to take care of

themselves what makes you happy now

that's not a license to eat burgers

three times a day and it's not a license

to take that coke open happiness slogan

literally but we need to acknowledge

that food is about pleasure two treats

make us happy we also need to

acknowledge that treats are not everyday

food so we need to enjoy them moderately

but when we have them really savor and

enjoy them and take pleasure without

guilt now eating what makes you happy is

also about more than just immediate

gratification so we need to listen to

our bodies a big bowl of salad is going

to make you happy too because it's going

to nourish your body and make you feel

happy in the long term so moderation

here is about thinking about what makes

us happy now and also in the future at

you veggies here is the what to eat rule

your mum was right mum was right about a

lot of things but she was especially

right about this and here you don't need

to be moderate you can eat as much and

as wide a variety of these as possible

the people in the Blue Zones have this

in common they all eat a plant-based

diet they eat heaps of veggies when they

have meat it tends to be more like a

garnish rather than the main focus of

the meal and we would do really well to

follow that advice you might find the

ideal plate helpful here that's the

model where half the plate is

colorful vegetables and the other half

is divided into carbs and protein and

that's going to work for every meal that

you have but if in doubt just load up on

the veggies and lastly number six cook

cook as much as you can when you cook

you're taking direct control over what

goes into your body you're entrusting a

really important decision

what makes your body happy to a chef or

a fast food cook or a production line

and a factory and when you've cooked

relax sit down enjoy and share your food

with others connecting with each other

over food has been shown and researched

to make us healthier both mentally and

physically time spent in the kitchen

long-term it could be just as valuable

as time spent in the gym sitting down

and sharing food with your family is

also a fantastic way of building and

sharing your family's food culture of

modeling healthy eating behavior and of

paying health forward to the next

generation so that they don't end up

with those terrible health statistics

that we have so there you have all you

need to know I encourage you to embrace

moderation

let's make moderation something once

again that's not radical let's make it

something natural if we can get to the

point where we naturally eat what makes

us feel truly good both in the moment

and in the long term if we eat with

pleasure if we connect with our food and

give it importance but we also relax and

don't get too obsessed about it that to

me is truly healthy eating and that is

going to make us happier and healthier

people in case you're wondering about

the carrot

the cupcake that was kind of a trick

question

I would probably tend to eat more

carrots than I would cupcakes personally

but if what I have said today has left

any impression with you I would just

love it to be that we can enjoy both

these things as we can with all food as

part of a life of moderation thank

you