Looking for Consensus on "Healthy" Foods

By Keith-Thomas Ayoob, ED.D. Get 10 registered dietitian/nutritionists (RDNs) in a room and the chance of us "talking shop" is virtually 100 percent. While there'd be a robust debate about some subjects, we'd all agree that the question we get more than any other from the public is, "Is this healthy?" and various iterations of the same. Many consumers have definite ideas about what's healthy and what's not. So do nutritionists. According to a survey recently conducted by the New York Times that contrasted responses of the public and members of the American Society of Nutritionists, a professional organization, the two groups frequently disagree about whether a food is "healthy." Preparation and perception Some foods in the study were obvious. Kale is healthy; trans fat is not. Most foods fall somewhere in between. That's because the term "healthy" doesn't account for quantity or method of preparation, and those are often the pivotal issues. The dose makes the poison, but it also brings the benefit. Take chicken, for example. In the study, chicken was considered healthy by nearly all RDNs and the public, but neither the method of preparation nor the quantity eaten was specified. That's a flaw, because baked chicken eaten without the skin has less fat and fewer calories than battered and deep-fried chicken with the skin on, so it probably wouldn't be scored the same as just "chicken." Indeed, about half the fat in chicken resides in the skin, so just asking about "chicken" ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news