the issue with guilt-free food

The healthy living trend is going nowhere, and with it comes buzzwords like 'clean eating', 'sugar-free, gluten-free', and 'guilt-free'. We've entered a whole new territory of categorising foods - can anyone actually tell me what the Keto diet is?

Of course it's important for your body and for your mind that you eat healthily - the 'five-a-day' should not be forgotten. I definitely advocate getting in as many nutritious meals as possible.

But, I do have an issue with the labelling of food as 'guilt-free'.

Guilt should never be attached to food. It's something we need to survive. You don't hear of guilt-free clothing, guilt-free housing, guilt-free deodorant. Food is essential to living a wholesome life and yes, greasy chips are not the ideal source of nutrition, but -

 - Labelling certain foods as guilt-free implies that you should feel guilty for eating other versions of that food. -

I still can't seem to believe that their is a place for avocado in any form of baked good. If you're going to eat a piece of cake, please just eat a piece of cake. You should never feel guilty for eating something. Nothing good comes from deprivation and eating should be a joyous occasion. It's a time to share with loved ones, a time when you take the time to give your body care.

If you love pasta then don't stop eating pasta. I know that I will never be able to give up chocolate, ever. Second to tea, it's what gives me joy in life (don't tell my family). I don't ever want to stop enjoying it because it falls into the 'bad' category.

No food is 'bad' if it's eaten in moderation. Eating pasta every day will in the long run have negative affects on your body and health. Because like everything else - your body needs variety, it needs balance in order to function properly. The same goes for a purely spinach-based diet. No good will come of it.

You need to find the balance between giving your body all the nutrition it needs and eating the foods you love. And then the key thing is accepting what your body looks like when you find this balance. We place so much emphasis on the external, that often our feelings, emotions get put on the back burner. You're body may 'look' better when you're eating only guilt-free food, but is it at its happiest?  Maybe you have a few softer, rounder bits when you eat the occasional pastry but surely that's worth the joy you experience when eating a pastry?

I came across this quote the other day and I think it sums up what I'm trying to say perfectly -

"Hmm should I worry about the flab on my arms or enjoy my one life?"