The quality of a diet isn’t determined by what you exclude... but rather the variety of foods that you choose to INCLUDE!
For example, rather than hyper-focusing on excluding dairy, gluten and fruit, instead put a larger emphasis on including a wide variety of plants and lean protein sources from all food groups in your diet. This includes plenty of vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, fruit, lean meats, seafood, dairy, eggs and plant oils.
While some foods may unnecessarily be deemed as “bad”, we can confidently say that developing a nutrient deficiency is much, much worse ☠️ - It’s inherently important that if a food is excluded from the diet that the essential nutrients within that food are acknowledged, and are still consumed in sufficient quantities from another food source to avoid deficiencies and illness.
For example:
-If you choose to exclude dairy products, aim to consume lactose-free varieties or fortified plant alternatives
- If you choose to exclude gluten-containing products, ensure you’re still consuming sufficient carbohydrates from a variety of other fibre-rich, complex sources
- If you are required to exclude some fruits from your diet, ensure you increase your vegetable intake
We also fully understand that there are reasons why an individual may choose to exclude certain foods from their diet such as:
- Allergies and intolerances
- Religious and ethical reasons
- Medical purposes
- They don’t like the taste
- They can’t source a particular food
Ultimately, the foods listed above are remarkably nutritious and provide us with an abundance of essential dietary nutrients that our bodies are unable to synthesis. Therefore, think TWICE before you exclude!