People Eating Food Health Food Fats Fads Healthy Low Fat

Many "fads" (ideas and behaviors that become very popular very quickly, and then are forgotten) are related to food and especially healthy eating.

One past health-food fad was the low-fat diet. People tried to minimize the percentage of their "calories" (measurement of food energy) that came from fats. Over time, people began to "differentiate" (see differences) among different types of fats. They believed it was best to "avoid" (not have or use) "saturated fats" (animal-based fats), but that "monosaturated" or "polysaturdated fats" could be healthy "in moderation" (without extremes; without too little or too much of something). More recently, people have become concerned with avoiding "trans fats" which are found in highly processed foods.

Over time, low-fat diets "gave way to" (lost popularity as something else becomes more popular) low-""carb" (carbohydrate) diets and especially the Atkins diet. People became "obsessed with" (very concerned and preoccupied or always thinkingg about) reducing the percentage of their calories that came from carbohydrates. They tended to eat a lot of "animal products" (foods made from animal sources), like meats and cheeses.

Other health-food fads focus on "vegetarian" (eating no meaet) or "vegan" (eating no meat, eggs, or milk) diets, eating only organic foods, or eating only local foods that are grown within a certain number of miles of where one lives.

Most "nutritionists" (doctors and others who specialize in knowing what people should eat for good health) advise moderation in everything. They recommend eating a "balanced diet" (with a little bit of everything) that focuses on high-""fiber" (the part of food that is not as easily digested), "whole" (not processed) foods, "complex carbohydrates" (carbs found in whole grains, not simple sugars), and reduced-fat "dairy products" (foods made from milk).