87,000 – that’s how many different beverages Starbucks offers. That’s not even included all their summer drinks launched these past few months. Let that number soak in. Why so many? Are people picky? Nope – it’s because there is no ‘one size fits all’ in the food world. There are so many diets, dietary restrictions, allergies, intolerances, preferences, and almost 87,000 more reasons so I’ll stop there. So what’s up with all these diets? Are they a fad? Or are they here to stay?
What’s trending in the food world? There’s always a new diet, and new trend that everyone wants to follow. But what’s really here to stay?
Let’s start with carbs. The most hated AND loved food there is. Hands down, carbs would win any popularity contest. But what happened recently is that everyone wanted a ‘no carb’ diet. Carbs are automatically associated with weight gain. They are low in fiber and digested quickly. In moderation, that is ok. Many refined carbs cause swings in blood sugar levels, causing the body to feel full but only for a short amount of time.
But there are many different kinds of carbs. Healthier carbs, complex carbs, food for fuel carbs. You’ll often hear the term ‘carb load’. This is common among athletes. It is a strategy used to maximize the storage of glycogen in the muscles, in hopes of an overall better performance.
So if carbs can do that for you, how can they be bad for you? It’s all about moderation. Am I saying eat a loaf of bread a day? Absolutely not. But know your facts before you decide to ‘cut carbs’ and be healthy. Below is a little table, dividing the carbs. After making the list, it was much easier coming up with ‘good carbs’ over the bad ones. So go ahead, carb load (haha).
| Good Carbs | Bad Carbs |
| Vegetables. Literally all of them. | Sugars |
| Apples, bananas, strawberries. | Added sugars (sweeteners) |
| Lentils and kidney beans. | Starches and flour |
| Nuts and seeds. | Fried chips and candy |
| Whole grains: Oats, quinoa, brown rice | White grains |
The human body adapts well because we train it to. That being said, the next big diet on the list is keto. Personally, I like this diet. I love it. After studying the science behind it I love that way it works on the body, and even mind. But again, like everything, it is not for everyone. It is effective. When I say effective, it depends what you are going for.
Weight loss is the number one reason for diets and keto will help you achieve this. The nice thing about keto, it doesn’t just help how you physically look, it helps how you mentally feel. That’s what is unique about this. Other diets leave you hungry and cranky. Keto fuels your brain and body.
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low carb diet that was initially intended to treat epilepsy in children. The keto diet forces the body to burn fat rather than carbs, and keeps your body in an alert and happy state. This diet has been around for a while, but now emerging more and more.
As time changes, people change, food changes, and diets change. We become accustom to the food culture around us. We figure out what works for us. And this is why there is 87,000 different drink options, and more to come.
Food has always been a conversation, an outing, a ‘first date’, a happy place, a scary place, an uncomfortable place, a great place. It can be a million things, but first and foremost it is a necessity. But if we take the time to understand this not so complex food world, we can use it for what it was intended for: our body’s main sense of nourishment. So out of the 87,000 different diets out there, find your happy one.
