Smart Eating is a lifestyle, that you should do for longer than Smart Eating Week

This week it is DAA's Smart Eating Week.

Rather than a short term "Diet" - "Smart Eating" is a lifestyle, a behaviour that should be maintained, be lived daily, rather than done for a week.

It's better to do "Smart Eating" that you can maintain, rather than "Perfect Eating" which is restrictive, makes you hungry, and can't be followed.

Smart eating focuses on eating behaviours.

It includes eating a nutritionally adequate intake, eating appropriately for specific goals (postprandial blood glucose, lipids, exercise goals, etc), enables eating in social contexts, and the enjoyment of foods. It also includes the preparation of meals, timing, organisation, planning, with a buffer of flexibility.

Smart Eating also takes into account shopping, budget, eating what's in season, not wasting food, appropriate food storage, etc.

A recent study identified health risks associated with ultra processed foods http://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k322.  The "ultra processed" intake of foods not only may have detrimental health effects, but also contain minimum nutritional value. This is not smart eating.

It would be smart to consume a mainly plant based diet, enough protein for lean muscle and satiety, high in nutrients, fibre, low in processing and energy density. This style of eating has not only been associated with positive health outcomes, but tastes, and makes you feel good.

And, it can be maintained for longer than Smart Eating Week.