Every Question You Ever Had About Really Eating Well

- Scarlett Wrench

Q: Give it to me straight: which of my vices do I need to give up for good?

A: We’re talking strictly food-related, presumably?

Er… Let’s say yes. Or else that’s a whole other conversation.

Then, unless you have an allergy, a persistent medical condition, or adhere to a prohibitive religious doctrine, there’s nothing in particular you need to cut out.

As in… nothing?

Nothing. In fact, we’d caution against this kind of intervention. Variety and flexibility in your diet are crucial to maintaining a healthy relationship with food. More pertinently, eliminating specific foods can reduce your tolerance to them, making it hard to reintroduce them to your diet when the wind changes on the latest nutritional thinking.

Does that mean I should switch back to dairy?

I still have two-thirds of a carton of Oatly in the fridge. Well, you could argue that cow’s milk is more nutrient dense than plant milks, which tend to be fortified with extra vitamins and minerals. But, ultimately, they’re just different, with their own calorie counts and macro balances. It depends on what else you’re eating and which nutrients you might be short on.

So, I don’t need dairy, but I don’t have to give it up if I don’t want to?

Exactly. There are other ways to source your calcium: leafy greens, nuts and soya all work. In this case, environmental and ethical arguments for avoiding animal products might be more convincing.

Yes, I’ve seen that Netflix documentary. But eco props aside, is veganism any better for me? Or is it just a marketing ploy to sell cauliflower steaks?