Can you eat your cake and still have it? Moderate diets are a way to eat your cake and still be healthy! Eating in moderation means you do not eat excess of any food. Neither do you deprive yourself of any food. However, you consider the amount and frequency of the foods you eat. This gives you the freedom to eat what you want. And allows you to enjoy a variety of foods.

Food is more than nutrients!

Food is not just for nourishing our bodies. We eat food also for social and psychological reasons. Whenever I introduce myself as a nutritionist and a baker, I always get that look! ARENT NUTRITIONISTS ANTI-CAKE? Cakes are not bad. In fact no food is a bad food! Socially, we are always meeting over something to eat. Actually no meeting happens without eating in Kenya!

Why moderate diets?

In Kenya, our portions are reversed. We consume more carbohydrate and less vegetables. This is how our ancestors before us ate. But their lifestyle was so different from our current lifestyle. We are currently in a nutrition transition phase. Our lifestyle is gradually becoming sedentary. Our foods patterns are also changing. For example chapatti, soda, roast meats were rare dishes. But now you can have them anytime you want. Fast foods have also become cheaper, convenient and a statement of class. These changes are behind the increased number of food related diseases like diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

We may not be able to change the nutrition transition. But we can make better choices as far as the amount and frequency of the foods we eat is concerned.

Benefits of moderate diets

No elimination is needed

Healthy eating, always feels like a killjoy. Stop eating delicious and tasty foods. Start eating the tasteless, boring foods. However, that should not be the case. Food is meant to be enjoyed. Therefore by eating foods that you do not like, you will always feel cheated.  Actually most people are not willing to give up favourite foods for the sake of healthy eating. A friend of mine says, “I would rather live a short life eating tasty foods than a long life eating tasteless food”. Moderation does not need you to remove any food from your diet. However, the important thing is how often and how much you eat a particular food.

Easy to follow

Those who know me, will tell you that I am not a fan of fad diets. When I meet people on such diets, I always ask them, can you live on that diet all your life? And the answer is mostly NO. Being on diets makes it difficult to eat out. Moderate diets sets you free to enjoy foods served in parties without fear or guilt. It is also easy to follow for long term since it is a lifestyle.

Moderate diets Keeps cravings at bay

Our mind is an active participant as far as eating is concerned. When you eliminate some foods from the diet. Especially the foods that you like. Your body will start to crave for them. Cravings are the number one reason why most diets fail. And because nutritionists know this, we will provide for something called cheat days. But how long can you cheat your body? A moderate diet allows you to continue eating what you like. This way your body does not develop strong cravings. This also sets you free from guilt that comes from eating ‘prohibited’ foods.

You get to eat a variety of foods

Since moderation regulates the frequency at which you eat a particular food. You will therefore consider having a variety of foods in your menu. Whenever I eat out, I am always looking for something I have never eaten before. This is adventurous and I have enjoyed most new food. Of course there have been some bad experiences too! Variety also improves your nutrition profile. Since you get a lot of nutrients from eating many different foods