To think healthy food actually tastes better than unhealthy food?

[takemebackto1800]

It amazes me, I'm pretty overweight and trying to eat healthily/low carb and I notice that whenever I eat like this, the food always tastes better and I'm not left feeling like crap afterwards. However, I always seem to slip back to unhealthy eating/loads of carbs even though the healthy meals taste 1000x better to me. I wonder why that is? Anyway does anyone else think healthy food tastes so much better than unhealthy?

YANBU

I was just saying the exact same thing to my DH. I'm trying desperately to lose a lot of weight but this weekend was shit and I ended up eating rubbish junk food. Tonight we had what should have been Saturday's dinner and it was so much nicer than what we had. But I still go back to the junk when I'm struggling.

If you genuinely thought that, you wouldn't 'slip back' in to eating things you don't like/like less.

Nothing beats a Big Mac for me, but I don't attach labels to food, I eat what I like.

@FatCatThinCat it's so strange isn't it...

@lughnasadh well I'm not lying

I think all the food I like tastes good, none of it is unhealthy, because food isn't.
Labelling it is unhealthy.

I’m pretty sure it has to do with the addictive shit they put in junk food. Fat, salt, additives etc. So even though you are not really enjoying it, you crave it.

I crave cigarettes instead of junk food. Same principle.

Part of the problem is that people in this country have a warped idea of what "healthy" food means: the diet industry has bred us into thinking it means cottage cheese on a Ryvita with a bit of limp lettuce on the side. No wonder people would rather eat chips and a burger.

For example the British idea of a salad is a mean, meagre thing mainly lettuce (which I loathe) with a couple of token bits of protein in it.

Nicely roasted vegetables with lots of flavour, grilled fish or chicken, stir-fries, these things are much much nicer than a Big Mac, let alone the standard "salad". But because they take a bit more time to prepare and involve choosing and preparing ingredients people who are busy often don't bother.

The Mediterranean diet is much healthier than most of what we eat here day to day, far better tasting as well. If we started to redefine healthy food it would help.

@justanotherremainer I think you're right, plus convenience. I crave junk food and cigarettes

I find when I'm watching what I eat, I eat less. This means when I do eat I really enjoy it. When I'm not watching what I eat, I graze all day. I never get truly hungry. Food too me always tastes better when I'm hungry.

Also your taste buds change so for example when you stop eating sugar, if ever you slip up things that were nice before are incredibly sweet!

Absolutely it does!

I think what it is is this.

Easy + healthy = doesn't taste particularly stellar.
Effortful + healthy = tastes amazing
Easy + unhealthy = tastes alright

It's an effort thing for me. If I need to make or get something easy, unhealthy tends to be a tastier alternative than healthy.

But if I have the time, effort and energy to make something then healthy tends to be much nicer (IMO) than something greasy or carb loaded. To the point that I don't bother making these things, because the convenience version of them is fine and fulfils the purpose, and if I'm going to put effort in then I'd rather choose something I'm really going to enjoy.

For me it's the effort required that makes me reach for the unhealthy (yet convenient) option.

I always enjoy a home cooked meal more than a takeaway but I just can't be bloody bothered cooking 7 days a week!

I agree. I do enjoy a really good piece of cake, I’ve cream or chocolate occasionally (and these are obviously not health foods!) but I don’t enjoy fatty and salty savoury foods at all.

I disagree purely because when the kids were at an age of constant questions on life etc, we went through a good/bad food taste.... They came to their own conclusion that if it tastes good, it's bad for you (or should be in moderation) but to be fair that was mainly white bread, chocolate, cheese, cake, McDonald's etc

I think in the case of weight loss, is it perhaps because you are eating raw food that you would normally cover in a sauce ie broccoli n cauliflower cheese.

Depends on the food. A plate of super fresh, hot thin crispy chips with ketchup and a chilled pint of peroni is absolutely delicious, whereas a courgette and celery smoothie would make me retch uncontrollably.

It depends what you mean by ‘unhealthy’ OP! Most junk food is shit and does actually taste pretty horrible when you think about it, but there are lots of high calorie ‘bad-for-you’ foods that are tasty (like good quality chocolate, a nice cheese board etc!) or a heavenly red wine that I could drink until I was very drunk!

I do enjoy tons of salad and vegetables. Having lots of colour on my plate makes me joyful!

Depends what you're definition of healthy food is. One of the issues I have with weight watchers and similar is there inclusion of messed around with low fat and low sugar foods. I cook most things from scratch and think these so called healthy options taste horrible. If they've taken away the fat they frequently replace it with sugar and additives. Low fat butter substitutes are the devil's own work.

I really want to lose weight but the nurse would push me towards ww or slimming world and i just can't do it. Food is one of life's pleasures and I hate their pushing od so called "healthy" diet foods.

I know you probably don't mean this op, but just wanted to say get on my soap box. Its been playing on my mind recently.

Personally I like a mix of food. Some of its healthy and some nor so much.

I agree about this with regard to junk food.

One reason people go back to it is ease - it's easily available and if you are boredom eating or stress eating that's what you'll go for. And also if you are pushed for time or exhausted which is why busy people fall into poor habits more easily.

The other is the kind of sugar and salt hits, and some of the intensity of artificial flavours, and certain fats and the textures associated with them, are really really attractive to parts of your brain, and give a huge burst of satisfaction when you eat them. But it really isn't quite the same as a really good, well cooked meal, when you sit back afterwards.

@Sunhoop

For me it's the effort required that makes me reach for the unhealthy (yet convenient) option.

I always enjoy a home cooked meal more than a takeaway but I just can't be bloody bothered cooking 7 days a week!

Same here. I know a home-cooked meal will taste good, but sometimes I can’t be arsed with whatever’s planned and we order a mediocre pizza for an extortionate price. I revel in the convenience more than the taste! If I had a live-in chef I’d eat healthily all the time.

No. I wish I felt unhealthy food tastes better. I do like a lot of healthy food but nothing satisfies me like nachos with melted cheese all over them.

Nothing beats a maccas breakky but a sausage and egg muffin with a black coffee!

Besides breakfast typical fast food isn't great. Kebab shop food is downright gross. Some gastro pub I'm good can be amazing.

I agree OP.

Most of the time I reach for junk for one of two reasons.

1: it’s convenient. I could either eat half a pack of biscuits or I could stand there and dice peppers and cucumber and make a tuna pasta.

1. I am feeling a certain way and certain food helps me feel better / helps me feel like celebrating

So, convenience and emotion are my barriers.

YABU but if it makes you feel better, crack on.

Agreed!

I think I'm finally a grown up now because the idea of McDonalds genuinely puts me off. I couldn't believe it when my parents said that when I was a kid

Junk actually just isn't as good when you get used to proper healthy food. You have to get into the routine of it though. I've definitely gotten caught in cycles of eating rubbish as well.

No it doesn't 😄

Just depends on what tastes good to you... It doesn't matter if it's considered healthy on not...but if that makes you feel better/if it tastes good to you, then great.