Should we all be giving up sugar and over processed food?

A few days ago, I went to see a friend and as I usually do, I brought something along, this time I bought chocolate, our artisan chocolate. As soon as he saw that, he thanked me and said “thanks for the thought but I don’t eat sugar anymore” leaving me astonished, adding that he was only eating dark chocolate now and then as a snack. Unfortunately, I had brought him milk chocolate because, even though I love dark chocolate and eat plenty, not everyone does, so I thought it would have been safer to bring him milk chocolate. He kept the chocolate to give to his family and we spent the next half an hour discussing food and diet.

I asked him why such a drastic decision, I understood where I was coming from, but I could not do it, I just could not give up on something. He had already been without sugar for a few months and he was feeling great and had no relapse or second thought. He had also stopped eating over processed food and we simultaneously mentioned the bread and its endless lists of ingredients, a staple that should only be made of flour, water and yeast. A few days later I read of a chef that had given up on over processed food and was suggesting that they were harmful like cigarette and came across this article from The New York Times.

I am careful in what I eat and I am also fortunate that the majority of the food I eat comes from our range and our suppliers are carefully selected, you can read more on our manifesto, but when I need something we do not stock, I carefully read the ingredients list and if I read something that should not be there, I don’t buy it. In that sense, I believe I have already given up on over processed food.

Only a few days earlier our chat, obesity and diabetes had made the news, so our conversation could not be more actual. We both love our food and make time to prepare it, I can’t remember the last time I bought a pre ready meal and take away is an once year event. I love cooking and despite what many think, it is easier, cheaper and faster to make something at home than order and wait for it to be delivered or collected, we have plenty of easy to make recipes on our website.

The thing about me and take away, and food in general, is that when the food is not made using good quality ingredients and poorly made, even if have a small portion, it makes me feel full and sluggish. In a way, I consider this to be my alarm bell. On the other side, when the food is properly made, I can eat massive portions and within 2 hours be hungry again.
There is plenty of scientific evidence that confirms that we are what we eat and our mental and physical wellbeing is strictly and directly linked to what we eat and drink. Eat properly and feel great, eat rubbish and feel rubbish, as simple as that.

Unfortunately, when price becomes the determining factor driving our food choices, we are not saving money, we are slowing shutting down our bodies. And having a gluten intolerant in the family, I noticed that the “free from” range in supermarkets is getting bigger and bigger and even includes gluten free ice lollies, I wonder where the gluten comes from since they should only be made of water and fruit or at least, flavouring. I believe this tells us the direction we are heading to. Paying a premium to eat better quality food, even if in the case of “free from” range, in the majority of the cases, the gluten should not be there in the first place and contain plenty of other unhealthy ingredients.