Carrots and cupcakes: healthy eating made simple | Niki Bezzant | TEDxQueenstown

Even though we’re surrounded by healthy eating advice, we seem to be getting more confused about how to eat - and less healthy. But the basics of healthy eating are simple: all we really need to know are six things about how to think about our food.
Niki Bezzant is a nutrition and food writer and the founding editor, now editor-in-chief, of Healthy Food Guide magazine (New Zealand’s top-selling food magazine). She is a weekly columnist for the Herald on Sunday, regularly blogs at healthyfood.co.nz and is a regular contributor to TV and radio.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@linguaphile9415]

"Everything in moderation, including moderation." - Oscar Wilde

[@beachdays561]

Went out with my family for a coffee today, we all had a delicious scone with cream and jam.. it was great, we all enjoyed it fully.. that one scone was split 4 ways.. we didn't calculate how much sugar there was, we enjoyed it and it didn't get the better of us.. moderation can equally be the amount as well as how often!

[@virginiakettles37]

"Moderation" does not work for everyone. If refined sugar is an addictive substance, there are lots of people that can't have even a little without going off the rails. I wasn't able to successfully lose weight and keep it off until I completely abstained from refined sugar. I haven't had even a taste of it in months, and I've gone from borderline-obese to a normal weight. My plan is to eat this way for the rest of my life.

[@allisonb.8492]

Virginia Kettles that’s awesome! Good for you girl. I’m sooooo addicted to sugar and a size 16. Looking for inspiration on youtube:(

[@sherryg5813]

A BB Do you watch Jen Heward? She's so motivating. She eats only whole foods.

[@celestehammell]

Virginia Kettles z

[@haylei2804]

Woohoo! So happy for you! For me even artificial sweeteners will start a frenzy. It's ridiculous..thanks for the optimism ♡

[@mitzypinks1338]

Virginia Kettles Congrats ! She did also say in the video however that there was no “one” diet and that everyone is different . That’s great that you’ve found what worked for you.

[@susannee.colella6109]

I remember when I was in my early 30s my focus in life was on living outside the kitchen in activities, with the excitement of what’s next. Today, with more of my life behind me I want that same feeling. How can i eat healthy and not spend so much time and effort wondering what to feed myself? So after many many diet books I have reached the same conclusion provided here. With one notable exception - I want to get out of the kitchen but still eat well. So find those receipes that speak to you modify them to be healthy and fast and get out and live - enjoy life.

[@giegiebee1959]

This speech is good for people who have already healthy eating habits, but for people who have unhealthy habits or a difficult relationship with food it's like saying to a drug addict, consume drugs in moderation!!! Nahh it's not gonna work!!!

[@wendyscott8425]

On the other hand, if they start to eat more veggies as she recommends, that won't hurt them, and it may supplant some of the less nutritious foods they have been eating. Plus, the idea of cooking is pretty great. I've done a lot more since the restaurant dining rooms have closed, and I'm sure I'm eating a healthier diet even though I tried to eat healthy even in restaurants. Moderation in all things is a good idea, especially in what we eat. For a lot of people, they need the encouragement to act moderately. Food is not a drug, it's a necessity, and a lot of it healing for us, so we need to try to treat it with respect and honor it by appreciating its benefits.

[@Ali-kf5bd]

I agree. I personally was highly addicted to heavily processed foods so I had to go VERY extreme to break my food addiction. I had to go like 5 months eating just all natural whole foods with almost no additives and very minimal processing to start building healthy habits based on real nutrients and learning to enjoy simple, healthy food. I learned that I can feel really happy and fulfilled on nothing but super healthy, whole foods. Now I can have some junky ingredients here and there and the occassional full blown cheat without letting it ruin my new healthy lifestyle, but it took time to get to that point of control.

[@mycockerspaniel]

Agreed. Or telling poor people to eat healthier food when they have no choice.

[@victoriaburgess700]

She’s definitely on point! I’m a registered dietitian who’s private practice focuses on the theory of intuitive eating! Bravo 👏

[@stevenferguson3764]

We're not confused. We choose to be so, because then we have an excuse to not do what we know we should. We come from the planet. We need to eat from it.

[@tracyraven7444]

Lovely sensible sustainable advice... thank you

[@wooseokigwiyeowo3978]

A way you can be healthy is eat a real food diet and only limit sweets and junk food on special occasions only. That's what they are for anyway, special occasions.

[@carbonbased6497]

I thought she was gonna say "When in doubt, veg it out!l

[@clairekirkwood8939]

Refreshing and sensible advice that we ve all heard but perhaps forgotten along the way

[@Livetoeat171]

Right at the beginning, she says the carrot has a lot of sugar and it does not have any sugar! It has carbohydrates in it which turned sugar in your body but it is such a small amount. Why would she say such a thing?

[@meresincere5682]

I'm so sick of diets that cut out whole food groups. High carb or low carb. I'm done and just want to eat real food!

[@davidwolf1613]

Say what? Sayrena l

[@thalesnemo2841]

Steaks, fish , cheeses etc are all real foods ! I stake my clam on it !😎

[@mitzypinks1338]

I’m a very thin person and I don’t rule out anything. I don’t tell myself I can’t eat stuff. I just eat what I like in moderation and have done for years. And I wasn’t always thin . I used to be bigger and went on loads of dangerous diets before I realised this was all I needed to do. The weight fell off me.

[@kaylajames3098]

@@mitzypinks1338 cool. So, eating when hungry and stopping when full?

[@that_onearmguyyy4618]

Moderation is a great point.

[@lenazhou7335]

"Moderation" is an Art , I guess it also determined by your attitude of life.

[@wooseokigwiyeowo3978]

I like her accent

[@chenanigans]

*eccent

[@ironwilled9471]

From new Zealand i guess

[@GlennMarshallnz]

Half New Zealand half English. She moved from England to NZ about ten years ago

[@Livetoeat171]

I didn't know she had an accent. I can't hear it

[@ahmedneds557]

It's instresting speech, and this speech is more important who love the healthy life style

[@asmahaque8558]

She looks like Phoebe

[@johnhooper1492]

Very interesting Video. I think you are on the right track with Moderation. Maybe explore whole Life moderation, job, exercise, family. Reminded of the quote from Oscar Wilde “Everything in Moderation including Moderation.”

[@youngkevinsmith]

I just had 2 packs of buscuits in one go that's my moderation until.i do it again in 1 month ☺. Is that moderation?

[@TheGohbomba]

I followed Annette Larkin , Mimi Kirk and fully raw Christina about raw cake , it yummy , raw carrot cake and raw chocolates cookies

[@johnraptis2621]

And side by side she goes for the cupcake. My weakness is pizza, mexican food, sauces.

[@luznavarro7591]

Wall I'm learn I enjoy your voice🤩

[@RomaniaDeAzi]

lol... that is why the okinawa island is named the pork island? because they use meat like a garnish? :)) so, in america ppl eat hot dogs and hamburgers as a garnish, right? :))

[@basemsayed3050]

Why I do feel that this lecture should be a yoga class because of her amazing soothing voice but it does not anything to me regarding nutrition ??? I did not learn anything regarding nutrition really

[@lenazhou7335]

À mon avis, la santé est un marathon, pas un sprint.

[@stevenferguson3764]

One thing is killing us. Us.

[@Bangbangninergang13]

Camden

[@jenniferwells7534]

What about those who are addicted to sugar such as an alcoholic or smoker is addicted to a chemical substance in the brain? What do you think about Bright Line Eating?

[@jasonrios3120]

no such thing as sugar addiction

[@universalsheep]

i was on the same diet my whole life until i started eating healthy recently

[@ro992]

If you don't buy it at the supermarket, you won't snack on it. Buy healthy snacks because your body may crave something in between meals. If you exercise, then your body will need some fuel to run on. , y

[@missMagbeth]

This talk confused me even more instead of giving advice. The main takeaway is eat veggies

[@danieldilawri2711]

Lol this just makes people more confused 😂😂

[@TyGuyVideoBlogz]

It’s all about goals. Calories in versus calories out. You want to be skinnier? Eat less calories than you burn. You want to be thicker? Eat more calories than you burn. The problem is everyone gets caught up in being “hungry”. If you are losing weight, you’re going to be hungry. You’re body is literally eating itself because you’re not feeding it enough. That’s the secret and that’s what people aren’t telling you. These people with fad diets want you to believe you can get thinner with almost no uncomfort and everything is going to be awesome. That’s not true and it doesn’t work that way. If you’re losing weight, no matter how healthy you are, you’ll be hungry and don’t make yourself feel bad because of that.

[@cdogvlog5557]

Funny she doesn't mention the affordability of vegetables.

[@susanhenderson3369]

I think we don't really think about the fact that Veggies actually make you feel full so you eat less. Pasta/Grains/rice are pretty darn cheap if that's all you eat. But if you eat anything else in the processed realm, it tends to be comparable to the veggies because you have to eat so much more of it. For example, I could eat a cup of carrots for about .25 cents if I prep them myself. If I eat 2-3 cereal bars ($1) or 1 cup of crackers (.75), I end up still being hungry & eating more of other things. I do shop at Aldi so prices are amazing on produce. I also go to our local grocery chain which has an "almost expired" produce rack. Sometimes I base my menu on what's available on that rack. They bag everything and sell it for $1. So I often get 6 apples or 3 colored peppers or a pound if squash for $1. One day I got a 5 lb butternut squash for $1. Also if you maintain a healthy weight you save healthcare costs & may no longer need diabtes or blood pressure meds. Do the math on what you are eating & compare to if you started replacing some of those things w/ fruit/veggies.

[@MarySanchez-qk3hp]

Buy in season. Frozen is cheaper, more nutritious, more stable price year round.

[@Livetoeat171]

Vegetables actually are cheap. I saved a lot of money once I stopped eating meat. When you buy a bag of carrots no one sits down and eats a whole bag of carrots and if you figure out how much each item cost and what you use out of those bags it's pennies.

[@peteroliver9042]

Having had the time to watch your whole talk now, I am somewhat confused and have some questions. Is this 'moderation' message of yours the same as the 'everything in moderation' advice? (you did say we are better off eating a little bit of everything - moderation) You say there should be no lists of food that we should not eat, that sugar isn't necessarily a problem and that we should be able to enjoy our food. Eat what makes us happy. I used to enjoy a can of Coke with my lunch and with dinner. Are you saying perhaps I can go back to having just one can of Coke a day? How much is a moderate amount? And for dessert after dinner I used to enjoy a slice of cheesecake or some ice cream. (these days I just have a piece of fruit for dessert) So can I also go back to having cheesecake or ice cream as well as my one can of Coke with dinner? In practice how much would a moderate amount of cheesecake or ice cream actually be ?

[@shriyaumre7595]

Moderation means that atleast 80% of your food must be nutritious and natural.

[@totallyrandom1126]

Your scale and fit of clothes will quickly tell you IF your moderation level isn’t correct.....don’t buy stretch clothes, buy things with belts and buttons and zippers which will let you know right away if you are exceeding.

[@fieryelf]

The #1 rule Is, throw refined sugar out the window. It's fine if you want to have a cheat meal once a week but again, don't over do it.

[@beachdays561]

Moderation means 1 can of coke a week......... or month, your suggestion was daily, that's not moderation hehe

[@Earth-pq6fk]

the carrot almost went to the ground...

[@PRIYANKASINGH-hv8ri]

she looks and talks like phoebe.

[@WOB1010]

Yes , the Problem with a "Moderation Diet" is that few understand what Moderation is. (Meats/Fish ,Eggs) should be limited to 2 or 3 small servings per week.(Or less) Grains should be limited to a couple servings of Whole Grain per week.(Or less) Sugar can be eliminated completely, as today we have Stevia. Dairy can be eliminated because we have Almond milk & cheeses. No fried foods. Consume Lots and lots of Vegetables. Include Beans , Fruits and Mushrooms.

[@thalesnemo2841]

William Gabbert More bacon for me ! LCHF diet nearly full carnivore works for me !

[@Awall79]

I think "moderation" can vary from person to person. Like she said in rule #2 no one diet is for everyone. Some people do well with eating whole grains everyday. Some people do well eating mostly meat. Some people handle cow's milk just fine do to genetics and some people can enjoy real sugar without eating an entire cake. If you follow the healthy plate method for most of your meals you'll be fine. Its all about consistency.

By this logic, should we also smoke cigerrattes in moderation?

[@Steve1000ish]

..... You seem smart

[@maja__5047]

Cigarettes in moderation are actually not THAT bad lol

@@maja__5047 Not bad != its ok, and Not bad certainly != good

[@fieryelf]

Take all the food you have that has sugar in it and throw it away. Go back to the grocery store and buy real food that you cook yourself (NO PROCESSED FOOD). Use a TDEE calculator to know how many calories you need to eat to either lose or maintain your weight, get a calorie calculator on your phone and voila! You're eating healthy and you're not gaining weight anymore!!!

[@nickerbalarski2656]

And now you have an eating disorder! Congratulations!

[@nickerbalarski2656]

This is a gr8 idea for your average folks but those with eating disorder history should be careful as moderation can result in stricter control unconsciously since you need an extremely strong mindset to be able to eat in moderation. It can get really hard. So I guess it's advisable to follow this advice after a full recovery.

[@trixie9777]

I’m so thankful for your comment. I’m 55 years old in an ED program right now for the first time. I’m learning that I can never go on another “diet” again in my entire life b-c the “restriction” of a diet is what sends me off into full on binges. Its apparently the mental & physical restriction that sets me up for the binges, not the addiction to sugar or food as I previously thought. I thought it was lthe same as with alcoholism & I had to absolutely abstain from unhealthy foods. I would end up binging on meats, salads & vegetables. I’m still trying to get a grasp on that concept which is hard after 41 years of dieting that I started at age 14. It’s very hard to embrace the thinking that I need to allow myself to have foods I want while still following my meal plan of whole foods, which is 3 meals & 3 snacks per day, every day. But they are telling me that new neural pathways will be formed if I don’t restrict physically or mentally (shaming myself for eating foods that I deem unhealthy). I’m not even supposed to be using the word “unhealthy” to refer to ANY food. Wow has this been hard. It’s a very kind altering concept.

[@amitsingh09004]

Its not that we don't wanna eat healthy food and exercise, we are tired after long day at work and simply cannot take on healthy habits everyday... These health advice are for rich people with time and money....

[@trixie9777]

Yep

[@kaylajames3098]

Are you absolutely certain about that?

[@frostfox1208]

Way too simple. I think I’ve learned a lot in the past 1 1/2 years about dieting and what works for me. I went from 185 to 165 pounds by moderation that was only possible when eating a very low carbohydrate diet. If I were to eat 150 grams of carbohydrates per day then moderation would be impossible long term for me. My plan is to add approximately 50 grams of carbs daily to my diet. All done in moderation.

[@GaryDaviesFilms]

Food is not 'just food'. Howabout feeling guilty about foods that come from unnecessary suffering? This is something that, ethically, makes complete sense. It's called morality. The simple fact is that we do not need to eat animal products for nutrition - and every animal product comes from immense suffering. "Moderate' amounts of animal products still require huge amounts of suffering for farm animals. Plus, animal farming is hugely damaging to our planet. It's time to get past letting ourselves off the hook in this area. Plant-based diet offers all the pleasure and nutrition we need - I've been vegan for 5 years, never felt better, never enjoyed my food more :) *And yes, fair trade, palm oil, and purchasing as local as possible are other ethical considerations, and one learns to accommodate these too. www.forksoverknives.com/ www.cowspiracy.com/ www.nationearth.com/earthlings-1/

[@petmomful2260]

Gary, I could not agree with you more. I went on a whole foods, low fat, plant based, vegan diet 7 months ago and my crippling pain is gone. I got off about 7 meds, and got my life back. I am glad that no animals have to die to feed me. No moderation for me! That is like saying, smoke 5 cigarettes a day instead of 20. I would rather not smoke any. If people only knew how good they could feel, how much less medicine they could take, and how they can improve their health. I am 62 and I feel 35. It is real, and it works, but no one wants to listen, and no one can be bothered. I feel sick about the animal suffering, because I love animals. I feel good that I am helping to save the planet, and the animals. I eat great, healthy, delicious food, and feel great every day!

[@xundeadgirlx]

Your comment is off topic. If you enjoy the taste of leaves, good for you. I agree that the factory farming is out of hand, its not fair to the animals and causes more suffering than necessary. Humans are selfish and think of the suffering as temporary and for our own gain. But poultry (aside from when they're pumped with chemicals) actually is healthy to put into our bodies. I feel good when i eat chicken, and it makes me happy. The speaker is right in saying that moderation really changes your diet for the better. I really would like to cut down on how much meat I eat, because vegetables need a bigger place in my diet and i don't eat enough of them. But I've already cut down on beef, which is horrible for me. To each their own.

[@guiles1756]

!

[@AmandaViolinGirl]

Less and less healthy? Over the past four years I have only got more and more healthy because I cut out all sugar and grains. People are repeatedly trying to get me to eat grains claiming they are healthy to eat. How on earth can people say cereals are healthy when they are such a processed food? I am not on a diet I am on a healthy eating plan and will stick to my lifestyle. The word moderation sounds like the worst swear word in my ears. So cigarettes in moderation is healthy too? Sugar in moderation is healthy too? There is absolutely no need for sugar in anyone's diet.

[@peteroliver9042]

That's right, as a nation we started becoming more and more unhealthy since the 1980s when the low-fat, eat lots of grains and carbs advice came out. As a individual, I quickly becoming more healthy when I ignored the "experts" advice and did the opposite.

[@Falcodrin]

She isn't quite a good person to take ideas from I don't think.

[@miamoore2479]

There's nothing wrong with sugar or grains. It just has to do with how much of them you eat and what kinds. Cereals aren't grains.

[@peteroliver9042]

Yes, and the WHO recommends the average adult eats no more than 5 teaspoons a day. The average westerner is eating more like 30 teaspoons a day. You actually have to be quite strict at cutting out processed foods in order to get down below the 5 max. The "everything in moderation" and "eat whatever makes you happy" approach is in conflict with the RDI guidelines. And cereals are grains.

[@petmomful2260]

Stop eating animal foods, oil, refined foods, and you will be so healthy and feel so great!

[@temogen2]

low carb is working.....moderation is hunger and Failure...

[@no-one3296]

she talks like she knows very much....but i doubt it........dr. john macdougall is the best

[@thalesnemo2841]

P.G Bhi Ah the high priest of the zealot religion of preachy veganism ! Vegans an unscientific blind followers of a religion not science !

[@no-one3296]

@@thalesnemo2841 who said this is unscientific.....its not my fault if you are ignorant....u people can't digest the fact that meat is not our real food....other than that it is inhuman to torture animals just to satisfy our taste buds...have u ever been to a slaughter house???? How can one see that and thinks it is fine.....

[@janl8149]

My 18 year old granddaughter was fully vegan for over 2 years. She was totally committed and very resourceful. She quickly lost 20 lbs. However, she finally admitted that she was always hungry and never felt satisfied. She added eggs and dairy back into her meals and feels better.

[@stevenps9633]

This woman knows nothing about nutrition. Moderation doesn't work. Processed sugary foods and trans fats are killing us.

[@tomasfuksas5430]

No useful information at all.

[@Steve1000ish]

I can tell you respect woman

[@dizziemisslizzie4040]

This lady clearly has no clue what she's talking about.