Listen to the food experts not online gurus
TRENDY fashion fads are at risk of creating difficulties for those suffer with real food intolerances, an expert has claimed. So called ‘life-stylers’ are regularly opting to choose gluten or dairy free options as they perceive them to be healthier, when in fact they are only healthier if you have a physical intolerance.
The rise of healthy eating self-appointed food gurus, has seen consumers follow trends led by celebrities or personalities rather than based on their own dietary requirements.
Choosing the healthiest option possible is never a bad thing, but cutting out a certain product because some trendy chef or blogger says it is bad, makes no sense.
The concern, now is that, chefs are getting fed up of fair-weather gluten or dairy free customers and run the risk of taking the request less seriously than they should when it is made by a customer with coeliac disease or lactose intolerance who could end up extremely ill if exposed to gluten or dairy.
Following clothing, interiors or music trends is one thing, but when it comes to food, we have certain nutritional needs, and just because some YouTuber says dairy, carbs, meat or the like is bad - does not make it so.
Everybody is unique and our bodies have different needs, so following a food guru to the letter, is not a long term healthy way to live and nourish ourselves.
Of course, we are all entitled to order and consume food however we desire, but it fascinating to think that impressionable consumers are making such changes based on the advice, not or a dietician or nutritionist but internet content creators who have absolutely no qualifications in this area.
One positive move that happened in this week was the debate on the sale of high caffeine and high sugar energy drinks.
The UK is to introduce legislation to ban the sale of such drinks to under 16s and it is hoped that the same will follow in Ireland.
Aldi Ireland already introduced this practice voluntarily last January and it would be wonderful to see all stores follow suit.
There is scarcely a less healthy product on the market aimed at young people and kids go crazy for the stuff. Putting an age restriction on it might drive home just how dangerous they can potentially be.