Is it healthy to follow the ‘rich people’ diet?

Answer:

As economic conditions improve, people’s diets also improve. Many families choose to follow the "rich people" style of eating, also known as refined eating, which involves consuming only parts of the food that are considered to have high nutritional value and discarding parts with less nutritional value. For example, fruits are blended into juice rather than eaten whole, or only the tastiest and leanest cuts of meat are selected while the skin and fat are discarded.

This approach is, however, not scientific. From a nutritional perspective, each food has different values, and refined eating has both advantages and disadvantages. For instance, an obese person with high cholesterol is advised to remove the skin when eating poultry. However, a normal person or someone with a suitable medical condition can still eat the skin or fat if they find it tasty, as all parts have their own health benefits when used appropriately. Thus, discarding food parts considered having less nutritional value is wasteful.

Foods on a dinner table. Illustration photo by Pexels

Also, the opinion that fruits must be juiced to be beneficial is incorrect. Nutritionally, it is better to eat fruits in their whole form. Some fruits like apples or pears are even recommended to eat their skin if safe. Additionally, consuming fruits in the form of smoothies can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. People with diabetes need to be especially cautious, as adopting a refined diet could potentially worsen their condition.

Eating refined foods also prevents the digestive system from functioning optimally. Moreover, over-reliance on refined eating reduces chewing activity, affects saliva secretion, and compromises oral hygiene, leaving teeth and gums unprotected by this natural defense system.

Overall, it is important to harmoniously combine different food groups and prepare them in diverse ways. There is no one-size-fits-all diet, therefore, everyone should choose foods that suit their tastes, health conditions, and nutritional balance.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Lam

Former Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition