“Is This Healthy?” – Why That’s the Wrong Question to Ask About Food

Dan Beck
Jul 21
2 min read

If you’ve ever stared at a label wondering, “Is this good or bad?”—you’re not alone.

But here’s the truth:

The idea of “healthy” vs. “unhealthy” food is way more gray than black and white.

And constantly labeling foods this way might actually be hurting your progress.

Let’s break it down 👇

🍎 So… is it healthy?

It depends.

Is peanut butter healthy? Tons of people would say yes—it’s natural, has protein, and healthy fats. But if you’re eating half a jar a day and trying to lose weight… that “healthy” food might be holding you back.

Is ice cream unhealthy? Most would say yes. But if you’re hitting your protein, eating mostly whole foods, and enjoying a scoop with your family on a Friday night—there’s nothing inherently wrong with that either.

Context matters.

🚨 The danger of labeling food “good” or “bad”

We’re not trying to be philosophical here—this really impacts your results.

When you label food as “bad,” here’s what can happen:

You eat it anyway… and feel guilty.
That guilt leads to “screw it” mode.
You overeat, feel worse, and beat yourself up.
You promise to start over Monday… again.

Sound familiar?

This is how many people end up in the cycle of yo-yo dieting and all-or-nothing thinking.

✅ What to focus on instead

Ask better questions. Like:

“Does this help me hit my daily protein?”
“Is this portion aligned with my goals?”
“Will this keep me satisfied or lead to a binge later?”

Once you stop moralizing food and start looking at how it fits into your bigger picture, everything gets easier.

You stop obsessing over single ingredients.

You stop “starting over” every Monday.

You stop feeling bad about enjoying life.

🥡 Here’s what we recommend:

80/20 Rule – 80% whole, nutrient-dense foods. 20% whatever brings you joy.
Track occasionally – Not forever. Just enough to learn your patterns and understand portions.
Ditch guilt – A cookie isn’t a crisis. Move on.