Calling All Foodjags!

I first heard of the word, "foodjag," last fall, in one of my graduate nutrition classes. We were discussing how to raise children to be healthy eaters, which is a extremely hot topic in the field of nutrition. There are many opinions on how to do this, coming from nutritionists, physicians, psychologists, parents, and teachers. I am interested in it, because as a child, i had many foodjags, and most of them unhealthy. First of all, i should tell all you inquiring minds, exactly what a foodjag is. I was actually quite surprised that in my conversations with people this week, no one had heard of the word. Basically, a foodjag is an obsession with a particular food. Children who eat only one type of food over and over again, are said to be on a "foodjag." This behavior is noticeable in children, who tend to be picky eaters, but i have found foodjags to be occurring in adults as well. Just think of how many people around you are obsessed with a particular food or food group. Whether it be because it really is their favorite food and they can't stop eating it, or because they are on a diet and it is the only thing they can eat. We as a society also become obsessed with a food, once someone has made a statement about it's health benefits or ability to help us loose weight. If Oprah has a food item on her show and talks about its power to do such and such, you can better believe that people will be rushing to the stores to gobble it up. I find it fascinating how effective the power of suggestion can be, and not necessarily coming from any professional source. Our country has seen its share of foodjags, and theses are disguised as some of the most popular diets ever known. The Atkins diet had people obsessed with eating protein, while the low-fat diet made people fear anything that claim a low-fat label on the front of the package. The grapefruit diet was supposed to curb hunger, but I know some who will never touch another grapefruit after that diet. Many people can't even begin their day without a 16 oz double tall latte from Starbucks, and they start each day off with one. As you can see, we grow up, and many of our obsessions with food don't change. We have yet to learn how to balance out our diet and eat a variety, so that we can get the most nutrients and prevent boredom with food. I encourage you to think back to your own childhood. What food could you not get enough of? Most importantly, why did you choose the foods you ate all the time? For me, I was obsessed with McDonald's chicken nuggets dipped in sweet and sour sauce. I actually cant say if it was the nuggets, or the sauce, because i dipped anything in that sauce! I even remember my parents buying a large box or sweet and sour sauce from McDonald's so that we always had it on hand! Now as an adult, my obsessions with food are based off of what i learn in my graduate program, or what i read from health books or professionals. I think that while these are all good sources to get my nutrition education from, i tend to forget to listen to myself and my own human cravings. What does the food taste like in my mouth? Does the food satisfy my cravings? Is the smell appealing to my senses? Is the texture appealing? These questions and many more, should guide my food choices more than anything else. I am learning so much about how to think more about what i am eating and why. These questions may help me and others get to the bottom of our obsessions with food.