The Double-Edged Sword

“Sometimes knowledge is power but other times it’s a big fat wet blanket.”

So says Maggie Nemser in a recent post on Shine.com, and she couldn’t have written truer words.

Once you start making yourself aware of what you’re consuming, you can’t go back to that blissful state of ignorance. The cat’s out of the bag, Pandora’s Box is open, and there’s no going home again. You know what you know, so if you eat bags of tortilla chips with salsa con queso regularly, you can’t be surprised when your jeans stop fitting.

It’s great to know the stats on the food you’re eating. It helps your health and dress size, but it’s frequently a downer. It’s nicer when we can make bad decisions by accident. It’s easier to forgive ourselves. I have to admit, though, that knowing the stats often keeps me from going hog wild, albeit with a reluctant grimace of frustration.

Oh well. It’s tougher to shrug off a wet blanket, but it can be done. Know your stats, shrug off the disappointment, and then go on to create something hugely healthy and dazzlingly delicious for yourself.