Why Is 'Healthy Eating' So Confusing in 2026? Cutting Through the Noise
Jill Worboys, RD
If you feel like the goalposts for 'healthy' keep moving, it's because they are. You aren't doing it wrong; the information landscape is just louder than it used to be.
There is so much information out there on what you 'should' be eating to support your health. You probably see 10 different "rules" before they’ve even finished their morning coffee! Social media diet trends like fibermaxxing, carnivore, intermittent fasting, 40 day water fast....it's all too much. All of these trends put on a show about how a certain way of eating will cure everything! Lose all the weight! Optimize your life! Increase longevity! All too good to be true - nutrition misinformation.
The truth is that healthy eating is boring. Wellness influences can't sell you courses and supplements based on what healthy eating is, because it's actually not exciting. Fill half your plate with vegetables! Any ol' vegetable will do. There aren't any magic vegetables that will cure everything. And even frozen vegetables are healthy!
Let's look more closely at some of these trends.
While a healthy diet focuses on whole, minimally processed foods - ultra-processed foods are not poison and can be a part of an eating pattern that promotes health. We all live busy lives with a lot going on. And some days we are exhausted from work and just don't feel like cooking a meal from scratch. Heating up a meal that you bought at the grocery store, like a frozen pizza, every so often is fine! A balanced meal would look like having some steamed frozen vegetables on the side or a bag of salad along with the pizza.
Fiber. One side of social media is obsessed with fiber and has coined the term fibermaxxing. The other side of social media says fiber is poison and the only thing you should eat is meat. Lots of meat, only meat, even raw. Oh my gosh! What are we supposed to believe?! Food that contains fiber is an important part of your diet. Too much or too little of it can cause discomfort in your digestive system. Most adults need around 25-30 grams of fiber each day.
GLP-1 inhibitor medications are becoming popular. First developed to help with diabetes blood sugar management (Ozempic) , it's now being prescribed at higher doses (Wegovy) for weight loss. It's hard to find good information out there about what to eat while taking these medications that reduce appetite. There is a risk of not getting enough nutrients to meet your body's requirements - so it's best to get support from a Registered Dietitian for individualized recommendations!
Eating for your health should not involve strict rules. And food is not only a source of nutrients and energy, it's deeply connected to culture and connection. Your own personal experiences and health shape what healthy eating looks like for you and your family. Seeking support from a Registered Dietitian can help you cut through all the nutrition misinformation and figure out what works best for you.
If you're tired of the noise and just want to figure out what works for YOUR body and life, let's talk.
Hi! I'm Jill Worboys, Registered Dietitian in Vernon, BC
Jill Worboys, Registered Dietitian
I started my career as a Dietitian in Vernon, BC after completing my Dietetic Internship in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I always knew I wanted to live in BC so as soon as I graduated, my now husband and I packed our belongings and moved to Vernon, BC.
I spent my first 2 years as a Dietitian juggling various long term care contracts and casual and term clinical positions with Interior Health. Then I landed my dream job. For the last 12 years I've been working in public and population health with Interior Health. The goals of a dietitian in population health are to support healthy eating and nutrition at a population level. One way to do this is ensuring everyone has physical and economic access to food: food security. To support food security, I worked with local governments to bring the health evidence to support food security and food system planning and policy. I also supported community food security action such as developing a good food box program in Kelowna, BC. I ground my work in my core values of equity, fairness and social justice.
I started to realize that while public and population health nutrition is a great area to work in, something was missing. I missed meeting new people everyday, and missed the connection. I missed working with people to set goals and make sustainable, long lasting changes to support their health. So I decided to shift back to nutrition counselling and start my own private practice.
In my practice, I help people break free from diet culture to develop a healthy relationship with food and manage chronic pain and other chronic diseases. I take a client centered approach, building on their knowledge, strengths and abilities to make sustainable changes. Food should not be something you restrict, but be a source of fuel for your body, brain and connection with others to do the things you love!
