From Potatoes To 'Food Challenges,' Your Questions Answered

Such a bounty of questions! Thank you to listeners who sent them in, underscoring the many, many ways that the simple act of eating in 21st century America is not simple at all.

A couple of questions we will answer in this bonus episode:

A listener notes that in episode four "What The Heck Should We Eat?" potatoes seem to be portrayed in a negative light. So should we avoid them?

The answer includes emphasis on the "how" of potatoes — fried? steamed? — and points out that while potatoes are by no means "bad," nutritionists do classify them in the "starchy food" section of your plate rather than the vegetable section.

Another listener asks about those short-term "food challenges." Are they helpful for transforming your relationship with food?

In Juna's experience, they do transform your relationship — in the wrong direction, acting much like extreme diets with expiration dates. Eddie puts the focus on your mindset when you embark upon them: if it's to lose weight, those pounds will likely come right back. But if it's to learn about your food intolerances or to get friendlier with fruits and vegetables, it could bring lifelong benefits.

Such fun and so many more to answer! We've barely dipped into the questions that have come in, and plan to do at least one more Q&A episode in a couple of weeks. You can send your question to foodweneedtotalk@gmail.com. If you’re not already, be sure to follow us on Instagram — that’s where we get a ton of these, and we even answer a few on them in videos — so follow us @foodweneedtotalk.

Listen and subscribe to "Food, We Need To Talk" on Apple Podcasts here.