I think there’s a very funny expectation that comes when you tell someone that you consider yourself “healthy.” It’s such a generic term and, truth be told, can mean a million different things. You can be spiritually healthy because you go to church every week and pray before bed. You can be mentally healthy because you meditate and journal once a day. You can be physically healthy because you include veggies at every meal and control your portions. Healthy healthy healthy, blah blah blah.
But when you put yourself out there with “a blog” and are caught carrying baggies of almonds around all the time (guilty as charged), I think people assume you are gung-ho for all the health food trends of the world.
I was doing some thinking today and realized just how many healthy foods I really don’t like. Some I can stand and some I absolutely abhor, but you’ll never find me touting a certain food when I don’t regularly eat them.
So what are a few healthy foods that I just can’t get on board with?
Beets
Abhor. Abhor. ABHOR. The smell of beets can ruin my appetite. If you put an eighth of a beet on an extra large deep dish cheese pizza I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. So there’s that.
Quinoa
So……crunchy rice? Tasteless gum? If it’s mixed into something I’ll eat it but I definitely won’t serve quinoa on the side of my chicken unless I’m desperate.
Kale
I know I just need someone to make kale properly for me. I get it. But I’ve tried kale chips. I’ve tried kale salads. And I just don’t get what all the fuss is about. Give me some arugula or romaine but keep the kale far away.
Granola
It makes me nauseous. No clue why because in theory it should be delicious!
Kombucha
GROSS. Just…gross.
Almond butter
Peanut butter is just too good. Why are we constantly trying to one-up it? I haven’t tried cashew butter yet so I’m not going to rule that out but for now I’m all pb, all the time.
Cottage Cheese
I’ve had it mixed into dishes before (usually of the hot, decadent, noodley variety) and it’s good but alone? BLECH.
So while I’m still a healthy weirdo who loves me some chia seeds, flax, frozen vegetables, stevia, almond milk, nuts, plain greek yogurt, eggs and sweet potatoes, I’ll never eat something just because it’s the newest vitamin-touting, health-inspiring, cure-for-all health food.
Okay now what are some “healthy foods” you just can’t stand? Be loud and proud!
i had a big lunch 
LOVE THIS. Quinoa tastes like gritty cardboard and it NEEDS to be mixed with something- I made kale chips once and they disintegrated in my hand….Kombucha is like punishment.
AND kombucha is so so expensive. Why do people pay so much money for something so gross??
Haha! I love beets, kale and cottage cheese!
I find cashew butter tasteless and a waste of money! I don’t like kiwis no matter how many times I try them! And so many people are surprised when my version of ‘healthy’ – i.e. Paleo is completely different to theirs! Trying to explain why butter is healthier than margarine for example and convincing folk to eat those egg yolks!
Oh my gosh yes egg yolks! I sometimes add in more egg whites but overall my eggs need to be yellow otherwise we’re gonna have a problem. Ick
Lol, this is great! I can do certain juices and definitely not others. I also find that I just really have to talk myself into salads over sandwiches. And by talk myself into, I mean I choose a sandwich 99% of the time. Gotta find what works for you 🙂
Ugh yeah unless the salad looks out of this world or has a really big piece of fish on it, I’ll pick a sandwich too. It’s cheaper AND includes fries most of the time, I mean, come on. No brainer.
I’m the least healthy eater ever most of the time but I LOVE beets– could probably eat them every day 🙂 I definitely can relate when it comes to kale though– I want to like it but just don’t!
Taste buds are so odd haha I have never hated a food more than I hate beets 😉
I love beets, cottage cheese, and I like kale and quinoa, but I don’t like almond butter. I also have to say that I didn’t grow up liking any of these things. Just like I didn’t like avocados until about 2 years ago. And then I was like ok, I need to get over myself. I’ve tried nutritional yeast, and I’m not huge on that. Oh, and I HATE coconut water. I can’t do the texture. I just can’t.
Well loooookatchu little miss healthy. Haha I’m actually interested to try nutritional yeast because apparently it tastes like “cheese”? I don’t know haha but I’m actually a fan of wheat germ too – it tastes like salty breadcrumbs and goes great on otherwise unhealthy cheesy pasta dishes. My tastebuds have changed too! I used to never be able to eat onions but now I love them. Oh and coffee? I remember thinking I’d nevvvver like it and now it’s practically flowing through my veins haha
OK I was not really a fan of almond butter either but I have found a really great one from Justin’s…the maple almond butter is everything!! I put it on a toasted english muffin with honey!
If I give it another shot it will definitely be with Justin’s – I know people are obsessed with it! Thanks for the suggestion 🙂
Haha I love this! Although, I love most of the things you listed. You have to try cashew butter though. Not as good as PB (nothing every will be), but still really good.
If it’s salty and sweet like pb, I’m in. But almond butter isn’t sweet enough!
I’ve honestly never tried almond butter… I like peanut butter so I don’t see the point. I do like Quinoa though. I use it a lot in place of breadcrumbs for making chicken Parmesan, and mix it in with flaked fish for like a pilaf effect. I don’t get beets and kombucha at all though.
Haha I’m with you on the almond butter. Why didn’t we just stop one pb was created? It’s like trying to reinvent the wheel…it’s already perfect!
As a fellow healthy living and food blogger myself, I LOVE love love this post idea. There are definitely some health foods I just can’t get on board with too. Quinoa is one of them! I can’t stand the texture…some others are rice (yes, I can’t stand any and all rice), cantaloupe (never liked it), protein bars (it’s usually the protein powder flavor in them), and that La Croix soda drink. Just discovered your blog too by the way and I can’t wait to read more!
Hahaha I never liked La Croix until I started drinking the coconut one. It’s pretty darn good! Thanks for finding me – can’t wait to check yours out too! 🙂