Best diet?

So..Im a little confused.  I hear all about how low carb diets are good but whole grain carbs are good too even though you cant have them on a low carb diet.  Also about how gluten can be bad for most people and that soy is also bad for you.  Also, is fruit good or is the sugar also bad in large quantities. I am a vegetarian, but I am thinking about adding meat back into my diet because I heard lean meat is best?  I'm just not sure what to believe or what diet/lifestyle change I need.  I wanted to try a vegan diet but there seems like there would be a lot of carbs in my diet if I did that.  Also, are canned soups bad or good for you and should I try to stay away from packaged foods/crackers and chips?  Ahhhh Im just confused and need some guidenance please!

The best advice I read recently came from Michael Pollan's book 'In Defence of Food'.... "Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants."

Basically, eat as many different good quality, natural foods as you can that haven't had too much done to them or too many funny ingredients added.   Base your diet around grains, vegetables, fruits, pulses (legumes), nuts & seeds...  with some meat and fish, dairy products, eggs on the side.  Dress it up with a little oil.  Have a few sweets, cakes and crackers along the way.  Drink a little wine.  Drink a little coffee.  Use a little salt & sugar.   Cook/prepare your own food rather than letting factories or restaurants do it too often.   Share food with loved ones and get pleasure from it.  That's a healthy, balanced diet.

'Carbs' are the body's principle energy source and therefore a very useful part of your diet.  Gluten, fruit, meat, soya products, fats/oils.... all have their place unless you've got some kind of allergy or moral objection.  Watch the portion-sizes and do some exercise if you want to control your weight.

The 'best diet' is the one you enjoy most. 

Low carb diets are, in general, not a good choice, because they unrealistically restrict your intake of fruits vegetables (both very nutritious and vital for a healthy diet), and whole grains, which are also very nutritious, and necessary.

Carbohydrates are a macronutrient that is your body's main (and favourite) source of energy.  The key is to get them from good sources, like vegetables, whole wheat pasta, fruits, oatmeal, etc.

Also, low carb diets usually don't even have any positive effects on long-term weightloss. [source, source]

Erm, soy products are kinda a touchy subject, these days.  Basically, eat them in moderation, just like you would with anything else.  Go for organic, 'cause it's rarely more expensive and soy beans get a lot of pesticides thrown their way (and are often genetically modified) if you don't.

Gluten is only a problem for you if you're allergic to it; called Celiac Disease.  When someone with Celiac Disease ingests gluten, their body creates antibodies which damage the lining of the small intestine, making them less able to absorb important nutrients. [source]   Otherwise, you don't need to worry, though some people (like some following a paleolithic diet, for whatever reason) choose to avoid it any ways.

Lean meat can be incorporated into a healthy diet, but it is not a necessary componant ["Vegetarian Diets" Journal of the American Dietetic Association].  You can get all the protein you need from non-animal derived sources, like beans and legumes.

On a whole I'd suggest limiting one's prepackaged food consumption as much as possible, but I'm a big fan of canned soups.  I only buy the ones with ingredients I recognize.  If it's made up of chemicals and salt alone, I wouldn't bother with it.  Campbell's Select line of soups are really great, in my opinion, as are some of Healthy Choice's.  When in doubt, read the label.  If it has a short ingredients list, and it's only made up of stuff you would buy if it wasn't chopped up and mashed into a can, then go for it. ;)

Good luck, and welcome to CC+.

This link helped me with what carbs to eat, and what carbs not to eat.

http://www.mamahealth.com/diets/goodcarbs.asp

 Search carbs

i agree with lynlette read labels,i check labels on everything some things that look healthy or low fat have high salt or high suger also the cambells condensed soups are great as there so thick i use them for sauces to add to my pasta half a tin of the mushroom is only 50 cals and lovely

I don't really have anything to add, just wanted to say I completely agree with gi-jane and lynnlette. We got so wrapped up in the whole low carb, low fat, this carb bad that carb good blah blah blah "diets" we forgot how to eat! Marketing and Industry love it! It's like a golden cash cow for them. "Easy way to loose weight without any work and exericese? Sign me up! Here is my credit card number"

UD

Oh good more Weight loss industry marketing.

UD