 The ability to moderate when we eat and when we cook is the most important and all too often the missing link in our diets. Especially here in the U.S. we tend to eat either too much of something or try to eliminate that food altogether. On the one hand we have supersized everything and on the other hand we see claims like fat-free or sugar-free everywhere in the supermarket and these claims attract customers because they're absolute. We live in an all-or-nothing kind of culture and often we value quantity over quality in the things we eat. When we read about food and nutrition we find ourselves looking for simple advice from our scientists and our nutrition researchers. We want to know is salt bad for us? Is coffee bad for us? Is sugar a toxin? We want clear answers but as with so many of these health related questions the real answer is this it depends and in most cases it depends on the amount. Now no medical person in their right mind would argue that the average American's sugar consumption is healthy. We use words like toxic to emphasize how dangerously high sugar consumption has become but the truth is that without any sugar our bodies would shut down. We need a certain amount of sugar to fuel our brains. In reasonable amounts sugar can be used to enhance the flavor of healthy homemade foods like baked goods and other wholesome treats for special occasions. A homemade treat made with a reasonable amount of sugar is almost certainly healthier than a processed food treat. If we can learn to feel comfortable with the concept of moderation then we can truly succeed in balancing our long-term health with our long-term enjoyment of the foods we eat. If we practice moderation then no food is forbidden. As long as the choices we make most of the time are healthy ones then there's room for everything in our diets. Now if you're the kind of person who likes to have clear guidelines then try Michael Pollan's simple helpful guide called Food Rules where he suggests some good starting points for learning how to moderate. For example he suggests that we only have sweets and second helpings on days that begin with S so Saturday and Sunday. In this way we can begin to learn moderation when we eat or if you like you could try having a rule that you can only eat cakes cookies and other treats if you bake them at home. This kind of naturally limits the amount of baked goods that you'll be eating because baking things from scratch is harder than buying them ready-made and by the way homemade cakes will almost certainly be healthier because you're using real ingredients in amounts that you control and without any preservatives or additives. If you like the idea of starting with some simple rules like this go ahead you'll find that over time you probably won't need those rules anymore but remember that even the practice of moderation should be approached with moderation. There will be times when you'll feel you've indulged a bit too much when you're on holiday or visiting family and friends and that's okay because if you make moderation into a way of life then there's room for that kind of variation. Remember it's how you eat most of the time that will help you protect your health and the health of your children.