Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? Does milk actually make your bones stronger? Were we really supposed to eat all that bread at the bottom of the food pyramid? For decades, people across the Western world were taught a surprisingly specific set of rules about what a “healthy diet” looked like. Some were based on good science. Others were oversimplified, exaggerated or heavily influenced by governments, food companies, advertising and the media. In this discussion, we’ll dig into some of the biggest ideas generations grew up believing about food; from milk and breakfast cereal to fat, carbohydrates, meat, eggs, sugar and the famous food pyramid, and ask which ones actually hold up today.

But there isn’t just one way to eat well. As we uncover the history and science behind the Western “healthy diet,” we’ll compare it with Chinese eating habits and other approaches to food around the world. Is a traditional Chinese breakfast healthier than a Western one? What can Western diets learn from Chinese food culture, and vice versa? Are there foods we’ve unfairly demonised, or “healthy” foods that don’t deserve their reputation? Expect surprising history, questionable marketing, plenty of debate and a chance to examine your own eating habits without being told there’s one perfect way to eat. Come curious — and possibly come fed, because two hours of talking about eggs, noodles, steak, dumplings and breakfast might be dangerous on an empty stomach.

早餐真的是一天中最重要的一餐吗？牛奶真的会让骨骼更强壮吗？食物金字塔底部那些面包，我们真的本来就应该吃那么多吗？几十年来，西方世界的人们被教会了一套出奇具体的规则：所谓“健康饮食”应该是什么样子。其中一些确实来自可靠科学，另一些则被过度简化、夸大，或者深受政府、食品公司、广告和媒体影响。在这场讨论中，我们会挖一挖几代人从小相信的那些饮食观念：从牛奶、早餐麦片，到脂肪、碳水、肉类、鸡蛋、糖和著名的食物金字塔，一起看看哪些观点放到今天依然站得住脚。

但好好吃饭，从来不只有一种方式。当我们回看西方“健康饮食”的历史和科学背景时，也会把它和中国饮食习惯，以及世界各地不同的饮食方式放在一起比较。传统中式早餐会比西式早餐更健康吗？西方饮食能从中国饮食文化中学到什么？反过来，中国饮食又能从西方学到什么？有没有一些食物被我们不公平地妖魔化了？又有没有一些所谓“健康食品”，其实并没有那么值得被追捧？期待令人意外的饮食历史、值得怀疑的营销话术、很多讨论，以及一个重新审视自己饮食习惯的机会。当然，我们不会告诉你只有一种完美吃法。带着好奇心来，也最好别空着肚子来，因为连续两个小时聊鸡蛋、面条、牛排、饺子和早餐，对空腹的人可能有点危险。