What is the perfect diet for everyone?

The short answer: There isn't one.

But I create content about plant-based eating, yet I'm telling you the 'perfect diet' doesn't exist. Sounds contradictory?

Nope.

And chasing this mythical 'perfect diet' is probably making you sicker, not healthier.

That's what this letter is about.

Nutrition scientist Simon Hill, the podcaster behind the book 'The Proof Is in the Plants,' taught me something that revolutionized my approach to food. I discovered his evidence-based, non-dogmatic perspective while learning to change my diet in 2022.

In our achievement-driven culture, optimizing everything feels natural—including our nutrition.

But Hill warns that this perfectionist mindset can lead to orthorexic eating behaviors. You end up overthinking every food choice. This creates unnecessary fear, shame and anxiety around eating.

Within the plant-based community, I encountered some rigid subgroups. Their rules were strict: 100% whole food plant-based, no exceptions.

Some say low fat is the only way.

Some have no oil, no salt rules.

Anything less made you a 'failure.'

For a time, I tried to follow their rules perfectly. I obsessed over restaurant bread ingredients. Did it contain eggs? I felt guilty using even a tiny amount of olive oil to sauté vegetables.

The stress of maintaining 100% purity made me anxious at family gatherings, social events, and even in my own kitchen. I was more focused on dietary perfection than actually enjoying the health benefits of eating more plants.

That's when I decided to aim for 90% plant-based instead.

I would even shift to 50% or 75% if needed, depending on the situation, like if I'm traveling. I could enjoy a piece of salmon when dining out with friends. I could use some olive oil when cooking without crushing guilt.

The irony?

I felt healthier, both physically and mentally, eating an imperfect plant-based diet consistently than I ever did trying to be 100% perfect occasionally.

Here's what makes this approach powerful: scientific consensus consistently points to universal principles across different populations and lifestyles.

The World Health Organization says that a healthy diet emphasizes:

Simon Hill echoes this and calls it the "theme of healthy eating":

This is why I focus on plant-rich eating.

Not because it's the 'one true diet.'

But because it's the most practical way to apply what the science actually shows. The evidence points toward more plants, less processed food, and high quality fats.

Why does this framework survive real life?

It provides guidelines rather than rigid meal plans that fall apart the first time you work late.

With this theme, there is room for different styles and approaches. It can manifest as Mediterranean, pescatarian, flexible plant-based, or whatever aligns with your goals, location, culture, religion, taste, dietary restrictions and schedule.

As a Filipino who lives in the USA, I create healthy versions of traditional foods I love.

For you, it might look completely different.

For overwhelmed busy people like us, this approach delivers three game-changers:

1. Eliminates daily perfection pressure by shifting focus to patterns over weeks and months, not individual meals

2. Provides guilt-free flexibility during intense work periods—you can choose options (even takeouts) that generally fit the theme and move on

3. Creates sustainable long-term habits because there are no dramatic restrictions that become impossible to maintain

Your overall dietary pattern across time matters infinitely more than whether your afternoon snack was "perfect."

Full transparency: even content creators like me who focus on plant-based eating can fall into absolute messaging. I have made the same mistakes in my early instagram posts.

Social media rewards dramatic, all-caps posts claiming "this way is the ONLY way" because they get engagement.

But they don't represent good science.

The difference is nuance: I'm not saying everyone must eat exactly like me. I'm saying the evidence points toward more plants, and there are many ways to apply that flexibly to your life.

If someone's promising you the one true diet and nothing else—consider that a red flag. Check for nuance in their message. Better yet, check the affiliate links in their bio.

Want to know what actually works for YOUR body?

Simon Hill recommends tracking objective markers like blood work rather than relying on how you feel or what influencers claim.

Given my medical and family history, I track key markers:

Understanding how different foods affect these numbers gives actionable intelligence.

For example, knowing that saturated fats typically elevate LDL cholesterol while unsaturated fats can lower it means you can make targeted adjustments. Base decisions on your actual results, not generic advice.

1. Shift your mindset - Focus on your eating pattern over the next month, not today's lunch

2. Pick your version - Choose one version of the evidence-based theme that fits your lifestyle right now

3. Get baseline data - Consider blood work to understand your starting point

4. Implement imperfectly - Apply the approach consistently but flexibly

Build your healthy diet around your actual life and continuously refined by your lifestyle, preferences, and measurable health markers.

The goal isn't to eat like me or anyone else. It's to find your sustainable version of what the evidence shows works: more plants, better fats, less processed food, applied to your real life with flexibility and self-compassion.

Here's to imperfect consistency (and perfectly imperfect results),

Grazelle 🌱

PS: Here’s an example of my imperfect diet. I was craving for this last month so my husband made me one. It’s called Banana-Q and is a popular street food in the Philippines. It’s plant-based, sure. But not the most healthy way to eat a banana, right? But do I eat this everyday though? Nope.

Whenever you’re ready, here are some other (free) resources you can check out: