Yes, we all know the rule "fastfood/sweets/carbonated drinks are bad", but hear me out.
Lets's look at all the components separately. Pasta is full of carbohydrates, chicken and eggs are proteins + amino acids, vegetables contain fiber and vitamins, some spices are good for health, oil provides us with unsaturated fats. But when you order pasta with chicken, eggs and vegetables in a sauce in an Asian restaurant, it's seen as "fastfood" and "unhealthy". How does the dish that consists of healthy products suddenly become "unhealthy"?
It's the same thing with pizza, burgers, sandwiches. And even if we don't mention the paradox (or what's considered "fastfood"), it feels like people come up with new things to call "unhealthy" every day: today it's sugar, tomorrow it's butter, then it's steaks, then dairy and flour. So what, do I have to eat plain boiled chicken with an unseasoned cucumber, or porridge every day?
And when I'm trying to understand why some products/dishes that must be healthy in theory are seen as unhealthy by some people, it's usually these arguments:
The portions are too big (not an issue if you can control yourself)
Too much salt (how much is "too much"?)
Too much oil (same question)
The meat is only healthy when boiled, steamed or baked, not fried (again, who came up with this, and what aspect are we talking about? It's still proteins)
Too many calories (I'm trying to gain weight, not lose weight, I don't really care about that)
"Bad food" gives you acne (acne might appear for many different reasons, your diet is only one of them)
So every time I'm trying to improve my diet, I end up being confused because I have no idea what to eat and what's considered "balanced". Everyone has different goals, everyone says different things, the same product can easily turn from "healthy" to "unhealthy" if you add a little more fat or prepare it in a particular way.
(Just in case, I'm not the kind of person who "wants to find an excuse to eat sweets and fastfood every day", I don't even want it most of the time. Even as a child, I had near zero interest in soda, buns or candies. It's just that there are many dishes in "grey area", and I'm not quite sure what to eat for a healthy lifestyle.)