Love fresh juices?
Who doesn't? A few days ago, a friend of mine told me about this great refrigerated juice he found in the store with no additives - nothing but fruit juices. I asked him to check the sugar content and he had not. When he look did look at the bottle there were 36 grams of sugar in the juice - more sugar than recommended daily. We love juices because they are so high in sugar. So while you get high doses of water-soluble nutrients that you lose every few hours, the cost is a sugar load as high or higher than having a Coke or a candy bar!
Isn’t it healthy because it comes from the fruit itself?
Juices are not whole foods. The sugar in fruit is not healthier than other sugar we consume from other sources when it is separated from the whole fruit. When we eat whole fibrous fruits designed in nature for a slower sugar release, the food is consumed more slowly and we are able to digest and absorb nutrients we need.
Four ounces, a half of a small juice glass is the daily adult serving. Stick to the recommended serving by watering it down and consume it as part of a meal or as a flavoring to yogurt or other foods or dishes.
Juicing is fine for athletes who are rapidly losing fluids, need quick energy to burn right away or for those who are trying to gain weight. For the rest of us, it's just dessert.
Monday, March 13, 2017
Friday, February 17, 2017
Is it soup yet? The skill of upcycling.
It's another rainy day in LA. We've had a record year for rain this year. This day is not only rainy but windy, almost blizzard like, yet warm - not cold like most of the snowy blizzards I am familiar with from my east coast upbringing. So I told myself, I'm a trouper and went out to brave the storm it so I wouldn't miss my Toastmasters meeting at UCLA, after all there is no bad weather with the right clothes and preparation. I was raised to believe that weather should never stop you from your plans and from living fully and in fact, it might even help to live more fully.
Now I'm happily home safely and listening to the sound of the rain that is always so comforting. Waving out my window to neighbors who are also looking out at the rain. Warm soup, a book, catch up work even feels better when it's raining outside. Does a fake California fireplace count? The type with burner switch?
It must be soup time. In my no waste, no haste, great taste, whole food kitchen, I always have fresh food that has passed the 3 day mark ready for my soup pot.
Since I aim to get half of my nutrients in fresh form and the remainer in cooked form, the 3 day rule works out well for me to keep the items in my refrigerator or counter circulating. It's a mindset of shoppping my refrigerator or shelf for items I want to use up and selecting ingredients and flavors that will blend well and complete my required nutrient needs.
After a few days, the nutrient advantage of fresh foods is destroyed by oxidation or dehydration. At this point, other forms of preserving these foods typically yield at least similar nutrient levels to fresh food. Cooking which destroys some nutrients makes others more available to the body.
By eating a variety of both fresh and cooked foods, you have now not only utilized nutrients that would have been lost out on but also created a means to get a border range of nutrients.
Valuing the food you have worked hard for to purchase honors yourself and the plant or animal life that is able to nourish you. Instead of wasting what fresh food was not consumed quickly enough, you can stop spoilage, stay safe and release more nutrients for your body. That respect and gratitude keep you healthy in every way.
Now I'm happily home safely and listening to the sound of the rain that is always so comforting. Waving out my window to neighbors who are also looking out at the rain. Warm soup, a book, catch up work even feels better when it's raining outside. Does a fake California fireplace count? The type with burner switch?
It must be soup time. In my no waste, no haste, great taste, whole food kitchen, I always have fresh food that has passed the 3 day mark ready for my soup pot.
Since I aim to get half of my nutrients in fresh form and the remainer in cooked form, the 3 day rule works out well for me to keep the items in my refrigerator or counter circulating. It's a mindset of shoppping my refrigerator or shelf for items I want to use up and selecting ingredients and flavors that will blend well and complete my required nutrient needs.
After a few days, the nutrient advantage of fresh foods is destroyed by oxidation or dehydration. At this point, other forms of preserving these foods typically yield at least similar nutrient levels to fresh food. Cooking which destroys some nutrients makes others more available to the body.
By eating a variety of both fresh and cooked foods, you have now not only utilized nutrients that would have been lost out on but also created a means to get a border range of nutrients.
Valuing the food you have worked hard for to purchase honors yourself and the plant or animal life that is able to nourish you. Instead of wasting what fresh food was not consumed quickly enough, you can stop spoilage, stay safe and release more nutrients for your body. That respect and gratitude keep you healthy in every way.
Friday, July 22, 2016
Why don't we eat our vegetables?
Mostly because of our taste palates and differing sensitivities to sweetness and bitterness.
We all have different tastebud patterns and sensitivities on our tongues just as our fingerprints differ.
Sweet wins over bitter every time. The choice is clear.
We are hard wired for sweetness for survival because sugar provides the quickest energy particularly for our primal fight or flight reactions. When our diet is high in sugar as in our American often from packaged foods with added sugars, taste buds dull and can't detect the lower levels of sweetness in vegetables which require more taste sensitivity.
Foods that are a little bitter to one can be very bitter to another. Bitterness in nature is a signal of what not to eat too much of so it stops us by tasting badly. However, the bitterness balances the sweetness when consumed in healthful proportions in whole foods. The bitter compounds inhibit the overgrowth of certain cells which is why some bitter foods are desirable to ward off cancer cells.
The fibrous texture of many vegetables is not very appealing compared to other foods that are easier to chew and are smooth textured. Yet, fiber is what is lacking in many of our diets as we alter the palatability of whole foods. Whether prepared in home, a restaurant or purchased in a grocery in a package altering a whole food to increase its appeal is altering the healthfulness of the whole food. There is no way to reconstruct a food to be as healthful as in its original form.
Some manage to drink veggies on the go often masked with sweet juices but unfortunately, this adds sugar which we don't need and macerates the soluble fiber that ultimately speeds sugar into the bloodstream.
We need enough vegetables for our bodies to function well. We don't need or want megadoses of micronutrients which have toxicity symptoms. We are looking for the balance that whole foods give us.
As an entry point to changing tastes and behaviors, price and convenience are key. Put both great price and convenience together with a great taste and you have success. If any one of these items are missing, it's an uphill battle.
So let's make veggies affordable, accessible, easy to eat and add a dip made from beans or yogurt to add flavor. Add a savory flavor - fat and protein added to the snack or meal instead of eating alone or with fruits which add more sugar works well. Cook them in a soup to soften their texture but retain the fiber. Stuff them raw or baked. Use vegetables to make a wrap such as lettuce wraps or cucumber wraps. Share some recipes in the comments.
Don't compare vegetables to other foods. Love them at their best for what they offer naturally!
Mostly because of our taste palates and differing sensitivities to sweetness and bitterness.
We all have different tastebud patterns and sensitivities on our tongues just as our fingerprints differ.
Sweet wins over bitter every time. The choice is clear.
We are hard wired for sweetness for survival because sugar provides the quickest energy particularly for our primal fight or flight reactions. When our diet is high in sugar as in our American often from packaged foods with added sugars, taste buds dull and can't detect the lower levels of sweetness in vegetables which require more taste sensitivity.
Foods that are a little bitter to one can be very bitter to another. Bitterness in nature is a signal of what not to eat too much of so it stops us by tasting badly. However, the bitterness balances the sweetness when consumed in healthful proportions in whole foods. The bitter compounds inhibit the overgrowth of certain cells which is why some bitter foods are desirable to ward off cancer cells.
The fibrous texture of many vegetables is not very appealing compared to other foods that are easier to chew and are smooth textured. Yet, fiber is what is lacking in many of our diets as we alter the palatability of whole foods. Whether prepared in home, a restaurant or purchased in a grocery in a package altering a whole food to increase its appeal is altering the healthfulness of the whole food. There is no way to reconstruct a food to be as healthful as in its original form.
Some manage to drink veggies on the go often masked with sweet juices but unfortunately, this adds sugar which we don't need and macerates the soluble fiber that ultimately speeds sugar into the bloodstream.
We need enough vegetables for our bodies to function well. We don't need or want megadoses of micronutrients which have toxicity symptoms. We are looking for the balance that whole foods give us.
As an entry point to changing tastes and behaviors, price and convenience are key. Put both great price and convenience together with a great taste and you have success. If any one of these items are missing, it's an uphill battle.
So let's make veggies affordable, accessible, easy to eat and add a dip made from beans or yogurt to add flavor. Add a savory flavor - fat and protein added to the snack or meal instead of eating alone or with fruits which add more sugar works well. Cook them in a soup to soften their texture but retain the fiber. Stuff them raw or baked. Use vegetables to make a wrap such as lettuce wraps or cucumber wraps. Share some recipes in the comments.
Don't compare vegetables to other foods. Love them at their best for what they offer naturally!
Monday, April 18, 2016
The Skinny on Fat
Fat is essential in our diet so the no fat trend never made much sense to me. The wisdom for at least the past 50 years to get the essential fat needed is for 30% of your calories to come from fat in your diet (10% unsaturated, 10% polyunsaturated, and 10% saturated). Practically speaking, this means that if an oil is liquid at room temperature, like olive oil, it can be considered mostly unsaturated and if it's solid, like butter or the fat in meat, it can be considered mostly saturated. Fats in foods are a combination of fats that are unsaturated and saturated to different extents. Since fats that are the most saturated are hardest at room temperature, it's easy to know how to get a range in your diet by looking at your food. Just stay away from any packaged foods that have trans fats on the label or are those listed at partially hydrogenated which is the chemical process of saturating a fat to stabilize it for a longer shelf life, to change the texture or some functional property. Over the next few years (by 2018) these trans fats will be eliminated from all products.
Since the average American diet was traditionally high in meat and cheese (both containing fat solid at room temperature), the government's message from the 80's until recently has been to eat a low fat diet. The erroneous assumption was that fat in food eaten resulted in more solid fat blocking our arteries and everywhere else we don't want it to be. That seemed counter intuitive to me for several reasons. First, body temperature is much higher than room temperature by at least 20 degrees. Second, the body digests fat and has its own regulation system so the amount of body fat stored is regulated by other than the fat amount consumed.
A few more facts to know about the fat we consume are key to understand. Fat has more than twice the calories of either protein or carbohydrates for each gram consumed. Therefore, to eat the 30% of calories as fat, you will consume less than half the amount of a carbohydrate, such as a potato, by weight. The latest "eat more fat" advocates make several assumptions which may or may not apply to your own diet. For starters, they assume that you are currently eating a very low fat diet (much lower than 30%) and a high carbohydrate diet (with a high sugar content). If you were buying lots of no fat and low fat products and we're still eating the same amount of food, you were likely eating a higher carbohydrate diet. They also assume when you do consume 30 or even 40% of your calories as fat in your diet you will be full and won't want to eat more fat or for that matter anything else. That would be great, but people overeat all the time and if they hear the titles of the books as permission to as eat as much fat as they want as the way to get thin, I expect that obesity in this country will continue as people start eating many more calories as a result of increasing fat in their diet.
The best diet is one that is varied and balanced. Eat whole foods you enjoy with others when possible, pay attention to when you are hungry or feel full and most of all, relax. You know when you feel good and how to eat well so listen well to your body. Only then will you get the answers that are right for you.
Since the average American diet was traditionally high in meat and cheese (both containing fat solid at room temperature), the government's message from the 80's until recently has been to eat a low fat diet. The erroneous assumption was that fat in food eaten resulted in more solid fat blocking our arteries and everywhere else we don't want it to be. That seemed counter intuitive to me for several reasons. First, body temperature is much higher than room temperature by at least 20 degrees. Second, the body digests fat and has its own regulation system so the amount of body fat stored is regulated by other than the fat amount consumed.
A few more facts to know about the fat we consume are key to understand. Fat has more than twice the calories of either protein or carbohydrates for each gram consumed. Therefore, to eat the 30% of calories as fat, you will consume less than half the amount of a carbohydrate, such as a potato, by weight. The latest "eat more fat" advocates make several assumptions which may or may not apply to your own diet. For starters, they assume that you are currently eating a very low fat diet (much lower than 30%) and a high carbohydrate diet (with a high sugar content). If you were buying lots of no fat and low fat products and we're still eating the same amount of food, you were likely eating a higher carbohydrate diet. They also assume when you do consume 30 or even 40% of your calories as fat in your diet you will be full and won't want to eat more fat or for that matter anything else. That would be great, but people overeat all the time and if they hear the titles of the books as permission to as eat as much fat as they want as the way to get thin, I expect that obesity in this country will continue as people start eating many more calories as a result of increasing fat in their diet.
The best diet is one that is varied and balanced. Eat whole foods you enjoy with others when possible, pay attention to when you are hungry or feel full and most of all, relax. You know when you feel good and how to eat well so listen well to your body. Only then will you get the answers that are right for you.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Teenage girls and food
Sharing time with teenage girls at home has been an education for me. We are starting gardens in early schools and making progress in school education in some areas. Yet, we are missing some really important opportunities in practical food science and nutrition lessons that need to be brought home. Here are three typically asked questions concerning teen girls that need to be clarified and the lessons that need to be taught.
1. What’s a “Carb”? Nearly all teenage girls I’ve spoken with really don’t know. They just believe that they are bad and make you fat. One teen I recently had breakfast with said, she didn’t want to eat the waffle served to her because she didn’t want to eat “carbs”. Because she didn’t want “carbs”, she then didn’t want to eat the breakfast at all. Her mom wanted her to eat and coached her to eat a little so she agreed and promptly drowned one waffle in fake maple syrup (pure sugar and high fructose corn syrup with artificial maple flavor) - the worst way she could consume carbs in the form of added sugars. She turned down an egg (protein) and accepted the orange juice (with as much sugar as a glass of Cola soda) because it was fruit juice. The breakfast she had consisting of the one waffle with maple syrup and a glass of orange juice had a whopping 64g of sugar (252 calories). The “carb” content of the meal was slightly higher from the flour in the waffle than the sugar content alone but not much. The breakfast this teen ate was nearly 500 calories, 450 of which were from “carbs” - a “carb” overload in the unhealthiest way.
There were also oranges and bananas on the table. If she ate one waffle with an orange, she would have 16g of sugar (64 calories). She could have added bananas and cinnamon or jam for a healthy topping. The waffle containing some fat and protein brought the healthier waffle and orange meal to just over 150 calories for the meal (and adding an egg for added protein could add another 100 calories more to the breakfast). One half of a banana, jam with cinnamon would add no more than 10g of sugar or 40 calories.
The waffle with 2g of sugar and only 9g of carbohydrate need be her least concern with the breakfast.
Lesson: Think about what would want on your plate - what you want that’s good rather than what you don’t want that’s bad. Fruits and vegetables and the fiber they contain are all carbohydrates and essential for good nutrition. Seek to fill at least 1/2 of one's plate with these “carbs” in whole form at every meal. A plate should always be colorful as possible. A healthy plate should be pretty. Teen girls, if you want to be beautiful inside and out, remember this.
By the way, an average teen would not want to eat more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar/about 100 calories of sugar daily (not including whole fruits and vegetables).
2. How do I know if food in the refrigerator will make me sick?
Meat, chicken and eggs are the foods most likely to make you sick.
Lesson: Store eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Check for cracks and do keep them in a container where they cannot touch other foods. Meat and chicken should be kept frozen if already frozen and you will not eat them right away. If you do not keep them frozen, cook them as soon as possible to eat within 3 days at most and keep them covered in the refrigerator. If defrosting in the refrigerator, do not let the food or juices touch other foods or surfaces. Use a plastic wrap over or paper towel over the cutting board which can be tossed. Wash all cutting surfaces and counters with soapy water with a clean sponge or towel.
If a food has a different odor or color than is typical for the food in a fresh state, toss it. If it is moldy, unless it is a hard cheese, toss it. There are a few exceptions, but this is safest.
If a packaged food has passed it’s expiration date toss it; however you do not necessarily need to toss it if the food has passed it’s sell by date, best if used by date or even it’s use by date. These dates are manufacturers way of telling you that there may be some flavor or quality loss from the freshest product for a number of reasons but do not pertain to safety.
http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/18/is-your-food-expired-dont-be-so-quick-to-toss-it/
3. How do I store my food in the refrigerator?
Allow warm foods to approach room temperature before storing in a container at a colder temperature. Glass containers for all food storage are best, especially those that have any liquid. For fruits and vegetables, plastic containers are fine as long as there are vents to let gases that spoil them release. Place a paper towel in the container to absorb extra moisture.
Lesson: It’s generally a good idea to cover your food, so that if another food in the refrigerator goes bad or spills it does not contaminate another food. Foods that can spoil are best on the lower shelves to avoid spills to other shelves.
Most bacteria and molds grow in environments where oxygen and moisture are present. The colder the temperature, the slower the growth.
Do not eat food from a can that is dented or bulging. A bulging can indicates that bacterial toxins despite the fact that the canning process eliminates oxygen which if remains safely sealed will keep you safe.
1. What’s a “Carb”? Nearly all teenage girls I’ve spoken with really don’t know. They just believe that they are bad and make you fat. One teen I recently had breakfast with said, she didn’t want to eat the waffle served to her because she didn’t want to eat “carbs”. Because she didn’t want “carbs”, she then didn’t want to eat the breakfast at all. Her mom wanted her to eat and coached her to eat a little so she agreed and promptly drowned one waffle in fake maple syrup (pure sugar and high fructose corn syrup with artificial maple flavor) - the worst way she could consume carbs in the form of added sugars. She turned down an egg (protein) and accepted the orange juice (with as much sugar as a glass of Cola soda) because it was fruit juice. The breakfast she had consisting of the one waffle with maple syrup and a glass of orange juice had a whopping 64g of sugar (252 calories). The “carb” content of the meal was slightly higher from the flour in the waffle than the sugar content alone but not much. The breakfast this teen ate was nearly 500 calories, 450 of which were from “carbs” - a “carb” overload in the unhealthiest way.
There were also oranges and bananas on the table. If she ate one waffle with an orange, she would have 16g of sugar (64 calories). She could have added bananas and cinnamon or jam for a healthy topping. The waffle containing some fat and protein brought the healthier waffle and orange meal to just over 150 calories for the meal (and adding an egg for added protein could add another 100 calories more to the breakfast). One half of a banana, jam with cinnamon would add no more than 10g of sugar or 40 calories.
The waffle with 2g of sugar and only 9g of carbohydrate need be her least concern with the breakfast.
Lesson: Think about what would want on your plate - what you want that’s good rather than what you don’t want that’s bad. Fruits and vegetables and the fiber they contain are all carbohydrates and essential for good nutrition. Seek to fill at least 1/2 of one's plate with these “carbs” in whole form at every meal. A plate should always be colorful as possible. A healthy plate should be pretty. Teen girls, if you want to be beautiful inside and out, remember this.
By the way, an average teen would not want to eat more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar/about 100 calories of sugar daily (not including whole fruits and vegetables).
2. How do I know if food in the refrigerator will make me sick?
Meat, chicken and eggs are the foods most likely to make you sick.
Lesson: Store eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Check for cracks and do keep them in a container where they cannot touch other foods. Meat and chicken should be kept frozen if already frozen and you will not eat them right away. If you do not keep them frozen, cook them as soon as possible to eat within 3 days at most and keep them covered in the refrigerator. If defrosting in the refrigerator, do not let the food or juices touch other foods or surfaces. Use a plastic wrap over or paper towel over the cutting board which can be tossed. Wash all cutting surfaces and counters with soapy water with a clean sponge or towel.
If a food has a different odor or color than is typical for the food in a fresh state, toss it. If it is moldy, unless it is a hard cheese, toss it. There are a few exceptions, but this is safest.
If a packaged food has passed it’s expiration date toss it; however you do not necessarily need to toss it if the food has passed it’s sell by date, best if used by date or even it’s use by date. These dates are manufacturers way of telling you that there may be some flavor or quality loss from the freshest product for a number of reasons but do not pertain to safety.
http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/18/is-your-food-expired-dont-be-so-quick-to-toss-it/
3. How do I store my food in the refrigerator?
Allow warm foods to approach room temperature before storing in a container at a colder temperature. Glass containers for all food storage are best, especially those that have any liquid. For fruits and vegetables, plastic containers are fine as long as there are vents to let gases that spoil them release. Place a paper towel in the container to absorb extra moisture.
Lesson: It’s generally a good idea to cover your food, so that if another food in the refrigerator goes bad or spills it does not contaminate another food. Foods that can spoil are best on the lower shelves to avoid spills to other shelves.
Most bacteria and molds grow in environments where oxygen and moisture are present. The colder the temperature, the slower the growth.
Do not eat food from a can that is dented or bulging. A bulging can indicates that bacterial toxins despite the fact that the canning process eliminates oxygen which if remains safely sealed will keep you safe.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Addicted to the idea of convenience?
Every year the food industry looks at the top new products and trends. Taste trumps most, but convenience is typically the next attribute that influences our purchases. I wonder if we are taking what we think is convenient a bit too far and hurting our own pockets, health and the environment? What is the true price we pay that we choose not to think about?
Know that there is always a price for perceived convenience even if in reality the convenience benefit is small. What really drives your purchase? Are you driven by saving money? Saving your health? Saving the environment? I ask you to consider how much of your time are you really saving when you make a choice for convenience.
Know that there is always a price for perceived convenience even if in reality the convenience benefit is small. What really drives your purchase? Are you driven by saving money? Saving your health? Saving the environment? I ask you to consider how much of your time are you really saving when you make a choice for convenience.
Let's have some fun with this by first recognizing that food companies are in the business of making profits by providing perceived benefits. That means that you will pay more money for perceived convenience not necessarily actual convenience. You get to chose if the benefits are appealing to you but unfortunately for you, you rarely consider the consequences.
An example of this is buying frozen scrambled eggs in a carton from the freezer which is about the cost of a dozen eggs for just a few. This is because you are paying for the packaging and are buying "breakfast" ready made in a box that sadly you will likely not recycle. You rationalize that you saved money over the cost of buying breakfast away from home. Instead of paying $0.60 for 2 eggs you paid $3-$4 for a refrigerated or frozen egg breakfast that you still heated or at least the same price eating out (and waited on line or for your food, etc. etc.). I personally would rather know the chickens have free range and some quality of life and put my money there. The truth is that you didn’t save more than a minute of time over preparing an boiled or fried egg and it cost you more. Did your health benefit? Nope. And yes, you were a cost to the community and environment due to packaging.
Another example: You buy "light” juice. Why? So manufacturers can add water to the juice so you don’t have to. When they add the water to the juice, they have to pay by weight to transport products, you pay as much for a product that is all juice as one that is watered down. You can buy fresh juice, add a touch of the juice to your carbonated water and you have the equivalent of flavored sparking water. It’s really a win - you consume less sugar, use one less plastic bottle, save money and spend about one minute more - the time it takes to fill your filtered water pitcher or pour from two bottles instead of one and maybe wash one glass rather than drink from the bottle.
You are also paying for manufacturers to ship water in plastic bottles to you. They make it inexpensive by using cheaper, thinner plastic which is usually not as good for you and the earth. But you want water to be inexpensive. Who is paying for the packaging and shipping? There is always a cost. Is buying cases of plastic water bottles for “convenience” worth sacrificing your health and the environment? The water often sits in the back of your car exposed to light and heat. The plastic can then leak BPA into the water you drink. You stay away from canned foods because of your fear of BPA but drink water and juices from the plastic bottles leaking BPA. Is this the price you want to pay on a regular basis to save the minute it takes to use a filtered water pitcher and pour the water or juice into a glass or metal bottle?
If you don’t care about the money and you are not really saving time, could it be that we all have developed some less than ideal habits in the name of convenience that have hidden costs to your health and society because they are not visible to you in the moment?
An example of this is buying frozen scrambled eggs in a carton from the freezer which is about the cost of a dozen eggs for just a few. This is because you are paying for the packaging and are buying "breakfast" ready made in a box that sadly you will likely not recycle. You rationalize that you saved money over the cost of buying breakfast away from home. Instead of paying $0.60 for 2 eggs you paid $3-$4 for a refrigerated or frozen egg breakfast that you still heated or at least the same price eating out (and waited on line or for your food, etc. etc.). I personally would rather know the chickens have free range and some quality of life and put my money there. The truth is that you didn’t save more than a minute of time over preparing an boiled or fried egg and it cost you more. Did your health benefit? Nope. And yes, you were a cost to the community and environment due to packaging.
Another example: You buy "light” juice. Why? So manufacturers can add water to the juice so you don’t have to. When they add the water to the juice, they have to pay by weight to transport products, you pay as much for a product that is all juice as one that is watered down. You can buy fresh juice, add a touch of the juice to your carbonated water and you have the equivalent of flavored sparking water. It’s really a win - you consume less sugar, use one less plastic bottle, save money and spend about one minute more - the time it takes to fill your filtered water pitcher or pour from two bottles instead of one and maybe wash one glass rather than drink from the bottle.
You are also paying for manufacturers to ship water in plastic bottles to you. They make it inexpensive by using cheaper, thinner plastic which is usually not as good for you and the earth. But you want water to be inexpensive. Who is paying for the packaging and shipping? There is always a cost. Is buying cases of plastic water bottles for “convenience” worth sacrificing your health and the environment? The water often sits in the back of your car exposed to light and heat. The plastic can then leak BPA into the water you drink. You stay away from canned foods because of your fear of BPA but drink water and juices from the plastic bottles leaking BPA. Is this the price you want to pay on a regular basis to save the minute it takes to use a filtered water pitcher and pour the water or juice into a glass or metal bottle?
If you don’t care about the money and you are not really saving time, could it be that we all have developed some less than ideal habits in the name of convenience that have hidden costs to your health and society because they are not visible to you in the moment?
Sunday, June 21, 2015
On Gratitude
Food is life. Food sustains life. I am grateful to have wonderful quality food I have access to which nourishes me daily and wish the same for all. How can we all show our gratitude to the world for this nourishment everyday? It’s easier and more rewarding than you think to be mindful.
Cherish food. If we purchase and eat only what our body needs and enjoy every bit of it, you will be kinder to your body, your mind, your family, your wallet and more. When you think that food prices are too high, as is the cost of healthcare, consider the latest information from the National Resources Defense Council, released this week.
Waste occurs in all areas of the U.S. food supply from the farms to what doesn’t make it to your mouth. In the U.S. alone, 40% of food is wasted, representing 20 pounds of food per person per month. American families toss about 25% of the food they buy. If this information is more relevant to you in terms of dollars and cents, we waste $1,350 to $2,275 annually for a family of four - that is up to nearly $200 per week.
The average size of a U.S. dinner plate is 36% bigger than it was in 1960. Waste even occurs in what is consumed when we over consume leading to disease. Nearly one in three adults are obese and diabetes is on the rise. We want to be healthy by purchasing wholesome food but eating too much of the healthiest food is harmful. Calorie restriction is one of the few proven routes to a longer healthier life. By eating less and wasting less, not only will we be more respectful of our resources but will be healthier but happier. That’s win win gratitude.
Almost everywhere I go - to the supermarket, a restaurant, a friend or family home, I see food being wasted and being fully aware of the labor that goes into providing that food - I know we can all do more. Is the food too ugly, is it not convenient enough, does it not taste quite as wonderful as it should in our minds, is it the information we are told by friends, family, educators, government and corporations, what we are not told or what we don’t want to hear? The simple answers are all available.
I’m sure if we knew better, we’d do better to stop, take a moment and be mindful for all we have. So I asked myself, are we simply hardwired to get the biggest, best feast and/or do we fear illness for that which looks less than perfect? Perhaps, we crave short term gratification. Perhaps, because we don’t think that what we do matters, and it’s not worth our effort as we skimp on higher priced food that is better for our bodies. I am here to tell you that what you do does matter to make a difference for your own health and for the health of others.
I promised you easier and more rewarding ways to show gratitude that benefits you. Because this topic is so important, I will continue to write on it with a realistic, fun, positive and actionable spin. Changes in the U.S. diet do not serve your long term interests well and truths will enlighten and guide you to better health based on the latest science.
Do you know that we actually make about 200 decisions everyday about food. Let’s make wiser decisions since we already think about food so often. After much research in this area for many years, I know that most of the answers we seek are within us once we learn how to listen well to our own bodies, minds and senses as we are designed for survival. Will you begin to be mindful of food as a road to health by following the first exercise below?
Truths: *We eat on plates that are 1/3 larger than they were 50 years ago leading us to eat more than is good for our health. *Humans adapt easily if we are not denying ourselves but rather gradually learning how much we need to satiate ourselves and feel good. *If you better align your actions with your values you will be more content.
MindSense Exercise: Let’s play a game so you are mindful of what you feel when you are eating.To get started, just notice what you do. All you need is two plates - a typical dinner plate you eat from (likely 12 inches in diameter), and one smaller plate that is about two inches smaller in diameter, preferably 9 or 10 inches. There are no measuring cups or spoons needed - your body will be your guide. Eat on the largest plate for 2-3 days and notice how hungry you are to start on a scale of 1-10 with one being the hungriest you could ever be and 10 being the fullest you can image. Most of the time you will want to eat when you are a 3 or 4 on the scale and eat only until you are no longer hungry (a 5) but not at all full. The goal is to not let yourself get more than a little hungry. That’s how you win the game. Your brain will take up to 20 minutes to register how much you ate so stop eating before you are full. You never want to eat until you feel full because you will feel even fuller after a while.
Extra Tips: If you have a phone camera and think it’s fun, you can even take a picture of the full plate and another picture how much you ate was left on your plate when you were no longer hungry for a given eating occasion - meals and snacks included. If you want to keep notes you can record reminders about where you were, how you felt, what drove your desire to eat, how you portioned your plate. If you eat too fast, challenge yourself to count your chews and gradually increase your chews with each bite of food.
If you feel you are ready for a smaller plate based on how you feel and what you actually consume, go to the next smaller plate size. Of course, if you always finish everything on your plate or what is in front of you, you may need to help yourself along. Some easy tips are moving to the smaller plate after a few days and cooking or preparing 20% less and not leaving extra helpings in front of you.
Please comment on how you are doing. Share your challenges and questions. Find others that might find value in a having a healthy relationship with food. For now, just keep your focus on the first MindSense exercise above. Much more to come….
Cherish food. If we purchase and eat only what our body needs and enjoy every bit of it, you will be kinder to your body, your mind, your family, your wallet and more. When you think that food prices are too high, as is the cost of healthcare, consider the latest information from the National Resources Defense Council, released this week.
Waste occurs in all areas of the U.S. food supply from the farms to what doesn’t make it to your mouth. In the U.S. alone, 40% of food is wasted, representing 20 pounds of food per person per month. American families toss about 25% of the food they buy. If this information is more relevant to you in terms of dollars and cents, we waste $1,350 to $2,275 annually for a family of four - that is up to nearly $200 per week.
The average size of a U.S. dinner plate is 36% bigger than it was in 1960. Waste even occurs in what is consumed when we over consume leading to disease. Nearly one in three adults are obese and diabetes is on the rise. We want to be healthy by purchasing wholesome food but eating too much of the healthiest food is harmful. Calorie restriction is one of the few proven routes to a longer healthier life. By eating less and wasting less, not only will we be more respectful of our resources but will be healthier but happier. That’s win win gratitude.
Almost everywhere I go - to the supermarket, a restaurant, a friend or family home, I see food being wasted and being fully aware of the labor that goes into providing that food - I know we can all do more. Is the food too ugly, is it not convenient enough, does it not taste quite as wonderful as it should in our minds, is it the information we are told by friends, family, educators, government and corporations, what we are not told or what we don’t want to hear? The simple answers are all available.
I’m sure if we knew better, we’d do better to stop, take a moment and be mindful for all we have. So I asked myself, are we simply hardwired to get the biggest, best feast and/or do we fear illness for that which looks less than perfect? Perhaps, we crave short term gratification. Perhaps, because we don’t think that what we do matters, and it’s not worth our effort as we skimp on higher priced food that is better for our bodies. I am here to tell you that what you do does matter to make a difference for your own health and for the health of others.
I promised you easier and more rewarding ways to show gratitude that benefits you. Because this topic is so important, I will continue to write on it with a realistic, fun, positive and actionable spin. Changes in the U.S. diet do not serve your long term interests well and truths will enlighten and guide you to better health based on the latest science.
Do you know that we actually make about 200 decisions everyday about food. Let’s make wiser decisions since we already think about food so often. After much research in this area for many years, I know that most of the answers we seek are within us once we learn how to listen well to our own bodies, minds and senses as we are designed for survival. Will you begin to be mindful of food as a road to health by following the first exercise below?
Truths: *We eat on plates that are 1/3 larger than they were 50 years ago leading us to eat more than is good for our health. *Humans adapt easily if we are not denying ourselves but rather gradually learning how much we need to satiate ourselves and feel good. *If you better align your actions with your values you will be more content.
MindSense Exercise: Let’s play a game so you are mindful of what you feel when you are eating.To get started, just notice what you do. All you need is two plates - a typical dinner plate you eat from (likely 12 inches in diameter), and one smaller plate that is about two inches smaller in diameter, preferably 9 or 10 inches. There are no measuring cups or spoons needed - your body will be your guide. Eat on the largest plate for 2-3 days and notice how hungry you are to start on a scale of 1-10 with one being the hungriest you could ever be and 10 being the fullest you can image. Most of the time you will want to eat when you are a 3 or 4 on the scale and eat only until you are no longer hungry (a 5) but not at all full. The goal is to not let yourself get more than a little hungry. That’s how you win the game. Your brain will take up to 20 minutes to register how much you ate so stop eating before you are full. You never want to eat until you feel full because you will feel even fuller after a while.
Extra Tips: If you have a phone camera and think it’s fun, you can even take a picture of the full plate and another picture how much you ate was left on your plate when you were no longer hungry for a given eating occasion - meals and snacks included. If you want to keep notes you can record reminders about where you were, how you felt, what drove your desire to eat, how you portioned your plate. If you eat too fast, challenge yourself to count your chews and gradually increase your chews with each bite of food.
Please comment on how you are doing. Share your challenges and questions. Find others that might find value in a having a healthy relationship with food. For now, just keep your focus on the first MindSense exercise above. Much more to come….
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About Me
- foodfitter
- First trained as a food chemist and nutritionist, my career began enriching a Twinkie, comparing the nutrition of a Twinkie to an apple and studying the role of sugar in the diet. With an M.B.A. and years in food and pharma understanding consumers and manufacturers led back to where I started - food should taste great and serve to keep us healthy. To do so there needs to be consumer awareness. Consumers need to vote for what they want by buying what they really want. They need to practice balance and responsible choices. That's when change will come. Please engage me with your conversation so that I can help you make better food choices that you enjoy and gain a deeper appreciation of food not only from farm to table but farm to health. My vision is to promote solutions to marketing healthful food and food practices.
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