Perfect isn't normal: Why letting go of “perfect” leads to better, more realistic health

In Los Angeles, people say “perfect” all the time.

I hear it daily—and every time, as a recovering perfectionist, a little part of me goes, “That doesn't sit right with me”.

I’ve learned to aim for “perfect enough" using my energy matched to what really matters in a given situation, instead of using perfect as the only standard. Perfection, to me, often means stress, pressure, and trying to meet someone else’s standards. Perfection is often unnecessary and involves spending energy that could be better used elsewhere toward a more meaningful goal and contentment. 

Humans are rarely—if ever—perfect. And that’s okay. In fact, that makes the world go round! People aren't as likable when they are perfect. They'd be far less interesting and intriguing if they were. 

There’s a Japanese art form called kintsugi that honors imperfection. Broken bowls are repaired with gold, so the cracks become part of the beauty. It’s a reminder that our “not-perfect” parts hold meaning.

And because my work focuses on food and health, it's important to note that it applies here as well. 

“Perfect” is subjective. What one person sees as ideal, another might not. If we only choose food that looks flawless, we’re working against nature—and our health.

Take oranges.

At the store, we have grown to expect them to be the same size, shape, and deep orange color, so we can be assured that we are buying the "best". But color isn’t a reliable sign of sweetness; it’s more about climate and growing conditions. A slightly green orange can be sweeter than a fully orange one. That uniform, glossy look? Often from dye, selective breeding, or artificial conditions—not better taste or nutrition.

Instead of chasing perfect-looking food, choose alive, varied, real food. Real life is messy and varied.

Differences challenge our minds to stay alert and our bodies to grow, learn, and pay attention to what is really important.  

That’s how you build a way of living that fits you and your life and truly serves your health.

Variety—not perfection—is the path to health. It is the true nature of all life. 

What is real, whole food.

Secretary Kennedy promised to define ultra-processed foods by April (after a call for input), but then said it may be too complicated to define these foods for policy purposes. What is a real whole food? 

What is a real, whole food?  

Simply stated, it is food in its natural state. The word natural simply means it is unchanged from its original state in nature. The word "natural" is not synonymous with the words "organic" or "healthy," as many might believe. 

It's sad to me that so many ask the above question at all.  Yet too many cannot answer this question in our current food environment, even though it is understandable that so many are unclear today. 

Technically speaking, a food is processed if it is altered in any way during preparation, packaging, or preservation - whether cooked, frozen, or blended, etc. - changed from its natural state. This includes any addition of other whole foods or ingredients, either natural or artificial. 

Not all processed foods are unhealthy; however, most are less healthy than real, whole foods. These are generally considered minimally processed, although even minimal processing (cutting, blending, heating) impacts nutritional content. 

What is an ultra-processed food?

Healthy Eating Research (HealthyEatingResearch.org) convened an expert panel to answer this question.

It made three recommendations:

I. Definition

A food product is ultra-processed if it contains at least one of the following:

A.  Cosmetic additive (to enhance the appearance of a food product)

Examples: flavors (natural or artificial), emulsifiers, sweeteners (both sugar and non-sugar), colors (natural or artificial), thickeners, bulking agents, gelling agents, glazing agents, carbonating agents, anti-foaming agents, and other additives recognized by FDA or Codex technical classificati

B.  Non-culinary ingredient (any substance intentionally added to food that is not a whole food and is rarely—if ever—found in a home kitchen.) manufactured food additives, chemical preservatives, artificial flavors, and stabilizers used by the food industry to extend shelf life, enhance texture, or improve color.)

Examples: casein, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, modified starch, protein isolates (e.g., soy or whey), hydrogenated or interesterified oils, mechanically separated meats, lactose, lecithin, and others.starch, protein isolates (e.g., soy or whey), hydrogenated or interesterified oils, mechanically separated meats, lactose, lecithin, and others.

II. Exempt ingredients

Some ingredients do not mark foods as ultra-processed:

Vitamins

Minerals

Herbs

Spices

Yeast-derived ingredients

III. Exempt foods

Foods that meet the FDA’s definition for “Healthy” claims are not considered ultra-processed. These contain:

Adequate amounts of recommended food groups

Less than FDA thresholds for added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat

No non-sugar sweeteners 

Educated as both a food scientist and a nutritionist with the goal of nourishing us, I certainly think the industry has gone too far in meeting consumer wants rather than needs for profit.  It is also clear to me that what we have gradually allowed ourselves to become accustomed to accepting as normal is not only suboptimal but also harmful to ourselves as human beings.  And we have some responsibility in the role we play in creating our culture.  While I fully recognize that exposure and access are factors, when we spend our time blaming industry for what we choose to buy and consume, we need to ask ourselves why we continue not to override our short-term impulses and overeat food for emotional comfort, delegating expertise of how we treat ourselves to others rather than learning supportive skills and self-advocating for what we truly know would be good for our long-term health. 

There certainly should be space in our food culture for recipes using ingredients for enjoyment, maybe 20% of our diet for wiggle room.  But when our food culture adapts over time to the availability of any food anytime, anywhere, we're gone too far.  Relying on myths of convenience and permissiveness in the name of saving time, saving cost, indulgences galore, to the extent that individuals are not responsible for what they put into their bodies, means it's time to make changes, setting both societal and individual boundaries. 

Putting yourself and your health first with a solid foundation is something you already know how to do. All creatures in nature do. Most research is supported by industry to influence you towards their product. Yet so many are proud that they have studied and know what they need in this way, and are not aware that the information they have read is not always applicable to you or does not help you.  More often than not, the latest research study is throwing you off track, not on track.  It's a distraction from the basic skills and execution you may be avoiding close inspection of. 

It starts with you, now, wanting to make changes for a better, longer life.  Most of what you are proudest of took hard work and effort. 

I'm here to support you in finding your way so your efforts are rewarded. 

The issue with for-profit business when it comes to our health

Both food and pharmaceutical companies are for-profit companies in America. Their goal is to make a profit based on the economics of choice. Short of government regulations that are rarely enforced unless subject to lawsuits typically from competitors, companies get to choose what they stand for and how they do business.

Consumers want choice. As for-profit companies, the companies make what consumers want - a convenient, quick answer to a consumer problem as a reaction. Consumers make unhealthy choices - often. That is the basis of behavioral economics, which considers emotions. impulsivity and environment influence choices rather than rational, well-informed decisions assumed in neoclassical economics.

Some food and beverage companies, make more money by selling more of their product to the same person (i.e. sugar-sweetened beverages and salty snacks). Most do not, as they make more money selling to more people.

Some pharmaceutical companies sell products as a panacea for a disease or pain when a true solution is available but less convenient or immediate. Others sell products that are actually the only solution once the disease has progressed when lifestyle changes no longer work.

If the product relies on selling more of the same product to the same person, the company will likely need to consider the health consequences of what they sell as a risk to health will increase. This holds true for both the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Because too much is always too much, the explanation is simple. The devil is in the dose. If you have too much of anything, it is too much and there will likely be negative consequences.

So whether one wants to blame the company for offering the product people want or the consumer for choosing a product, this is how the system works. Both the company and the consumer are ultimately responsible for their choices. Blame never works to solve a problem. New awareness, thoughts, and actions do. Let's find solutions together and move forward. 

But it tastes good!

Food has to taste good. In all my years of consumer research, I have never heard anyone say that they would choose a food that didn't prioritize taste over all other factors. Taste is a must, and is a cost of entry to market a food product. If it doesn't taste good, no one will care enough about convenience or health to keep a food product on the grocery shelves or likely anywhere for that matter. 

We all have different taste preferences. 

Many are cultural. What we are raised on matters because for kids, what we know and associate with family and positive emotions impact choices for life.

Our tongues have a print just as a finger has a print that is unique to us. While our basic tastes are common, the extent to which they impact us is not necessarily. We all likely know someone with a "sweet tooth" or who doesn't eat vegetables because they "taste too bitter". 

There are many other tastes beyond the basic 5 of sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and, umami. Think of all the different spices and foods you have preferences for. 

However, the basic tastes are just that because they relate to our survival. We are hard-wired to crave them when insufficient in our diet. We know we are thirsty when our bodies are dehydrated. Why do we crave chips? Often because our bodies need salt to retain our fluid balance. We salivate when we see or smell delicious desserts high in fat and sugar. Our brain knows these are required for energy. We may crave citrus after eating meat to aid digestion and balance our body pH. We may crave meat or cheese for the protein needed for our muscles. When we learn to listen to our body well, we learn to maintain health. 

When we listen to the latest study or trend we may be causing harm or throwing out our money. Often the trends may have some foundational science behind them but that doesn't mean you should blindly follow them. Typically, people are unaware of the source of the science or the context. 

Follow me here or @foodfitter to learn more inside information on the journey of food and how it impacts your health. 

Doctors blaming food companies for our health crisis is convenient yet coming from a biased perspective. They are part of the problem.

I've heard everything, mostly in the name of whom to blame for the diabesity crisis. 

It works like this. Those in medicine notice that there is an increase in medical conditions that burden our hospital system. They work with government and pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs to address the issue. With the possible exception of drugs for infection and some cancers, most drugs will need to be taken for a lifetime to address chronic conditions.

In Western medicine, physicians are trained best for the sickest and those needing emergency care. Physicians often gravitate to specialties (as if we are the sum of our organs and body systems). Often a holistic view of the person's health is absent until all else fails.  Their system waits until one is ill enough to be diagnosed based on laboratory tests. 

Physicians then treat those who have disease. At this point, the patients they see typically need what they provide in the form of medicine or drugs because they are strong remedies. Much of the medical training and research the physicians rely on is supported by profit driven pharmaceutical companies. 

Doctors who are trained to prescribe drugs do so, and, when the patient has too many diseases (some from the side effects of a drug and others from disease progression) polypharmacy results (too many prescriptions often interacting). Eventually, there is nothing the doctor can do. 

Doctors hypothesize based on their knowledge of the human body from medical school and continuing education. It is difficult for them to keep up with the latest information given the large amount of research they have access to. They only have so many hours in their day. Pharmaceutical reps give them information on the latest drug advancements which can be helpful however, at the same time as they are educating the doctors they are also marketing drugs to them. New drugs typically have higher profit margins. There is clearly an inherent bias in the process. 

In contrast to the profitable drugs sold by pharmaceutical companies, the food industry works off of much smaller profit margins and considerably more volume. Often the ingredients in formulating new products are components of subsidized crops. The ingredients used that are not GRAS (generally recognized as safe) may be regulated by government research. Examples are artificial colors and sweeteners.

I listen to the latest doctor, or dietician blame the food industry for the sick patients that they see. Journalists and consumers repeat what they hear and read. It's safe for the professionals to blame the industry that is not paying their paycheck. It is also easy to blame whoever or whatever immediately proceeds the situation. But too often that is not the root cause of the problem. 

The truth is that everyone has a role in this.

I have another perspective.

What you need to know about rising food prices 101

Manufacturers do not want to raise food prices because there is market competition and they do not want to lose sales. They often reduce costs by giving you less at the same price as an initial strategy. They will tolerate products being out of stock if they can and look towards higher future demand when possible. They know that prices are rarely lowered and we typically get used to the new pricing although it is still not desirable. That's how inflation begins. We pay more for products and services and salaries need to rise to compensate. 

What is causing price inflation? 

1. Lack of workers and employment issues in factories here and around the world for production.

2. Backups in shipping by land and by sea.  From ports and delivery issues will continue to happen We live in a global world. We not only get our food products but ingredients and packaging materials from all over the world. Sourcing globally provides us with food access, convenience, and, in some cases, has even resulted in lower food prices. 

3. Scarcity 

Stocking up is one way to plan better and helps you have more time to get an item for your holiday dinner. Think of a Thanksgrilling get together setting expectations of an outdoor gathering. 

Now is the time to start planning your Thanksgiving menu so you can purchase your groceries.

Helping you plan, even if you are not the planning type, ensures you will have what you need and waste less. Waste is most often the issue with fresh fruits and vegetables especially now that so many more of us are eating more plant-based meals. Understanding canned and frozen options will help immensely. 

Buying locally and seasonally, planning, and learning the difference between marketing and what really is meaningful and of value to you when purchasing will make all the difference. 

Working with Foodfitter, food choices will be stress-free and you will feel confident that you are making sound food decisions aligned with your values, preferences, and health. 

My favorite secret ingredients to surprise your guests with flavors that wow. All of these ingredients are GMO free, gluten free, kosher and vegan. Some like it Smooth! Some like the Tangy! Some like it Hot!

1. Artichoke and Garlic Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the Georgetown Olive Oil Company or use the oil from Trader Joe's Marinated Grilled Artichokes in Olive Oil. 

2. Blood orange Vinegar from Cuisine Perel

3. Habenaro Citrus Oil from Sutter Buttes. It is often sold as a dipping oil but I love using a splash in dishes. 

Rapid Weight Loss - Does it last?

The latest fad diet is not a diet. It's an injection touted by advertisements, physicians, and anyone interested in losing weight who can afford the steep payment without insurance of roughly $1000 a month. 

The long and short of it is that you need to continue to take the drug for the rest of your life if you want to maintain the weight loss. Many say the weight plus more returns if you stop and don't permanently change the way you eat. 

As a nutritionist, I'm wondering if one can take this drug long-term and still be able to get adequate nourishment. The reason that people lose so much weight is that they are not hungry. Some barely eat and their doctor has to tell them they need to eat. Over time, I would imagine malnourishment might become an issue. 

While I'm sure at least some of those inspired to go this route may have been overeating, whether or not they were eating for nutrient density or simply eating empty calories would depend on the individual. 

As a petite woman with a very slow metabolism, I've always found it necessary to eat a nutrient-dense diet with the fewest calories I can. I'm not starving myself at all - I just am not hungry and my body doesn't need many calories but it still needs nutrients to maintain healthy levels. It's a challenge for sure. I can't imagine that most are as diligent nutritionally with caloric restriction as I am. 

While supplements can help, there is simply no substitute for whole food and a balanced diet. 

As a food scientist, I know for sure that we do not know and certainly cannot measure the interactions of nutrients in food that nature provides us. We can't even measure the components of foods we know exist. 

I wish there was a magic solution to weight control for many of us who may struggle with it. So far, no magic exists. The risk of not accepting my healthy self for some generated image of perfection is just not worth it in my book. I will tell you if and when I find the magic. In the meantime, I chose to enjoy my healthy life as it is.  

Air travelers read on!

Have you ever been on a bumpy airline flight? Me too! 

Most airlines serve hot drinks on the plane despite possible unexpected turbulence. With only a little notice, they often don't have time to collect hot drinks, and although they could, do not offer cup covers.

The reasons I have heard relate to the expense of the lids, additional time taken by the flight attendants, the lid keeping the coffee hot for too long, and plastic waste - all issues that could easily be addressed easily if there was a true safety concern by airline management. My experience speaking up led me to the conclusion that lids are not likely to be provided for hot drink cups anytime now or later in the foreseeable future. 

As an experienced flyer and a coffee drinker, I have seen it all. The memory most ingrained in my mind happened on a smaller plane where seats were directly opposite each other in the front of the plane.  Drinks had been served prior to the turbulence. Upon the turbulence, as you would see in an arching water fountain, the hot drink contents perfectly launched from the cup and landed on the opposing person's seat in perfect synchrony. Screams, scalding, spontaneous inappropriate laughter at the situation resulted as well as stained, wet laps, at best, uncomfortable for the remainder of the flight. 

Personally, I have decided to take the issue into my own hands by being prepared and carrying an accessible standard 8-ounce cup lid with me when flying. Lids can easily be obtained for free on the way to the plane at any food area near the gate or by purchasing one in advance for pennies. You could also go all out and purchase a silicone reusable lid - a great fun gift for frequent fliers who love coffee and tea.  I also chose not to bring my own cup with a lid for convenience reasons and only take a light disposable lid that fits all 8 oz. cups. 

I realize spilled hot drinks on your lap when flying hasn't happened to everyone but if you've been through it, it's not something you want to happen again. And even if you are not a hot drink lover, you never know if others in the seats next to you are. Just saying.

 

Have you lost your senses? Don't let anyone call you crazy!

Losing your sense of smell has been one of the tell-tale symptoms of COVID-19. 

When you lose your sense of smell, it will impact your sense of taste as well because the two are closely interconnected, Before and after you put food in your mouth to taste it, we smell a food to see if it is pleasing and safe to consume. When we put food in our mouth and it touches our tongue we have taste buds to recognize a food but also the food's chemical component can be volatile (that is droplets of vapor reach the back of the mouth connected to your nasal passages (so these components of the flavor are inhaled). Together - taste and aroma send signals to your brain. That is how we know and recognize flavors in our memory. 

Most of us will recognize the scent of a rose and the taste of our favorite food and our brain is happy to receive these common aromas and tastes. Scents and tastes we recognize from childhood associated with love or play often comfort and calm us. 

Other aromas and taste trigger warnings  - there is too much salt or that grapefruit too bitter. As your body works constantly to maintain internal balance for your survival if it gets too little or too much of what it needs it lets you know. Normally you just have to listen unless something either disrupts the systems or the body believes that it must acclimate as best as possible to survive with what it has to work within a given environment.  Sometimes we recognize that acclimation is something we should consider for our long-term health.

Back to COVID-19 which disrupts this system when it enters nasal passages. 

That is because our senses are designed to maintain our health sending signals to our brain about what will nourish us in the right amounts. If we are listening to our senses carefully, we will know what we need to survive and thrive at the most basic level of our existence. 

Viruses spread by interfering with our basic systems hopefully only in the short term disrupting our body intelligence long enough to spread to others. In the process, our interaction with a virus may result in some damage as our body tries to fight off the intruder - in a sense an internal war.  

We are all equal in nature over the long term. All life survives to procreate and be useful to its species.  With time we may be able to defend our bodies from the intruder or in the case of some viruses, learn to adapt and co-exist with them. That is until we are run down, stressed or, other infected. The virus needs us to live for it to survive and spread so its objective is not to kill us. Some viruses, such as Epstein Barr, live in our body for the long term and are quiet until they feel threatened and then viral symptoms appear. 

In most cases, our senses are not lost forever because once we recover from the virus, in the most recent case of COVID, our detection is no longer under attack and our sensory cues can be repaired naturally. We can assist or speed up this repair with sensory stimulation. 

If you need to get your senses back again, send an email with I WANT MY SENSES BACK in the subject to mindy@foodfitter.com to learn about my short program. 

The Anatomy of a Latte

I just wanted to make a wonderful latte at home without an espresso machine. I don't have a great deal of space on my kitchen counter it seemed like it would be simple enough. 

Yet, with a whisk in hand, and after several efforts based on instructions from the barista and internet searches, the resultant foam poured over the coffee didn't look or taste quite as I had hoped for. 

I tried 2% low-fat milk and 4% full-fat milk first and the foam was - well cold foam not frothy and rich.

Then I tried heating the milk before frothing with no better result and then making the whole drink and putting the finished drink in the microwave to heat.   Still not good at all. 

Trained as a food scientist, I thought now I need to use my knowledge to solve this dilemma. My mind recalled an interview I had at a leading food manufacturer. I was asked only one question - tell me everything you know about milk.  

Actually, there is quite a lot to know about milk, and yes, I was offered the job. But to be brief for this purpose I'll share only the pertinent highlights you need to know to create my perfect froth at home with or without fancy equipment. 

Milk contains the three major macronutrients - about 4% each for this example: 1) protein (casein or curds when heated and whey), 2) carbohydrates (lactose which is milk sugar - the lactose intolerant are far too aware of this) and, 3) fat, of which roughly 65% is saturated (solid at room temperature).  The remainder of the milk is simply water - 88%. 

All three macronutrients contribute to my perfect froth.

The process of creating the froth I love works best with whole milk containing the most fat and therefore the most saturated fat, the component of milk fat that is most solid at room temperature. The colder the milk the more solid the fat is. I am using homogenized milk which means the components of the milk are mixed under pressure to make smaller fat particles which help to strengthen the natural emulsion of the milk improving mouthfeel, taste and, shelflife of the milk. Most of us know that fat/oil and water do not naturally mix. That is where the protein casein comes in because it is a natural emulsifier. 

We start with cold milk when making froth because it is easier to whip air into a solid structure. We are trying to incorporate fine air bubbles into the milk and develop a stable structure to support the froth. The process of steaming while whisking results in vaporized air and water above the surface of the liquid incorporating air into the milk.   

To maintain the structure's stability, the protein in the milk needs to be heated slowly so that the casein protein component can separate from the whey protein component. The casein will coagulate as it is mixed with the milk fat while being aerated and heated. Froth containing the aerated saturated fat structure creates a more stable foam with a rich mouthfeel. 

The other key component for success is to note that the milk is whisked while it's being gradually heated to approximately 70 degrees. We want the foam to be warm, not only for enjoyment but also because the foam and the coffee that we drink at approximately 175 degrees are closer in temperature when combined. This is important because when the froth-containing fat in the foam hits the coffee the fat doesn't immediately turn to liquid fat due to the temperature differential and rather melts on your tongue at approximately 98.6 degrees - body temperature as the warmer coffee and the foam combine in your mouth. 

I am thrilled with the outcome of my froth and look forward to my morning lattes now. But why stop there? I enjoyed hot chocolate drinks with high-quality cocoa in the evenings over the holidays and with egg nog (eggs are high in protein and froth well with milk). I sprinkled a coffee latte with cinnamon or added a splash of schnapps or other alcohol as an after-dinner drink.  

If you don't want to use whole milk for one of many dietary reasons, based on individual preferences for taste, health, personal values, and/or lifestyle and you want to adapt your frothing method for ingredients you love, let me know in the comments below. 

Or contact me at mindy@foodfitter.com for more help to solve any sourcing, shopping, and kitchen challenges based on the science of food. Let's have fun with food, entertain yourself and others with new skills, and become more comfortable creating food that you design.

  

A food scientist walks into a grocery store. What does the food scientist know that you should know??

 A food scientist understands that all food is life. Food needs to reach you safely. The food's goal is to nourish you well so its life was meaningful. The life sacrificed is just as important as you are. Food doesn't want to be tossed away as if its life doesn't matter. 

The food scientist knows that the shorter the transportation time under the best possible conditions is what is best for the food and therefore for you. You want the food itself to have minimal transit time once harvested and enjoy a comfortable trip to you! In these times with food coming from all over the world, think about the food's journey to you. The better the journey, the more it remains intact with loving care. A quick and pleasant journey means you are honoring the food itself and its ability to nurture you. What goes around, comes around. 

The food scientist knows that for every request that you make for your personal convenience, there will be a tradeoff. Think of "no fat" products. If you take out the fat and want to keep the portion the same something needs to be added back. When a food scientist makes a decision about the product based on what you told them is important and you do not stay conscious and informed of tradeoffs, you may get what you asked for but not necessarily what is best for you. In the case of "no fat" products, products higher in added sugar were the consequence.  Be sure that the replacement is something you want to consume and it is worth the tradeoff. Food companies are in the business of giving you choices and you get to decide which choices to make. 

The food scientist knows that processing food isn't always a bad thing. Fermentation is a process that not only preserves food but creates a product for consumption that can provide added value for humans. It requires expertise and time as indigenous cultures have known for many years. Not only does fermentation aid digestion (by breaking down a nutrient such as gluten outside the human body first) to assist us in getting the nutrition that we as humans were not designed to digest without help from nature, but also provides probiotics that seed beneficial gut bacteria.  

Don't panic. Three ways to address rising food costs and availability while saving time, money and your health.

Let's start with the bad news first.  Food prices will not be declining any time in the foreseeable future so planning well and trying new solutions is the best way forward.  

Now for the good news. Availability issues are temporary. In the meantime, there are so many options out there to keep your budget intact while exploring the wonderful variety of food available to you. With a little help have fun discovering some new favorites! 

1) Eat less meat. Guess what. We already are likely eating more meat than we need to. A serving of protein is the size of your fist - slightly larger for fish than other meat. A pound is 16 ounces and a serving is 3-4 ounces which means if you purchase a pound of the grass-fed organic protein at $12/pound, your cost is only $3-$4/serving. Adding other protein sources to your meal will also help. For example, bean-based sides reduce the amount of meat you need to serve. Or use meat in a meal as a condiment as opposed to the main feature of your dish. 

2) Stock up on canned foods and other shelf-stable items with clean labels. These are often the least expensive and great for items that you'd have to cook for a long time anyway. So you save time and money and you are not giving up nutrition. Faster, cheaper, and better in one solution. Cans are easy to store. Since canning is a means of preservation, preservatives are not needed and there are so many options. Just watch the label for sodium over 300 mg and buy foods with little or no added sugars. If you need to add salt or sugar in cooking, you are in control of how much is added. Chili anyone? 

3) Start freezing meals.  Buy in bulk and cook in bulk - then freeze. Freezing saves time and money and nutrition. Freezing preserves nutrient content and stops spoilage. It also reduces waste and you are always ready for dinner. Just heat and serve. 

A few favorite items? Share below in the comments. 

If you'd like to hear more on this topic, let me know in the comments or contact me at mindy@foodfitter.com.

We value what we grow

Everyone should try to grow food - fresh fruit or vegetables to stay top of mind about what it takes to raise our food. Growing food helps us learn or remind ourselves of how challenging it can be and the work it takes so we don't take food for granted. It helps us appreciate the value of all food we are so fortunate to have access to and the work and sacrifice of many who help to bring it to us. 

In our society, many of us are so unaware and detached from what it takes for food to get to our table. We see the grocery worker or the delivery person and focus on them because we see them. We are focused on convenience and price and likely do not realize the tradeoffs that are made to deliver those attributes to us. Often when we remain unaware, we blame others for not telling us as if they could make us care and listen. We blame others for not magically creating the impossible and for not getting through to us when we don't want to take the time to know the details. As if it's not important enough to us to know what we put in our own body because we say we don't have the time. Yet, we know the further away we are from knowing someone or something, the less basis we have for trust. We are blind to what is happening behind the scenes. 

Growing food is a laborious process. Yes, it's hard. It reminds us of life's fragility. It reminds us that what is happy and healthy grows expansively and brings joy. 

Even if it's not your hobby, try growing a plant or garden to experience the process as you might try other new things for a period of time during the summertime. Make a commitment to learning the process. You will have to spend your time, attention, with a supportive growth environment - soil, water, and nutrients. All life needs love and care to survive and thrive. 

Growing a plant or garden is analogous to how we grow as we go through life. We devote time, may not succeed but we will learn and that is the goal. We devote time to what we love and, also what is important to us. Those who at least try will value food more - its taste, texture - the wonder of growing life. Yes, food is life itself. 

Gardening is a favorite pastime for so many because it's nurturing. It has many benefits that you only experience by practicing it. It has a calming effect on our nervous system raising our oxytocin. Especially in this world of a pandemic, it helps us feel less isolated and provides a new daily sense of purpose. 

I hope you will savor the experience and have a reminder of the effort involved leading you to a greater appreciation and understanding of food in a new way - with new respect and admiration for life that we often only think about as serving us. Food is life as we are living. We need to remember to say our thanks for that life and all of those who make food available to us. We embody life every day by consuming food. Do what you can to embrace its journey and not take it for granted. 

Food is the message

Food is life itself. We honor that life by not wasting it and recognizing that food is not only for enjoyment and satiety but importantly, for information delivered to every cell of our being. When you choose what you eat in advance with mindfulness, you choose what messages you send to your body for your short term and long term health.

One of the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it has slowed the pace of everyday life. Based on availability and perhaps eating more meals at home than before, we have the time and need (due to less food availability and rising prices) to plan our food choices more wisely. No longer can we say that we are bombarded with food all around us everywhere, anywhere at any time without some additional planning and preparation. Typically, I hear, "I don't have time so I just....") but really, we don't make time for an act that is so important to our personal nourishment and health. We want the convenience of someone else preparing and making our food because we can but the question is to what extent is to our benefit.

The consequences of not honoring other life and not knowing what we are putting in our bodies are steep. We are often trusting others we don't know so we don't need to think about it.

Think about it.

Why would you not want to know what you are putting in your body?
Why do we disconnect with the fact that we consume life for nourishment that sends messages to us for our health?
Why do we say we care about the environment but don't know more about the path of the packaging we toss into our oceans and easy solutions available to us?
Why do we say we respect life and nature and yet waste 40% of the food that is harvested?
Why do we stay away from refined and altered food ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, trans fat, resist GMO crops but are willing to eat biologically and chemically altered ingredients in plant-based meat?

Most often the answer is not far away. We want choices and they are available. We act like we have no control when we do. We are proud of our humanity yet more often than not feel compelled because we are hungry, stressed, tired, or simply need to treat ourselves yet don't take the time to break out of these damaging cycles.

Let's be real about our choices, have a conversation, and be open to solutions that are there for the asking. 

Imagine the fun of being a kid in the kitchen!

I felt like a kid again, remembering the excitement of cooking with my mom as a child. Under the expert instruction of Chef Gino (ginothechef on Instagram), making pasta with flour flying, and cracking eggs for dough so strong and thin that it stretched the length of the room, was only surpassed by the sounds of laughter and the taste of the meal that followed. In another room, I could smell the fresh-baked\ chocolate chip cookies waiting for us for dessert. The whiff of aroma triggered childhood memories of enjoying the cookie dough batter left on the mixing beaters.

I was invited to celebrate the grand opening of the new location of The Gourmandise School just a few steps away from their previous spot but now with more space and an even greater variety of classes.

In 2011, Chef Clemence opened the school just blocks away from the famous Santa Monica farmers market, recognized as one of the largest and most diverse farmers markets in the nation. With fresh, sustainable food from California farms, everyday chefs were ripe to hone their pastry and culinary skills. The school grew quickly. Watching the growth was as pleasurable as watching as a ball of dough rise as one would with the labor of love in breadmaking.

The expansion of the school enables more students and unique culinary classes taught by the finest instructors offering the best techniques and instruction for all skill levels.  The school offers cooking and baking classes, a professional series, kid’s classes, fascinating food workshops, and private events. 

Why is The Gourmandise School so special? Because it embodies the attributes I value in life. Love, fun, authenticity, and connection combined with the opportunities for knowledge, competency, and expertise.

If you are lucky enough to live near or plan to visit Santa Monica in the future, check out TheGoumandiseSchool.com to find a class. For inspiration anytime, follow
@GourmandiseLA on Instagram.

When it comes to getting essential nutrients, requirements change at every stage of life.

Children are not simply small adults. When an embryo grows in a woman's womb, most of us know that different organs develop at different times. We hear about what to know in each trimester of pregnancy.

But once the baby is born, the focus is often on how long to breast feed or give formula before solid food is introduced. Breast milk comes with the perfect balance of nutrition and formula is formulated to contain essential nutrients. It's all done for us.

When we need to move to new foods, we watch as the baby accepts some foods and rejects others or we continue to rely on what the experts tell us when we buy "baby food". We begin to learn that each baby has his or her own preferences. Often moms worry if the child is eating what he or she needs especially when finnicky.

It's obvious to all of us that children grow quickly until adulthood. We are aware that we do not all grow at the same rate. What we might not think about is that we continue to physically change our shape and characteristics externally. Otherwise, we'd all look like a baby - just larger! It follows that we continue to have different needs as our body changes in different ways and therefore nutritional needs continue to change.

We observe the volume of food that changes but somehow we don't pay much attention to the types of nutritional requirements at different ages. Information is far too confusing and inconsistent. More and more I hear about moms who are on some diet or following other nutritional information they've read about and then feed their children similarly. Often we tell our growing children what they should eat as if they were little versions of ourselves.

While our adult bodies are changing less in our 30's and  40's, our children's bodies are still developing at least as long as they are growing which tends to be in the late teens for girls but well into the 20's for boys. Much research shows that frontal lobes in male brains are still developing in their mid 20's.

Our cells are constantly renewing. As we age, cell renewal slows unless we continue to support the function.

Nutritional requirement change at every lifestage. Our bodies tell us if we know how to listen.

You can learn by contacting me at mindy@foodfitter.com

Myth: Sugar that comes from fruit is healthier than other sugar

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 since he said 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 allowance for men.  We love juices because they are so high in sugar. So while you get high doses of water-soluble nutrients in juices, nutrients that need to be replenished at least once daily, you also get a sugar load as high or higher than having a Coke or a candy bar!

But isn't juice 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 due to the intact fiber, the food is consumed more slowly and we are still able to digest and absorb nutrients we need. When the fiber is "processed" by a blender or juicer, the fibrous fruit cells are broken down and do not slow sugar absorption. Furthermore, we don't generate the enzymes in saliva by chewing for digestion.

Adding to the confusion is new labeling of "added sugars" for those sugars not in the natural food itself. The intention of the labeling was to call out the addition of sugars for taste in a product. This added sugar is often excessive as we gradually acclimate to higher and higher levels for the same level of satisfaction. Awareness of the sugar that manufacturers add to our products is the first step to help us make changes in our diet for health. The good news here is that if we gradually eat less sugar, our taste buds become more sensitive to lower levels of sugar and we acclimate to these lower levels without detection.

Four ounces, a half of a small juice glass is the daily adult serving. Stick to the recommended serving by watering the juice down and drink 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 before exercise and for those who need calories as well as energy because their caloric requirements are high so they sugar is used for energy immediately. For the rest of us, it's just dessert.

Questions? Just leave them in a comment below or contact me at mindy@foodfitter.com.

Is it soup yet? The skill of nutricycling.

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 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 remainder 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 shopping 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 broader 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.

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!