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agapetos -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 7:37:03 PM)

quote:

Aga- that article won't let me read it b/c I'm in the USA. The article that Steph posted had lots of info, though.
I'm sorry, I didn't realise. Glad you got some info though. There used to be a market in town each week, now we just have the fish man with his van and he's pretty good about quality.
quote:

I do that same thing with avoiding artifical sweetners. Currently, I am either a honey or stevia girl
I use sugar, but only when I'm baking something. I use agave, fruit sugar or honey if I need anything else sweetened, stevia isn't sold here.



Mrs.Wifey -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 8:56:25 PM)

We don't do artificial sweeteners, just smaller amounts of Turbinado and I do *gasp* use white sugar in DH's cookies. I don't like Stevia and I've learned to just have most things without sweetener. I have used Whey Low type D in the past and I do really like it, I just keep forgetting to order some more.



HisCovenant -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 9:01:37 PM)

What is best whole milk products or lower fat milk products? I'm torn and was wondering what your opinions are.



Mrs.Wifey -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 9:06:45 PM)

Well... We don't do much dairy other then cream or half and half for things like Alfredo. I am sensitive, DD can't have it because of her allergies and DH couldn't really care less if I never bought milk again. However, for things like yogurt making I think I would prefer 2% or something similar, which is what I drink on the rare occasion that I have milk.

Did I mention that we also don't think milk is all that healthy for us?



uponeagleswings -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 9:46:25 PM)

We keep trying to eat healthier, and keep getting knocked back again. It depends on both of our ambition levels for cooking. We both have weaknesses for pasta, and aren't very good at keeping to a reasonable serving size. DH just asked me to start buying organic milk whenever possible, since we both drink a lot of milk. We're working on getting hfcs and hydrogenated oils out of our diets, and reducing/eliminating the processed foods.
I did make bread yesterday from fresh-ground wheat though. [:)]



Mrs.Wifey -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 9:57:56 PM)

Hydrogenated fats have not been hard for us, except for in the form of our beloved "Olive Oil" margarine that we have been consuming for so long. I am slowly replacing it with real butter but it's much more expensive.



uponeagleswings -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 10:07:41 PM)

That's part of the other problem. Organic anything is twice the price. And yes, healthier is probably less expensive in the long run, but that doesn't help when we're pinching every penny. Processed food is definitely more expensive than doing it yourself though.



Mrs.Wifey -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 10:10:13 PM)

Well, I have forgone alot of the organics in order to just get more whole foods into us... The only exception is that I do buy organic fruits and veggies for DD. Your right, it is a good deal more expensive but I do feel like the cost is worth it there is also a point where we just can't afford to spend more.



StephK -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 10:27:01 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: HisCovenant

What is best whole milk products or lower fat milk products? I'm torn and was wondering what your opinions are.


Whole milk is better.

Nina Planck, author of Real Foods writes:

quote:

Whole milk is what is called a complete food, because each ingredient plays its part. Without the fat, you can't digest the protein or absorb the calcium. The body needs saturated fat in particular (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat can't do the job) to take in the calcium that makes bones strong. Milk fat also contains glycosphingolipids, which are fats that encourage cell metabolism and growth and fight gastrointestinal infections.

The all-important vitamins A and D are found in the fat. Historically, whole milk and butter were the best sources of these vitamins in the American diet, which had up to 10 times more of both vitamins than modern industrial diets.

In skim and low-fat milk, the vitamins are removed along with the fat, so dairies add synthetic A and D. But Vitamins A and D are fat-soluble; that means they cannot be absorbed into the body unless they're taken in with fat. Thus, even fortified skim and low-fat milk are not nearly as beneficial as the real thing.

What about recommendations that we should drink low-fat milk to prevent heart disease? A federal study released last week, the largest study of its kind, found that low-fat diets do not prevent heart disease.



StephK -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/12/2008 10:30:38 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: uponeagleswings

We keep trying to eat healthier, and keep getting knocked back again. It depends on both of our ambition levels for cooking. We both have weaknesses for pasta, and aren't very good at keeping to a reasonable serving size. DH just asked me to start buying organic milk whenever possible, since we both drink a lot of milk. We're working on getting hfcs and hydrogenated oils out of our diets, and reducing/eliminating the processed foods.
I did make bread yesterday from fresh-ground wheat though. [:)]


Kroger's here often reduces the Horizon milk to 1.99 - 2.99 a gallon and it keeps just fine. Their Private Selection organic milk is cheaper for when they don't mark Horizon brand down.



miasma -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 9:51:22 AM)

I don't know what percentage of my diet is raw. I focus less on rules and restrictions, and just eat well, all the time.


quote:

ORIGINAL: HisCovenant

I wanted to correct myself about 100% Whole Grain Wheat Thins being a whole food. They have HFCS and artificial ingredients. I buy them for dh and occasionally eat them. It struck me as I was chosing a snack this afternoon that they are not strictly a whole food. [;)]


That's exactly what I meant, about reading labels. Just because something says "organic," "whole wheat" "whole grain," "all-natural," etc. doesn't mean it is. The food industry is VERY savvy when it comes to figuring out how to convince people to buy their products.

Which is why I avoid products, and stick with produce, and locally produced items.

I have a weakness for a lot of bad things, but when I get a craving, I spend 60 seconds thinking about how it will affect my physical health and my mental and emotional well-being, and that helps a lot.

And, educate yourself. Get over any stigmas you might attached with say, soy milk - kinda like their new ad campaign is doing. Though, I use almond milk, if anything. Retrain your brain and lose all the old wives tales and misinformation (such as it will be more expensive).

It was this past March, that I decided to go "raw" for one month. I won't talk about it much, because it makes me feel like a ridiculous infomercial, but an example of something I learned is how caffeine actually affects the brain.

I was telling a friend (who works in neuroscience) how much better and happier I'd been, since I stopped eating meat and drinking coffee, and she was like, duh, you're not interfering with your GABA...

The more I read about just what exactly is going into food (like HFCS) the easier it is to stick with "clean eating." I like that phrase.[:)]

My body is a living, breathing organism, and I want to nourish it with life-giving sustenance.

Not bovine growth hormones and the myriad of other antibiotics and hormones meat is pumped with, to create larger profit margins.

10 reasons to skip dairy

Huge database of articles about dairy

Dairy: Good or Bad?

Though I've been gluten free (something though largely recognized by the medical community people don't want to take a look at, because of what it would mean as far as not eating anymore) for years, now, I recently started reading more about how all grains aren't that good for us.

Why?

General info

Whew, that was a lot of linking! Very good reading, though!



stellaluna -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 9:58:48 AM)

There was a great segment on Nightline the other day about this. It was an interview with an author, whose name and book I can't remember, but it was very interesting. His thing was to not eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize, i.e. don't eat anything that comes in a box and is processed, refined, etc. It was good advice.

Also, I'm not caffeine free yet, but for the past few months I've limited myself to one cup of plain black coffee first thing in the morning. I feel 500% better.



LaurainAL -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 10:05:44 AM)

I am totally confused on the coffee issue. One camp tells you that it is good for you because of all the antioxidants, the other camp tells you it is bad and can even effect your brain chemistry?

There is so much conflicting advice on nutrition that it makes it very difficult for the average person like me to decide.



lexie -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 10:06:11 AM)

I'm slowly working our family in this direction.

Since Dd started eating all regular foods I've been much more cautious about what we are eating. I'm also following her lead, and trying to eat the way I feed her. We've cut A LOT of packaged and processed stuff out of our diets, meals are made from all fresh ingredients, and I'm doing a lot more stuff from scratch.

My only problem is cooking food that Dh likes. Dishes from his culture is often high in fat, and when making it here, can become unhealthy (a lot of stuff comes packaged and processed). So my recent goal is to find ways that I can make his dishes as healthy as possible.

We'll get there one day!



miasma -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 10:17:23 AM)

Were you as surprised as I was, stellaluna? Turns out a co-worker of mine went off the coffee last year, and had the same result.

quote:


There is so much conflicting advice on nutrition that it makes it very difficult for the average person like me to decide.


I haven't experienced that - but if I have a question, I read and read until I am satifisfied with my conclusion.

When talking about caffeine, that's not just coffee. Coffee may have some benefits. As does heroin (for a silly, extreme example).

I wouldn't imagine, though, that a big ol' tin of Folgers, or other industrially produced coffee, really has all those benefits that fresh, fair trade coffee would.

There are waaaay too many other ways to get "anti-oxidants" without the negative effects of caffeine.

quote:

Dishes from his culture is often high in fat


Like what?

I think people with a "pasta addiction" really are addicted to the sugar. Here's some reading on that.

Or it's the sauces and stuff on the pasta.

Try spaghetti squash, instead. Or julienning zucchini.

76 ways sugar can ruin your health



stellaluna -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 10:26:20 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: miasma
Were you as surprised as I was, stellaluna? Turns out a co-worker of mine went off the coffee last year, and had the same result.

I was actually surprised at how much better I sleep. A lifetime of caffeine whenever you are thirsty does translate into poorer sleep, no matter how much you think it doesn't effect you. I like coffee and and I make decaf at home. I do tend to get headaches, though, and caffeine does help with that. I think one cup a day M-F is the perfect balance for me.



HisCovenant -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 10:50:10 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: LaurainAL
There is so much conflicting advice on nutrition that it makes it very difficult for the average person like me to decide.

I understand exactly what you mean because I used to feel that way and sometimes still do. I've learned to read a lot of information and really think through it logically.The more you read, the more you begin to see who is an expert on a subject and who is just a reporter that knows nothing other than the press release he has been given. Just like in any subject, it takes time and education to discern what's right and wrong. It does seem overwhelming and confusing, but you can get through it.

Miasma- That's a lot of linking. It'll take forever before I can work my way through all that! Oh, and you didn't answer about what percentage of your diet is raw. I'm really curious how that works.

Dh has found that same thing about stopping cokes. He sleeps so much better when he's of them. In the past month he's gotten back in the habit of drinking them and is waking up in the middle of the night wide awake again.

What do you all eat for breakfast? I've had a really hard time finding a regular breakfast because I'm not a morning person, I don't like cold cereal, and I get tired of hot cereal after about three days of it. My go to breakfast of late is yogurt.



miasma -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 11:01:48 AM)

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Miasma- That's a lot of linking. It'll take forever before I can work my way through all that!


Just open and bookmark, don't need to read them all at once.[:)]

quote:

Oh, and you didn't answer about what percentage of your diet is raw. I'm really curious how that works.


quote:

I don't know what percentage of my diet is raw. I focus less on rules and restrictions, and just eat well, all the time.


quote:

What do you all eat for breakfast?


I'm not a breakfast person, either. Quite honestly, my all-time favourite breakfast is heart-attack coffee full of whole cream and cigarettes.

Finding a breakfast has been the #1 challenge, for me. I try to eat nothing but fruit, often in the way of a green smoothie. It totally staves off hunger all morning.

It's just any number of greens (spinach, kale, collards, parsley, etc.) and whatever fruit, blended. Another thing to google, when you feel like reading.[:D]

Or fruit cut up and topped with kefir. It's also, in addition to being the healthiest, the easiest and quickest breakfast.



HisCovenant -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 11:19:45 AM)

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Oh, and you didn't answer about what percentage of your diet is raw. I'm really curious how that works.

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I don't know what percentage of my diet is raw. I focus less on rules and restrictions, and just eat well, all the time.

Well, what do you eat cooked?

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Or fruit cut up and topped with kefir. It's also, in addition to being the healthiest, the easiest and quickest breakfast.
Isn't kefir dairy?



miasma -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 11:39:46 AM)

Kefir can be made from cow milk, yes. I'm not dairy-free 100% - I'm not anything, except gluten, 100% free. I just do my best to consume only dairy products are are BGH (which is banned in Europe) and other chemicals free. It's once in a blue moon, and usually at other people's houses, that I'll eat something with some cheese in it or whatever.

quote:

what do you eat cooked


/shrugs

Ummm...the fish I used to make pate last night were cooked. I had some french fries the other night. I don't have any hard and fast rules. I don't never eat anything cooked, I just don't think that breakfast is only eggs and bacon, and dinner has to be a meat and three, etc.

I know what is good for me, and I know what makes me feel good.

And sometimes, my friend's steak (grass-fed, chemical free) grilled in (locally made with the aforementioned healthy cows) butter is what's good! [:D]

For me it's not about lists and rules, just common sense and quality of life!

For those of you who might not know what we're talking about, when we say "raw," here is some info:

TEN ADVANTAGES OF EATING RAW

Why People Are Raving About The Raw Food Diet

and this clip, well worth watching.



HisCovenant -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 12:32:49 PM)

I hope you didn't feel like I was attacking you. I was asking out of curiosity because while I've heard of raw eating and the benefits, I am not quite sure what it looks like in practice and how far it is taken.

quote:

For me it's not about lists and rules, just common sense and quality of life!

This is the way I think, too.

I was watching a BBCA show called "You Are What You Eat" where the contributors are put on a gluten-free, whole grain, veggie, fruit, and fish diet and have taken off the processed fried diet they are consuming. One of the contributors was making her meal out of all natural foods and made the comment "I don't know how anyone can think eating like this is normal" referring to her new eating plan of natural food. It struck me how far from common sense we can get because I think the exact opposite of that comment: How is it normal to eat such a processed diet? I know I used to think that way, too, growing up because I didn't know better.



agapetos -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 1:16:52 PM)

quote:

I do *gasp* use white sugar in DH's cookies.
I think limited amounts of refined foods aren't going to kill us! As long as we're conscious of when and how much we're using something so we don't go overboard. You know?

quote:

What is best whole milk products or lower fat milk products? I'm torn and was wondering what your opinions are.
I tend to buy skimmed milk because semi and full give me stomach cramps. I don't worry too much about what kind of yogurt I use, just as long as it doesn't have artificial stuff in it[;)]

quote:

I am slowly replacing it with real butter but it's much more expensive.
You can make a spread by just melting butter and blending it with olive oil (equal quantities). Someone told me that it wasn't healthy, because you were melting the butter, but IMO, you're only just melting it, not heating it or cooking with it.
quote:

I am totally confused on the coffee issue. One camp tells you that it is good for you because of all the antioxidants, the other camp tells you it is bad and can even effect your brain chemistry?
Yep, I agree ~ again, I don't think it's whether you eat or drink something, but the amount that you eat or drink ~ and whether you can deal with not having it.

quote:

There is so much conflicting advice on nutrition that it makes it very difficult for the average person like me to decide.
Yep! Don't try tackling everything at once. Break things down into small steps. First thing my dietitian did was to start getting me to eat regularly. Nest was increasing my intake of fruit/veg.

quote:

We keep trying to eat healthier, and keep getting knocked back again.
You konw something, many people have this problem in many walks of their lives. It's not always a straight route. The point is, that you keep on trying and improving. If all a person can ever do to improve their health is eat 5+ portions of fruit/veg a day, they've taken steps to improving their health.

quote:

It depends on both of our ambition levels for cooking. We both have weaknesses for pasta, and aren't very good at keeping to a reasonable serving size.
Then buy wholewheat pasta, or pasta that is made from other grains. You can also buy a gadget that will 'make' pasta out of various veggies ~ makes long threads of the veggie.

quote:

What do you all eat for breakfast?
I find it difficult to eat regularly, including breakfast. I do function better when I eat something rather than nothing though. Last thing at night, I try and plan what to have for breakfast the next morning (I find it helps). It depends on what I have in the house though. I do like smoothies (made from fruit and yogurt or rice milk). I tend not to worry too much about what is considered breakfast and will have something that many may not consider breakfast like rice (leftover, and most of the time my rice has beans and other veggies) in it, so it's not just rice) or eggs (boiled, sometimes hot, sometimes cold that I cooked the day before), sandwiches (home-made bread) with something in it, etc.

I do believe that breakfast is important, I don't believe that we should get hung up on eating it. If you find that you function better after eating breakfast regularly for a period of time (than if you don't eat breakfast), do look at things that aren't breakfast that you could eat.

quote:

I was watching a BBCA show called "You Are What You Eat" where the contributors are put on a gluten-free, whole grain, veggie, fruit, and fish diet and have taken off the processed fried diet they are consuming.
Interestingly, I've just bought one of her books ~ not because I have any intention of following her diet, but she does have some good, healthy recipes!



uponeagleswings -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 1:29:34 PM)

I WISH I could get hubby to give up the pop, or change it out for a cup of coffee. He grew up drinking pop and gets horrible caffeine headaches if he tries to stop. Sometimes he'll drink coffee instead, but he still drinks pop.



HisCovenant -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 1:45:46 PM)

He had to make that decision himself. I tried filling him up with healthy eating thoughts and tricking him into eating better for years. He went a long with some of it, but that 40th birthday was what made the difference. When he realized he was 40, he decided he wasn't invincible and his desire for health was stronger. He still eats junk for lunch and prefers a more junky breakfast... but he is making a few better choices, one of which is giving up cokes and he will eat a hard boiled egg with fruit for breakfast instead of a breakfast bar if I stay on the eggs. The problem is that he eats all the eggs and then forgets to tell me to make more. He's capable and says that he doesn't expect me to do all the egg boiling, but he's not wanting a healthy breakfast enough to go to any trouble himself; No matter what he says, his actions are speaking louder.



MrsTracy72 -> RE: Whole Foods and Clean Eating chatter (5/13/2008 2:02:17 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mrs.Wifey

Tracey, I have been contemplating a food saver, especially for times like this when I am going to be out of town for 2 weeks and DH will need something easy to eat. Or even just for nights when I don't feel like cooking.

I also bought some Ramekins to help with portion control, even though I don't worry about it as much when we are eating whole foods.


Ryanne, it is the best money you can spend. I buy my meat when it goes on sale, then I either just separate it and re-package it and throw it in the freezer, or I cook it and make things like meatballs for spaghetti, or taco meat, seasoned meat for lasagna, or pulled pork (my fav) and seal it up. It is great to use for stocking up on lunchmeat too. It really does keep like the advertisements say.

Ok, here is a great recipe for pancakes.
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup lowfat milk
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup flour (any kind)
3 large eggs slightly beaten
3 Tablespoons butter softened (I used 2 and it worked just fine)
1 Tablespoon sugar (I like the dermacane or sugar in the raw. It has better flavor)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt. (I usually skip the salt)

Directions:
Mix oats and both kinds of milk together and let sit overnight or at least 6 hours. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and cook like you would regular pancakes, but you have to watch them because they don't bubble up on top like regular pancakes.

Last time I added wheat germ in the batter and today I added some ground flaxmeal. We top them off with fresh fruit, pecans, sugar free syrup, applesauce, or whatever you want. They are yummy!



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