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wonderlandfairytales · 7 years

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30 Day Paleo Trial: 1 week down.

sooo I really did it. today marks one week since I started eating strictly Paleo. for those who don’t know what exactly Paleo means, here’s the deal in short:

DO EAT – meat, eggs – fish, seafood – veggies – fruit – nuts – healthy fats (olive oil, coconut oil, etc)

DO NOT EAT – grains – refined sugar – processed food – dairy – legumes (incl. peanuts)

why would I do that? simple: from 2014 to 2016 I was in a relationship which left me with so much anxiety and stress that I barely ate. I lost 30lbs in 1.5 years and was 90lbs by the end of it. after the relationship was over I started eating normally again. fairly healthy and not too much at all. but my body has been so out of whack from barely eating for so long that it just wouldn’t stop putting on fat. fast forward 2 years and I am at my heaviest ever (140lbs) despite eating a fairly healthy diet. it just doesn’t make any sense and it’s frankly quite unfair, so I’ve been trying to find ways to make my body realize I’m all good and healthy now so it can stop putting on every calorie I eat.

I first heard of the Paleo diet about a year ago. back then I was like “okaaay just another food craze, that seems complicated and expensive” etc, in short, I was super skeptic. the past couple months though I’ve heard from more and more people how eating (mostly) Paleo has helped them with things like: – gut problems – depression, anxiety – energy – food cravings – weight loss

this caught my attention because those were all things I’ve been struggling with for years and years. I’ve taken medication most my life, trying to get my depression, anxiety and chronic stomach inflammation under control but nothing has helped. so in a last and final attempt I’ve decided to give Paleo a try. it makes sense to me that I would be able to cure my body (and mind) by eating a healthy diet. it’s no secret that our western eating habits are making us sick and fat. so I’ve decided to give this a try.

how have I been feeling this past week? honestly it’s SO hard to make an accurate statement because the thing is, I started 2 days after getting back from Toronto, and I swear I’ve never been so jetlagged in my whole life. since I’m not working at the moment I’ve had a lot of trouble getting back into my timezone, meaning I barely slept at all, and if, it was during the day. so as far as energy levels etc goes, I can literally not tell if it was Paleo or the jetlag that’s been causing me to be super tired and groggy. so I guess I’ll leave this question for after week 2.

what about exercise? I’ve been so groggy this past week, I haven’t even thought about working out. I also wanna give my body enough time to transition from getting energy from carbs to getting energy from fat. I try to walk a lot every day, and after week 2 I wanna start going to the gym again (or go for runs at least).

have I been feeling super hungry all the time? the first 3–4 days, yes! I tried my best to eat enough protein with my veggies but I realized how hard it is not to undereat on Paleo! I’ve always been someone who eats small portions, both because I didn’t wanna gain weight by overeating, but I also just kinda have a small stomach and feel stuffed pretty fast. so I continued eating the portion sizes I was used to with a lot less calorie-dense food. the result: I was raaaavenous all day and didn’t know why. my stomach was full, but the hungry feeling wouldn’t go away. after a few days my body not only got used to the new food (and the absence of simple carbs), but I also learned how to adjust the portion sizes. I eat huge salads now, and I snack in between meals (a boiled egg here, some bacon there). I try to always eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. so far I haven’t even come close to overeating in terms of calories.

what about food cravings? hmm. surprisingly enough I’ve been doing really well in that department. I’m a chocoholic and have an incredibly strong sweet tooth. so I actually thought I’d die from sugar withdrawals. but alas, I didn’t. I don’t know why. like, obviously when I see chocolate or cake or pizza or chips, I’m like “oh my god I’d do anything to have a bite”. but unless it is literally right in front of me, I don’t even think about it. the food I eat is very satisfying, and since it’s also nutritious my mind and body are happy and leave me alone until it’s time for my next healthy meal. the funny thing is: the thing I’m missing more is not pizza or chocolate, but cheese… I have no idea why.

what’s the biggest problem? honestly the biggest struggle is eating on the go. I’m unemployed at the moment so I don’t leave my house often but when I do it’s hard to find something to eat when I get hungry. I usually just get a banana and maybe a few almonds. most pre-packaged food has a ton of chemicals and/or sugar in it which makes it a no-no on Paleo. also, when food cravings do happen, it’s very frustrating to not be able to give in. I like it though, because it’s a test for my willpower, and once I loosen it up a bit I can decide when I wanna indulge and when I will let a craving pass. another problem is money. it’s very expensive to eat Paleo. not only are vegetables and meat more expensive than bread and pasta in general, you also need way more to meet your caloric needs and feel full. that’s probably the biggest disadvantage of this lifestyle.

will I keep eating like this after the 30 days? this is highly dependent on how I will feel after the month has passed. it’s way too early to tell if this benefits me and if I could actually keep this up forever. if it ends up changing my life for the better I will definitely try and keep it up, but will probably loosen it up a little and go for the 80/20 approach, which basically means you eat healthy (or in my case Paleo) 80% of the time, which still gives you room for a piece of cake or a slice of pizza every once in a while. but since I will be able to control my cravings, I can decide when and if I’m gonna indulge which is awesome.

so yeah. first week has been a success. :)

#paleo #week 1 #paleo journal #paleo life

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old-soulless · 7 years

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All you need to know about the Paleo and Ketogenic Diets

Whether it is a low-carb, low-fat, high-fat or high-protein diet, everyone is always looking for a quick solution for their weight problems. Personally, I don’t think that there is one diet that is right for everyone.

Your diet should depend on your body type. Those who are trying to sell you a single diet-plan may be a little too one-sided. With that being said; if you are looking to lose weight, two very effective diets that can help you shed it faster include the Ketogenic and Paleo Diet.

This was my Bali Buda breakfast this morning… the #Paleo plate. Duck, bacon, duck eggs, avocado, and sauerkraut with a Bulletproof coffee on the side. Total price $6! I love it here! . . . . #keto #paleodiet #paleobreakfast #bali #BaliBound #nomnom #bp360love #bulletproofcoffee #delicious #nutrition #health #breakfast #variety #travel #instagood #food #yummy #foodie #instafood #foodgasm #healthyfood #eatclean #foodstagram #cleaneating

A post shared by Dai Manuel | Lifestyle Mentor (@daimanuel) on May 5, 2017 at 6:15pm PDT

The Paleolithic and Ketogenic diets usually get lumped together in the same category. While there is some overlap in their principles, the two patterns are still distinct in a number of ways. Learning and understanding those differences could be the key to finding a diet that is perfect for you.

One of the best approaches would be combining ideas from both diets while keeping your carbs and sugar levels under control. Along with weight loss, these steps can be a great start for gut healing and fat burning; while the basic principles can be utilized for a lifetime to maintain a healthy functioning brain and body.

What it means to be Ketogenic? (aka Keto Adapted)

In the past, ketogenic diet was used as a tool for disease management, not weight loss. Now it is a common dietary intervention for sensory disturbances such as epilepsy. The main keto-goal is to force the body into a state of ketosis – the burning process of stored body fat.

Under this plan, you achieve ketosis through fasting, the increase of dietary fat and the reduction of carbohydrates. A 2004 published study by Experimental & Clinical Cardiology found that long-term adherence to ketogenic eating patterns may:

Lower blood LCD and glucose

Reduce body mass

Increase the level of ‘good’ cholesterol

This diet actually seems to treat epilepsy as well, however, there is a catch; it is especially difficult to tolerate. According to WebMD, the keto-diet prescribes that dieters consume 3 calories of fat for every calorie of carbohydrate or protein.

“A meal might include a small portion of chicken, a little bit of fruit, and a lot of fat, typically butter or cream. Frankly, it's a difficult diet to swallow.”

I'm now 3 weeks in the #KetoZone, @thelifeenhancers was nice enough to make me lunch after I made our @bulletproof coffee for breakfast. In 3 weeks I'm down 6 lbs of fat, up 1 pound of muscle and feeling like I'm 20 years old again! Freaking love the #ketogenicdiet [note my macro split is 65 to 75% fat, 20 to 25% protein and 5 to 10% carbs depending on my training days] . . . . #keto #ketogenic #wlfm #wlfmroadtrip #wlfmanifesto #ketosis #lowcarb #eatclean #paleo #lchf #lowcarbhighfat #motivation #fitness #ketoresults #healthyeating #foodporn #nosugar #paleodiet #lunchtime

A post shared by Dai Manuel | Lifestyle Mentor (@daimanuel) on Apr 6, 2017 at 10:05am PDT

What’s included in the Keto Diet?

Since the keto diet includes a high-fat, low-carb and moderate protein eating pattern, it has a very specific protein-nutrient breakdown:

70-75% calories from fat

20-25% from protein

5-10% from carbohydrates

This might seem ‘easy’ when you first start considering the Ketogenic diet, but mind you, it takes careful planning and oodles of tolerance. Keeping your net carbohydrate intake at or between 20-50 grams per day is harder than you think.

Click on the image for free Keto Resources!

The ‘net carbohydrate’ count is the total carbohydrate minus the fibre. Thus, kale has a net carbohydrate count of 6 grams and the goal is to reach a state of ketosis, where your body burns ketones as sources of energy, instead of glucose.

Photo Credit: MyKetoKitchen.com

What is the Palaeolithic Diet?

The Paleo plan or the ‘caveman diet’ focuses more on eating meat under the assumption that early cave dwellers had little to no access to greens and grain, and thus were ‘forced’ to consume a diet primarily composed of protein. Practitioners of this plan suggest getting energy from animal products that are low in carbohydrates but high in protein.

The Paleo dieters also avoid processed foods like:

Table salt

Refined sugar

Dairy products

Hypothetically, eating the same way as the prehistoric aboriginals should improve your health since the modern man faces many chronic diseases that didn’t plague them in the ancient times. However, the Time magazine nutritional experts think of the idea as a gross oversimplification:

Any diet that restricts certain food groups and emphasizes others isn’t balanced, experts say. There is not a strong scientific theory to prove that paleo-eaters live longer and healthier lives than those who don’t follow the diet.

What’s included in the Paleo Diet?

Dr. Loren Cordain, founder of the Paleo-diet movement and author of the N.Y Times bestseller, “The Paleo Diet” says the paleo course is a high protein diet; however, other paleo experts believe your plate should be filled with only some meat and a lot of vegetables. Unlike the ketogenic diet, the macronutrient profile of the paleo-pattern has a wider range of percentages:

22-40% from carbohydrates

19-35% from protein

28-47% of calories from fat

The paleo routine might come as a shock to your normal way of eating but once you get used to it, you might wonder why you never thought of the plan before. While you are free to eat all meats, nuts and fruits, there are some recommendations as to how you much you should consume each food.

For instance, fruits and berries were much harder to come by in the Palaeolithic “caveman” era. You might only have access to those foods few months out of a year, depending on your geographical location. So the general suggestion would be to eat them in moderation.

The Paleo Diet versus the Ketogenic Diet: What's the difference?

The ketogenic diet, getting most of your calories just from fat, is only sustainable for the short-term, while the Paleo routine represents a more continual dieting course.

When you break it down from a food perspective, both diets avoid grains and processed foods, but the paleo diet also eliminates dairy. Keto avoids sweet fruits and vegetables where Paleo includes few from each category.

While both plans include non-starchy vegetables, meats and poultry, the ketogenic pattern focuses on the manipulation of fats, proteins and carbs fitting within that system of eating. The paleo diet on the hand is more about healthy food choices and has a greater balance of macronutrients.

Photo Credit: FitHacker.com

The protein comparison

The protein pattern is similar in general, but the paleo diet is somewhat stricter when it comes to plant based protein, and lentils, beans, peanuts and other legumes are discouraged.

The fats differ

The ketogenic diet is high in fat and allows consumption of vegetable oils and dairy products like butter, cream cheese, hard cheeses and ghee. Today, plenty of information reveals the harmful effects of vegetable oils like soybean, canola and corn oils. These oils are likely to mess up the fatty-acid composition of the body’s cells if used in excess.

The paleo diet, however, avoids these oils and puts greater emphasis on plant-based fats like avocado, coconuts and olives. Additionally, many paleo advocates prefer consuming grass-fed animal products, where this specification might be irrelevant for keto followers.

Fruit contribution

Like any other low-carb diet, the ketogenic diet discourages fruit consumption, as this form of sugar contains glucose and fructose, both said to contribute to weight gain and insulin resistance.

The only exception would be a handful of berries every now and then because they have a good balance of sugars along with a high, herb-like antioxidant percentage.

On the other hand, the paleo pattern supports the consumption of low-sugar fruits. Its followers believe that fructose and glucose levels in fruit result in weight gain only if you consume too much of each type. Plus, fruit in moderation can provide you with tons of nutrients that can be healthy for an active lifestyle.

Paleo Isn’t Necessarily Low-Carb

Even though both diet patterns, namely paleo and keto, focus on getting fat and protein as the main energy sources, the former still allows lot of carbs from potatoes, carrots and other root and tuber vegetables. These starchy foods are avoided in the keto routine.

Adapting to it

Both diets require some serious ‘getting used to’. Those who take on the paleo diet should brace for the so-called ‘keto flu’ or the ‘paleo flu’, the typical period of adaption with this meal plan, in the first two or three weeks.

Our bodies often experience some withdrawal symptoms from all the gluten and sugar subtraction. Plus, as the body begins to burn fat instead of glucose for fuel, it is only a few days of unpleasant cravings. Adding some sea salt or magnesium to the meals can usually help smooth out the edges.

Newbies to the ketogenic diet plan may have to endure a longer adjustment period – ranging from several weeks to months – as it is not easy to tolerate. And with the avoidance of dairy, it might get challenging to intake enough fat from every meal without some serious effort.

All in all…

Despite having their fair share of pros and cons, both ketogenic and paleo diets are worth a try. One isn’t inherently different than the other. It is only a matter of finding the right meal plan that works best for your body needs. Everybody should consider experimenting with this spectrum of Paleo and Keto to find the optimal macro-nutrient ratio that works best with their lifestyle and health goals.

BTW – want more info on the Ketogenic Diet, here's some free resources for you.

Get Your FREE Copies of the “Keto Food Pyramid Infographic” & “The Low-Carb Lifestyle FAQ”

Click here for your free keto tools

AUTHOR BIO: Audrey Throne

Audrey Throne is a mother and a professional blogger by choice. She has completed her masters in English literature from the University of Birmingham. As a blogger she wrote quite a few posts on health, technology as well as management. Currently, she is writing for brainblog. Find her on Twitter: @audrey_throne.

May 11, 2017 at 06:52AM

#fitness #motivation #gym #fitfam #workout #diet #healthy #fit #exercise #weightloss #health #quote

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jonathantwatson · 7 years

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All you need to know about the Paleo and Ketogenic Diets

A post shared by Dai Manuel | Lifestyle Mentor (@daimanuel) on May 5, 2017 at 6:15pm PDT

What it means to be Ketogenic? (aka Keto Adapted)

Lower blood LCD and glucose

Reduce body mass

Increase the level of ‘good’ cholesterol

“A meal might include a small portion of chicken, a little bit of fruit, and a lot of fat, typically butter or cream. Frankly, it's a difficult diet to swallow.”

A post shared by Dai Manuel | Lifestyle Mentor (@daimanuel) on Apr 6, 2017 at 10:05am PDT

What’s included in the Keto Diet?

Since the keto diet includes a high-fat, low-carb and moderate protein eating pattern, it has a very specific protein-nutrient breakdown:

70-75% calories from fat

20-25% from protein

5-10% from carbohydrates

Click on the image for free Keto Resources!

Photo Credit: MyKetoKitchen.com

What is the Palaeolithic Diet?

The Paleo dieters also avoid processed foods like:

Table salt

Refined sugar

Dairy products

What’s included in the Paleo Diet?

22-40% from carbohydrates

19-35% from protein

28-47% of calories from fat

The Paleo Diet versus the Ketogenic Diet: What's the difference?

The ketogenic diet, getting most of your calories just from fat, is only sustainable for the short-term, while the Paleo routine represents a more continual dieting course.

Photo Credit: FitHacker.com

The protein comparison

The protein pattern is similar in general, but the paleo diet is somewhat stricter when it comes to plant based protein, and lentils, beans, peanuts and other legumes are discouraged.

The fats differ

Fruit contribution

Like any other low-carb diet, the ketogenic diet discourages fruit consumption, as this form of sugar contains glucose and fructose, both said to contribute to weight gain and insulin resistance.

The only exception would be a handful of berries every now and then because they have a good balance of sugars along with a high, herb-like antioxidant percentage.

Paleo Isn’t Necessarily Low-Carb

youtube

Adapting to it

All in all…

BTW – want more info on the Ketogenic Diet, here's some free resources for you.

Get Your FREE Copies of the “Keto Food Pyramid Infographic” & “The Low-Carb Lifestyle FAQ”

Click here for your free keto tools

window.addEventListener('LPLeadboxesReady',function(){LPLeadboxes.addDelayedLeadbox('1471cf5f3f72a2:118830060b46dc',{delay:'30s',views:0,dontShowFor:'0d'});});

AUTHOR BIO: Audrey Throne

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ourhealthyfoodblog-blog · 7 years

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New Post has been published on Healthy Food and Remedies

New Post has been published on http://healthyfoodandremedies.com/2017/04/19/50-secrets-food-manufacturers-dont-tell-change-way-eat/

50 Secrets Food Manufacturers Don’t Tell You That Could Change the Way You Eat

First, Some Reassuring News

1. “When we recently examined big food companies over a five-year period, we found that 99 percent of their growth was coming from lower-calorie products. That was, quite frankly, a stunning surprise.  So they’re not just sitting around on their hands. They are moving in the right direction.” Former food-industry executive  Hank Cardello, director of the Obesity Solutions Initiative at the Hudson Institute (a nonprofit think tank) and author of Stuffed

2. “Consumers clearly want more natural ingredients and transparency about what they’re eating, and smart manufacturers are getting that and responding. Nestlé has moved to get rid of artificial colors and flavors in its chocolate candy. Kraft is removing  artificial dyes from some types of macaroni and cheese. And some fast-food chains are removing antibiotics from their chicken.” Hank Cardello

3. “The concept of ‘the dose makes the poison’ is very important in the realm of food, especially when it comes to natural flavors and artificial colors. All food ingredients and nutrients—even those we need to survive—have a threshold for safety. When caramel color was approved,  nobody anticipated how much of it would be used in the food and beverage  industry. It’s in a lot of foods you don’t expect: certain soups, pilaf, and hamburger, for example. So if everything you eat is from a box, a can, or a bag, then you may get too much and have reason for concern. But if you eat a variety of foods, you don’t have to worry.” Kantha Shelke, PhD, a food scientist  who specializes in ingredients at Corvus Blue, a Chicago-based research firm

Some people say that if you’re not familiar with an ingredient—if you can’t pronounce it—then you shouldn’t eat it. I think that reflects an ignorance of chemistry and nutrition.

4. “Organic foods are the new kids on the block, so producers are fighting aggressively for market share. One way they can increase sales is by convincing you that all chemicals are bad, GMOs are bad, pesticides are bad—and some of that has no basis in science or fact. That makes it very  confusing for consumers.” Bruce Chassy, PHD, a food safety  and nutrition scientist and a  professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

5. “Some people say that if you’re not familiar with an ingredient—if you can’t pronounce it—then you shouldn’t eat it. I think that reflects an ignorance of chemistry and nutrition. Take riboflavin, cobalamin, and pyridoxamine. They’re big words and sound like things you don’t want in your food, but they are actually all forms of vitamin B, and skipping them can be detrimental to your health.  Instead of being scared of ingredients you don’t know, educate yourself.” Kantha Shelke, PHD

6. “It drives me crazy when people think all food marketers are just trying to pull one over on them. For every brand I’ve worked on, consumer research has been the cornerstone of everything. New products always start with solving a problem for consumers. It doesn’t start with  solving our business need and then shoving it down consumers’ throats.” Suzanne Ginestro, chief marketing officer at Bolthouse Farms who previously worked at Pinkberry, Red Bull, Nestlé, and Kraft

Ingredients, Decoded

7. “People are nervous about synthetic flavors. But as more nations develop Western tastes for prepared foods, we may not have enough natural sources. Take vanilla, which naturally comes from a bean in an orchid. If everyone in India wanted a vanilla milk shake at the same time, there wouldn’t be enough. But we have discovered a way of making a vanillin from algae. It tastes, smells, and acts like regular vanilla, and your body cannot tell the difference.” Kantha Shelke, PhD

8. “People think crackers are healthy, but in many ways, they’re as bad for you as chips. Your typical cracker is made with refined grains and flavoring built around fat, salt, and sugar. Then preservatives are often added so the crackers can sit on the shelf for a year. Also, whole-grain crackers are rare. Ninety-nine percent of crackers out there are a treat.” Bruce Bradley, former marketing executive for General Mills and author of Fat Profits

9. “Manufacturers can hide things under natural  flavoring. When I started in this business and was interviewing possible partners, I was shocked at the amount of deception. Manufacturers and copackers would ask what ingredients I was using for preservation, and then they would tell me, ‘You know you can use X or Y—just call it natural flavoring on the package. No one will know.’” Jason Burke, founder of the New Primal, a grass-fed beef jerky company

10. “The red color in many foods comes from crushed insects. If you see carmine or cochineal extract in an ingredients list, the product contains a little powdered bug. But aside from being an  allergen for a small number of people, it’s considered safe. Alternatives are petroleum-derived chemicals Red  No. 40 and No. 3, which some studies have linked to such health problems as  hyperactivity in children and cancer in animals. I’d rather have the insects, to be honest.” Daniel Tapper, author of Food  Unwrapped: Lifting the Lid on How  Our Food Is Really Produced

Many ‘high in fiber’ products are stuffed with what is essentially fake fiber.  It’s not as healthy as the naturally occurring fiber in whole grains and vegetables.

11. “Some producers hide sugar by giving it different names—high-fructose  corn syrup, cane crystals, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, agave nectar, and fruit juice concentrate. If a product has a lot of sugar, some companies will intentionally use two or more different types so sugar doesn’t end up being number one on the ingredients list. The FDA has proposed a change that would require manufacturers to add up all these types of sugar and list them as added sugars.” Walter Willett, MD, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston

12. “In any food, there may be a number of unlabeled ingredients. Studies have shown that trace amounts of pesticides are routinely present in foods. Other ingredients come from the packaging. When food is in a box, for instance, tiny bits of cardboard and the chemicals used to produce the cardboard get into the food. The same with plastic. BPA [an  industrial chemical that has been linked to health problems] is the  biggest example.” Michael Jacobson, PHD,  executive director of the Center for  Science in the Public Interest

13. “Many ‘high in fiber’ products are stuffed with what is essentially fake fiber.  It’s not as healthy as the naturally occurring fiber in whole grains and vegetables. It may even cause gas, bloating, and other stomach problems. Watch out for chicory root, maltodextrin, and polydextrose on the ingredients list.” Robert J. Davis, PhD, author of Coffee Is Good for You: From Vitamin C and Organic Foods to Low-Carb and Detox Diets, the Truth About Diet and Nutrition Claims

14. “FDA regulation does allow some insect parts [from harvesting, the manufacturing process, etc.] in your food.  Peanut butter can have up to 30 insect parts per 100 grams. It has no effect on the healthiness, but people might want to know.” Michael Jacobson, PhD

Food Fake-Outs

15. “Many ‘cheese products’ (for example, processed slices and some shredded brands) aren’t really cheese.  To save money and simplify the production process, manufacturers take out some of the milk and replace  it with processed milk protein  concentrate or whey protein concentrate. Under FDA guidelines, those products can’t be called cheese;  instead they’re called pasteurized  prepared cheese products.” Melanie Warner, author  of Pandora’s Lunchbox: How Processed  Food Took Over the American Meal

16. “Your extra-virgin olive oil may actually be a lower-grade oil. In our research, approximately 70 percent of bottles pulled off supermarket shelves were either rancid or did not meet the criteria for the extra-virgin grade. To find a good oil, look for a dark glass or tin container, which protects the oil from light, and a harvest date, which better producers often include on the bottle.” Dan Flynn, executive director of the University of California, Davis,  Olive Center

17. “In order for a product to legally be considered ice cream in the United States, it must contain at least 10 percent milk fat. If there’s less than that, you can’t call it ice cream. If you look closely in the supermarket, you’ll see a lot of products are labeled frozen  dairy dessert.” Jordan Pierson, chief marketing  officer of Wink Frozen Desserts

18. “Watch out for Greek yogurt that is not  authentically strained. Some manufacturers will use add-ins  instead of straining the yogurt to make it thick. How to tell: If you see either whey protein concentrate or  milk protein concentrate on the  ingredients list, the company is taking  shortcuts.” Melanie Warner

“Healthy” Products That Might Not Be

19. “Baked, popped, or low-fat ‘chips’ may seem healthier. But often, they’re just baked conglomerations of highly refined potato flakes, refined grains, and different kinds of powders. You may be better off eating potato chips, made with real potatoes fried in a healthful oil.” Katherine Tallmadge, a Washington, DC–based nutritionist and the author of Diet Simple

20. “Synthetic and artificial sweeteners were originally found useful for people who had diabetes. They were supposed to be an occasional ingredient. Today, people think because they have no calories, they can consume as much of them as they want.” Kantha Shelke, PHD

21. “When the label on meat says no nitrates or nitrites added, that’s incorrect. Most of those products take celery powder, which is very high in natural nitrates, and convert it into a chemical that, in the lab, is no different from the traditional version.” Joseph Sebranek, PHD, a professor of meat science at Iowa State University

22. “Everyone knows all about the incredible health benefits of tea, but bottled tea can have very few of those benefits. Tea needs to be freshly brewed.” Katherine Tallmadge

Surprising Facts About Safety

23. “The newest concern is over nanoparticles, which are so small, they can penetrate our cell walls. While some types of nanoparticles may  increase the shelf life of packaged food, not much is known about how they affect our bodies. And because they’re not required to be listed on food labels, we don’t know how many manufacturers are using them.” Bruce Bradle

Synthetic and artificial sweeteners were supposed to be an occasional ingredient. People think because they have no calories, they can consume as much of them as they want.

24. “We did a study in 2012 in which we looked at feather meal, a by- product of poultry production, to see what drugs the chickens may have received before slaughter. A number of samples had residues of antibiotics that are banned from use in poultry. Many also contained caffeine,  acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol), and diphenhydramine (the active ingredient in Benadryl). Samples from China had fluoxetine, the same active ingredient as the antidepressant Prozac. From a  human health perspective, our findings weren’t necessarily worrisome (since we don’t eat feathers, and it’s unclear whether it affects the meat), but they were certainly surprising.” Keeve Nachman, PhD, a director at the Center for a Livable Future at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

25. “The FDA inspects less than 2 percent of our seafood imports, while the European Union inspects 20 to 50 percent of theirs. Since 90 percent of our seafood comes from other countries, banned drug residues and unwanted contaminants could be getting in. If you can, choose domestic seafood (the FDA requires that seafood be labeled with its country of origin), especially if you buy shrimp, because when it is inspected, it fails more than other products.” Dave Love, PhD, a researcher at the Center for a Livable Future at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Why We Buy What We Buy

26. “When a food has a green  calorie label,  you may think it’s more nutritious. We showed people two identical candy bars, but one had a green label, and the other, a red one. The people were much more likely to say the green-labeled product was healthier.” Jonathon Schuldt, director of Cornell’s Social Cognition and Communication Lab

27. “We use powerful visual imagery on our packaging to connect with you on an emotional level. There’s the Kraft Macaroni & Cheese smiling noodle and ‘You know you love it’ tagline. That noodle actually makes consumers smile back at the packaging.” Ted Mininni, package design consultant and president of Design Force

28. “The term multi-grain usually means a product is not a healthy choice. People confuse it with whole grain, but all it means is that several kinds of grain were used. The first ingredient should be whole grain.” Katherine Tallmadge

29. “When you see a buy-one-get-one deal or other promotion at your local grocery store, food companies are often the ones giving you that, not the store. Stores can require us to do all sorts of promoting and run sales a certain number of times per year.” Jason Burke

How We Please  Your Palate

30. “Companies hire tasting panels to find what’s known as a product’s bliss point, the perfect amount of sugar that creates the maximum amount of appeal. To  create Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper, for instance, a Cadbury Schweppes consultant prepared 61 distinct formulas and subjected them to 3,904 tastings.” Michael Moss, author of Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us

31. “Salt is a miracle ingredient to food manufacturers. It acts as a preservative, saves money by substituting for more expensive herbs and spices, brings out sweetness, and masks the bad flavors inherent to many processed foods.” Michael Moss

32. “The majority of processed foods start in the factory with huge vats of processed flours, sugars, and oils. They’re dumped into systems that mix them and add salts, flavorings, and colorings to re-create the look and feel of something you might make at home. Then we would sprinkle in some ‘fairy dust.’ Maybe it’s something to make it feel more handcrafted, like sun-dried tomatoes. Or it may be vitamins, antioxidants, or extra fiber so we can say it’s good for you.” Bruce Bradley

33. “You can’t get people to buy something just by telling them it’s good for them. You have to appeal to their senses and emotions. Kids are 65 percent more likely to grab an apple if it has a Sesame Street character on it, so now we’ve got Sesame Street on all types of fruits and vegetables. We also ask people to post fruit and veggie ‘food porn’ on their social media accounts.” Suzanne Ginestro

Who’s Guarding the Henhouse?

34. “For many additives that go into food, our regulatory system is pretty close to nonexistent. The FDA lets food manufacturers do their own safety testing and decide independently whether ingredients are ‘generally recognized as safe.’ There are no specific mandatory guidelines about the type of testing they have to do. They don’t even have to tell the FDA about new additives they’re using.” Melanie Warner

35. “In my experience, one thing that really surprised me is that no governing body is required to precheck nutritional labels for accuracy. When we develop a product, we use software to create the label, but we don’t have to submit it to anyone. It’s all self-policed. I think the only time the FDA would look at it would be if customers were complaining.” Joel Warady, chief marketing  officer of Enjoy Life Foods

36. “Our FDA today is not the FDA it used to be. There are a lot of people in the FDA with a vested interest  in enterprises that have to do with synthetic products. People should be cautious.” A food scientist who consults  for major food companies

Chew On This

37. “When you develop new food products, your goal is to find headaches in the marketplace that are intense, deeply felt, and widely shared, at least among a particular niche. When I worked at  Oscar Mayer in the 1980s, we heard from working moms about what a scramble it was to get ready for work and pack lunches for the kids. We came up with the idea of putting food in a kit or a tray. We started with  bologna, but then we had to find a bread. But bread didn’t last. We  decided on crackers, which was a real question mark because no one was eating crackers for lunch then. The funny thing was, kids loved them. So that’s how Lunchables was born.” Bob Drane, a former  Oscar Mayer executive

38. “A lot of the foods we eat have interesting origins. For example, the bacteria responsible for sourdough bread originally came from rodent feces.  Any sourdough you eat has that  history, yet it’s all perfectly safe and delicious.” Rob Dunn, PHD, a biologist at  NC State University and the author of  The Man Who Touched His Own Heart

39. “The first graham crackers were invented by  a Presbyterian minister to reduce sexual desire: Sylvester  Graham thought Americans were too filled with desire and blamed  meat, white bread, and alcohol. He created the graham cracker. It was a bland, whole wheat–like biscuit. It wasn’t until after his death that it turned into the sweet treat that we know today.” Libby O’Connell, PHD, historian  and author of The American Plate:  A Culinary History in 100 Bites

40. “The louder a potato chip crunches, the more people like it—and the more they will eat. When Frito-Lay used a $40,000 device that simulates a chewing mouth to test and perfect the chips, they discovered the optimal break point: Most people like a chip that snaps with about four pounds of pressure per square inch.” Michael Moss

Inside the Business

41. “Getting your products into grocery stores is  incredibly difficult. We were in business for seven or eight months before we persuaded the first retailer to carry our product. Some chains ask you to pay thousands of dollars up front—or donate the equivalent in product—before they’ll take your product.” An officer at a small food company

42. “While many people complain about food prices, the fact is that U.S. families spend only 5.6 percent of their disposable income on food products consumed at home. Few people know that the United States has the lowest percentage of any  industrialized country in the world.” Roger Lowe, executive vice  president of communication at the  Grocery Manufacturers Association

The louder a potato chip crunches, the more people like it—and the more they will eat.

43. “In a given year, up to 89 percent of new items fail. That’s why most new products that big food companies put out now are simple line extensions. Coming up with a new flavor of Gatorade or chips is much easier than investing, say,  $20 million developing, creating, and introducing a great new mega-product. Then they look for smaller companies breaking ground with new products and buy them, so that’s why you see General Mills buying a company like Annie’s.” Hank Cardello

44. “Sometimes, the function and convenience of a package can help push a brand toward the top of its category and even revolutionize an industry. Plum Organics did it when it came up with the idea of selling baby food in squeezable pouches. And Domino Sugar did it when it replaced its messy paper bag with a pourable plastic jar.” Ted Mininni

Smart Grocery  Store Picks

45. “When it comes to crackers, Triscuits are a good choice. The original version has only three ingredients: whole-grain wheat, oil, and salt. Other good options are the Finn Crisp and Wasa brands, which are  also 100 percent whole grain and low in sodium.” Katherine Tallmadge

46. “Those 100-calorie snack packs can work. When we gave people four 100-calorie packs of crackers, they ate on average about 25 percent less than when we gave them a single 400-calorie pack.” Collin Payne, PHD, codirector  of the consumer behavior lab at  New Mexico State University

47. “Cereal is nowhere near as wholesome as companies want you to believe. The manufacturing process destroys a lot of the natural nutrition, even if the product contains whole grains. That’s why virtually every  cereal has a long list of added vitamins and minerals. In my family, we don’t eat cereal very often, and we look for ones that have less than eight grams of sugar per serving.” Melanie Warner

48. “Farmed salmon is not necessarily a bad choice, especially if you get it from a store that’s careful about its sourcing. Some studies show it has slightly more heart-healthy omega-3s than wild salmon.” Robert J. Davis, PhD

49. “If you’re prone to diabetes, stick to regular pasta instead of whole wheat. Whole wheat pasta often has more starch than regular because of the way it’s ground. Or just look for a pasta with a low glycemic index, which some brands put on the box.” Kantha Shelke, PhD

50. “It can get overwhelming with all the advice that’s out there, but the number one basic step you can take is simply to eat more fruits and veggies. If you want to go further, cook more.” Bruce Bradley

#Food Manufacturers

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tawouk · 7 years

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When I am keeping to my established diet, here are the main food options I usually go for which I have found to be quite easy/doable in terms of maintaining a no sugar, no/low carb diet, which was daunting at first:

- Chicken salad: in the form of tawouk fattouch which is a common offering at Arab restaurants, and the one by my workplace has it on lunch special and the portion is huge, so for about $8 it’s a massive carton of fattouch (a Levantine salad) and a big piece of grilled chicken breast on the side. Fattouch normally comes with fried pita chips on top but I ask for it without. The amount of food is easily enough for two meals so I’ll have half for lunch and half for dinner, or leave half for the next day’s lunch and have something else for dinner. I get this quite a lot. Generally chicken and salad are big staples, whatever form that may take... most restaurants usually have a grilled boneless chicken item on the menu so that’s a great option, just get it with salad instead of fries. My “cheat” version of this is a buffalo chicken caesar salad which one restaurant around here does exceptionally well and also in a huge portion that I can cut into two meals, so I’ll “treat” myself with that every now and then; the buffalo chicken is breaded so it’s somewhat carby but I will get it without croutons, and not have any other carbs that day.

- Chili: I love this because it’s a hearty, filling, yummy food I really enjoy, without high fat or carbs, especially if it’s not too heavy on beans (which are carby but like, not the same as eating bread or rice or pasta, and are a good protein source). I make a big pot of it at home sometimes but also sometimes pick up a cup for a few bucks at a halal restaurant that’s between my home and workplace and theirs almost feels like a veggie chili, it’s not heavy on meat at all even though it’s labeled as a pastrami chili. It’s nice to have that because my own chili recipe is quite basic as I don’t have the patience to put a million vegetables in it; it’s just beans, beef, tomato, chilis, spices (no onions bc I hate onions but I’ll use onion powder).

- Chipotle burrito bowl: the greatest thing!! It’s convenient too because there’s a Chipotle near my house so it’s easy to swing by. I don’t eat meat from there bc it’s not halal but it’s fine because the (tofu) sofritas is soooo good; whatever your protein is though the burrito bowls are an awesome way to have your protein + veggies and other burrito fillings without a carby tortilla (I don’t get any rice or corn on it either).

- Spinach salad: that I make at home, it’s tons of fresh baby spinach, diced tomato, sliced cucumber, diced avocado, lemon juice and salt. Normally I’d add olive oil to a salad but the avocado is already fatty and dresses the salad to an extent that I don’t miss the olive oil there. Sometimes I’ll add feta and occasionally pecans, which I love but they’re expensive lol.

- Chicken: that I make at home, with boneless skinless thighs, chopped up carrots, a ton of peeled sliced garlic, maybe sometimes a little bit of chopped potato, and a Moroccan-influenced spice combination; it’s my mom’s recipe and she adds diced onions and peppers too but I hate onions and peppers. I love the flavor that this certain spice combo gives and this is really easy and quick to make.

- Steak: the halal supermarket by my workplace sells these packs of 6 long thin steaks for like $4, which is a great bargain for me even if they are really not real steaks at all but just these long thin pieces of meat - I’ll buy a pack and split it into 3 portions of 2 pieces each and freeze them for quick meals. They’re so thin that I just season them and fry them in a touch of olive oil for 1 minute on each side on high heat, and then have that with some salad or guac (that I make) or carrots that I slice and grill in a bit of olive oil and spices under the oven broiler.

- Stew: sometimes I’ll make Arab stews at home, namely a lima bean/tomato sauce/garlic/cilantro/ground beef stew or green bean/tomato sauce/garlic/ ground beef stew or carrot/pea/garlic/tomato sauce/ground beef stew, and make brown rice along with it and have it with just a bit of the rice or no rice at all. The pea/carrot one eats especially well with no rice, kind of like a soup. We really love making lamb karahi (Indian style curry) as well but not so often, as it has a high oil content (even though we cut that down from the original recipe), takes a while to make and it’s the one thing we exceptionally make with white basmati rice instead of brown, because you really need to enjoy that dish properly (and frankly it’s spicy enough that you really need the rice to balance it out).

- Ablama: a variation on the traditional Arab stuffed zucchini, this is basically zucchini stuffed with a filling of ground beef/pine nuts/spices and cooked in a tomato sauce or yogurt sauce, served with rice; however I skip the stuffing part and just slice the zucchini in half, grill it then top it with the filling, add the tomato sauce (I don’t like it in yogurt) and bake; so simple. I’ll have it with just a little bit of brown rice.

- Pasta: I make a quick and easy sauce which is basically a pasta sauce jar + cans of diced tomato and tomato sauce + ground beef + garlic + herbs/spices + diced sundried tomatoes if we have some in the house. No dairy or oil or butter at all, not even to fry the meat. Generally whether it’s for pasta or stew or chili or whatever we buy lean ground beef without much fat in it; you can still easily fry it in a nonstick pan without any oil. Wholegrain pasta with it - which I do not mind at all; it was very easy for me to get used to over white pasta, moreso than brown rice over white rice. Sometimes I’ll forego the pasta altogether and just have that sauce like a soup, maybe with some cheese on top, so kind of like an Italian chili.

- Kibbe: the love of my life, is an Arab dish which is basically a meat filling in a meat/cracked wheat shell; so it’s kind of carby but I’ll have it in moderation and it will be the only carbs of the day. It comes in different forms but commonly in egg-sized “footballs” which the deli at the Arab supermarket by my workplace sells at like 80 cents apiece so I’ll grab a few of them and some salad from there for dinner sometimes.

- Soup: so many non-carby soups you can go for! the restaurant by my workplace has the BEST lentil soup and a great chicken vegetable soup as well. The latter is a great healthy option to go for while the former is a bit carby what with the lentils, but I just love it so much. It’s enough all on its own as a light lunch for me. I love tomato soup as well so my “cheat” thing will be a bowl of that from Panera; it’s sooo good but more fatty bc of the cream and probably has a considerable sugar content too.

- If I do have bread: we only buy wholegrain bread, occasionally I’ll have a toasted piece of that with avocado spread (avocado/lemon/salt/pepper/crushed garlic) or peanut butter, which is the most amazing (non-carb/no sugar/good fat!) creation. Having it on celery instead of bread is also a great no-carb snack to go for. I avoid jams/jellies completely because of the sugar.

- Eggs: My kind of “cheat” thing that I occasionally make is poached egg + sliced avocado + sliced tomato fried in olive oil, all piled on a piece of toast. Not the most unhealthy combo ever but I consider it a cheat thing because it is a relatively high fat content, especially with the fried tomato (which I lovvvve). This is also a much healthier version of the way I used to make it years ago, where the egg and bread were also fried...... frankly terrible. Eggs in general are so great though and you can easily forego any kind of bread and have a great omelet with healthy ingredients, even throw some cheese in there, the fat content is fine as long as you’re avoiding carbs. Or poach the egg if you want to avoid frying and have it with fresh sliced avocado and tomato or whatever else you like.

- Fish: don’t eat as much of this as I should, but baked salmon or a shrimp stir-fry with veggies are a good way to go; tuna is also a quick fix I sometimes go for, without drowning it in mayo.

- Coffee: a bit of a struggle, because I lovvvve coffee and need it to be somewhat sweet, not overly but I can’t drink black/bitter coffee at all. What’s nice is that there is a regional Michigan coffee chain called Biggby that has sugar free flavoring options (so you could get a coffee with sugar free vanilla instead of sugar, or a sugar free mocha) and that’s what I opt for; a café au lait is a good option because being half coffee half milk it’s not so bitter. However the struggle for me, even with sugar free options available, is wanting coffee in the morning but resisting it to stick to my intermittent fast till noon. My night owl lifestyle has always worked out fine even if I have to be up early as long as I have coffee; sticking to the fast has made me actually need to start sleeping earlier lol. Which I guess is healthier anyway...

- Chocolate: No sugar and avoiding desserts is hard, even while I don’t have the hugest sweet tooth in general, sometimes it can be hard to resist. I do sometimes of course cheat, but try to keep it balanced. When I’m not cheating, for a leetle bit of indulgence, I have always loved dark chocolate anyway so a bit of that doesn’t hurt while I’m not having any other significant sources of sugar. Not all dark chocolate is created equal though, so I studied all the kinds at Target to find the one with the lowest sugar content without being too bitter. The winner is Ghirardelli Intense Dark 86% Midnight Reverie, a 90g bar of 8 large squares with 10g of sugar to the bar = 1.25g of sugar per square. That’s my go-to now and I usually have one square a night.

- Other snacks: peanuts!!! A great no sugar/no carb snack and I really love peanuts; it’s easy to go overboard on them so I bought like a box of the small individually packaged ones, the kind of thing you’d put in a kid’s school lunch, and that’s in my office desk drawer so I’ll have a pack as a snack occasionally. The small packs ensure sticking to a controlled portion, vs having a can of peanuts that you just dive into. Chips or cheez-its (which I adore) are not the worst thing on earth either in moderation, like those small 50 cent bags; there’s no sugar and a small serving isn’t the hugest carb intake so that’s something to occasionally indulge on. Plain tortilla chips with salsa also is better than like doritos or whatever - portion control is just the key.

#diet #diet blog #no sugar #no carb #low carb #I feel like I'm gonna hit post on this then recall a bunch of stuff I want to add but a n y w a y !

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