What "Healthy Cooking" REALLY is!!

Just one... go shopping, but DON'T refresh at the food court! You'd have to spend the week at the mall to compensate for one Pecanbon, baby. Pack a snack instead.

Originally posted by ShawtyCat
All "eating healthy" means is moderation. Use fats in moderation. Use salt in moderation.

Absolutely. Becoming conscious of how much/what I'm putting in my mouth has really pointed out some past mistakes. Our bodies need all the food groups or something won't be working right - either now or later. If you eat no carbs, you get the shakes and certain tissues in your body won't be fed - if you eat no fat, your skin dries out and you turn into a huge flake.


If you eat and dont move you are defeating the purpose of eating healthy. You need to move to burn any calories. Exercise is essential.

No truer word was spoken. This is meaningful not only to lose weight but to stay healthy. You know the old saying, "If you don't use it you lose it." In this case, they mean your muscle function, including your heart - and your ability to effectively metabolize your food intake.


To all of you who think butter is not a good thing. Too much milk is bad for you. Too much sex is bad for you. Too much of everything is bad for you but that doesnt mean you have to cut it out completely (unless your doc suggests you do). Just limit your intake.

Be aware of how much of the "higher fat value" foods you consume. That way, when you do have some, you can enjoy them knowing your consumption of them was spaced apart - and not suffer excrutiating, resolve-shattering guilt. There are no bad foods, just bad quantities.


Make sure you have a serving of veggies, starch and protien on your plate, drink plenty of water and exercise. If you like chips make your own buy toasting triangles of pita bread in your oven with a little olive oil and a small sprinkle of salt. EAT FRUIT!

Oven fries are wonderful. I began making them when I saw them being made on Cooking Thin, definitely a show worth watching. Fruit can replace candy for that 3:00 craving. Using the tricks we as people who cook know, we can infuse our food with flavor using healthier ingredients.

I'd like to add one...DON'T wait till you're starving to eat. It's easy to grab something quick which can lead to terrible food choices. Quick can mean fried - and it's also easy to overeat when you're body's screaming for fuel.

If anyone challenges you, I got your back!


Oh, by the way...
Too much sex is bad for you.

I'll take my chances. ;)

Erm... well... there can be....

Pass the butter.

I only want to add one thing, going along with the smaller portions- eat more slowly. You'll enjoy the food more, and you won't eat as much because your body will signal that "full" feeling before you've crammed so much food in your face that you're bloated for a week...

(And there's no such thing as too much sex! It's a good aerobic exercise, methinks!);)

Now, take the above sentiment and fuse it permanently with: Don't wait till you're starving to eat. If we can wrap our minds around the connection between these two - a MYRIAD of weight problems will be solved.

:bounce: . o O (Glad to see the consensus on "too much sex". Without getting into psychological problems, I don't think there's any such thing...I've never heard couples complain they have "too much sex." Just think - Calorie Expenditure!)

I have to disagree on one point. Dairy is bad for you. If you must consume it do so in moderation and make sure it is organic.

All dairy contains casein or milk protein which has been documented as being linked to several ailments including prostate cancer, autism, and add.

Dairy (from cow's milk) is designed for one sole purpose:
to make baby cows fat and do it fast. The naturally occurring hormones are powerful and wreak havoc on the human body.

If you throw in the antibiotics, pesticides, and growth hormones in non-organic dairy then you have a volatile chemical cocktail.

I gave up dairy four years ago and eliminated my seasonal allergies, high cholesterol and I lost 35 lbs. My doctor was amazed.

You can get the same effects of butter using other ingredients without the cholesterol and hormones. Again, I am not saying everyone should give up dairy all together. Moderation is a good thing. But let's not kid ourselves. Dairy as a food group is not a good thing for humans. It is promoted and supported by the Federal Government and a large quantity of it is wasted each and everyday. The calcium in dairy is not readily absorbed by the human body yet the studies funded by the industry try to say otherwise. You can get more calcium from grains, nuts and vegetables that is readily absorbed by human systems.

I have on occasion tasted a fine piece of imported cheese at a party and enjoyed it. The one thing I will not do is go back to consuming dairy. Salt is not a bad thing as long as it is not abused. You need salt to regulate the heart and other organs.
Also, salt is the single best flavor enhancer.

Since I service vegan, vegetarian and non-vegetarian clients I have to research a lot of nutritional analysis, allergies, disorders, and food combinations. I am constantly learning to service these clients better.

First let me say that my comments is not address to you Mark. I respect your beliefs and I’m glad you feel better now that you are on a dairy free diet.

Your comments reminded me of the frustration I feel about all the food related studies. You say a dairy-less diet is best. My doctor is telling me to drink more milk.

Last week someone was saying canola oil was very bad for you. You’re saying dairy is bad for us. In the paper it was ham or some food that containe nitrate. So I wonder what can one eat without fear?

It seems every day we find that yet another food is bad for us. Milk is out so is butter and cheese. No canola oil. No food containing trans fat. No eggs. No ham. No beef. Next week it will be something else.

How can you tell who is telling the truth? Give it a few more years and we’ll truly have to swallow a pill for dinner because everything else will be bad for our health.

what can we eat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

organic organic organic........................................... ................
yes our food supply is so tainted it is truly a crime.
dairy now there is an issue.
as mammals we are not geared to drink other mammals' milk it is just that simple.
dairy can cause many other health issues too many to mention
don't eat what you want eat what you need if u don't know go find out
the body will only give you back if you extend the life it has. so read something or go see a homeopath.nutritionist.anything that will enlighten you to how the body works with your body. each of us are totally different. different gastrointestional needs,and so on. so we all have choices we make some choose this one some choose that one.
i say just be informed when you do.

Studies...

Studies are only as good as the intentions of the organization who pays for them.

Keep in mind, the tobacco industry pays millions for studies every year to tell us cigarettes don't hurt us. And we all know what B.S. that is.

I know lots of anti-dairy people. I know lots of pro-organic people. Unless we find an acceptable subtitute for dairy that is as palatable, rich in vitamins and minerals and applicable to everyday life, commercial dairy is it. The worst thing one can do is tell women not to consume dairy because we need calcium to combat osteoporosis. As far as the organic food goes...It always looks so beat up in the produce section vs. mass-produced veggies that it's not appealing to buy...Slap on the high price tag and you have people wondering, "I'm supposed to pay 3x the price for that?!?"

Healthy eating, however you define it, is better than un-healthy eating. Watching calories, watching fat intake and getting more exercise will yield results. The purity of the food you buy and eat depends on your willingness to seek it out, and how much you can spend on it.

I've hesitated dropping in, but there is a misconception on the cost of organic foods....even if you are on a tight budget there are probably small farms in your area that would be an alternative to grocery stores....check out farmer's markets and discover who the local farmers are....there should be gleanning days and CSA's that have foods available that are premium quality that would exchange them for labor...the cost of farm labor is outrageous and many farmers need help doing chores they don't want to take time out for ie....web entries for restaurants to order from, calling or e-mailing chefs, selling at local farmer's markets, organizing workers or writing newsletters...there are a mydrid of chores that can be exchanged for gorgeous (organic) food. I trully hate to read that organic confers an expensive nasty looking product.....that is not my reality....with alittle searching you'll find it.

People were using dairy products almost as far back as human history goes - there are biblical mentions of dairy, and archeological findings support the use of dairy by primitive peoples.

Question - If dairy is so bad, how did the human race survive???

I agree that dairy is not good for some - I don't think it's good for babies, and those with food allergies; however, I think it's a personal choice for everyone else, and that no one should issue a blanket statement about dairy - or anything else, for that matter! - being 'good' or 'bad' for you.

BTW, has anyone seen the new 'studies' on soybeans coming out? Word of caution for women eating soy products - it can be cancer causing. what next?

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

THIS STATEMENT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS. EAT ATKINS CLOG YOUR ARTERIES,STESS YOU LIVER AND KIDNEYS FROM ALL THE PROTIEN.OUR BODIES ARE QUITE SIMPLE IF U ARE INFORMED, FOR THOSE THAT DON;T FEEL EATING ORGANIC DAIRY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. I HAVE A STORY TO TELL. THOSE BIG COMPANIES,NIPPON,MOSANTO.THEY BUY OUT ALL THE SMALL FARMERS OR MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SURVIVE AND THEN WITH THEIR MONEY AND POWER BUT UP ALL THE SURROUNDING LAND MOVE IN HOWEVER MANY COWS,INJECT THEM WITH BGH HOOK EM UP AND MAKE THEM PRODUCE MILK 24-7- 365. FROM THAT EXPERIENCE THE COWS BEGIN TO GROW PUSS FILL SACS ON THEIR UTTERS BECAUSE OF BEING HOOKED UP TO THE PUMP SO MUCH SO IN TURN THE VET GIVES THEM ANTIBIOTICS AND THOSE PUSS FILLES SORES BEGIN TO DRIP AND OOZE. SHOULD I GO ON?

THER AR PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY WHERE THE BREAST AND PROSTATE RATE OF CANCER IS WAY UP AND LINKS AND STUDIES SHOW THIS BGH AND ALL THE OTHER S-H THAT THEY PUT INTO OUR COWS MANIFESTS IT'S DIRTY OUTCOME IN HUMANS. SO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE STORE AND BUT MILK THAT ISN'Y ORGANIC?

Re the 'unglamorous' look of organic produce - because it hasn't been sprayed, genetically altered, and mass produced, it does look a little raggy! As for the price, at least here in the NYC-tristate area, it seems to be coming down at least a little. And there are more and more organic frozen veggies available; when you consider the veggies are mostly frozen very shortly after picking, their nutritional value is probably higher than the fresh that's been packed, shipped, and is sitting on the shelf.

As for dairy products, I agree with Chiffonade - dairy is important; so, as she states, til there's an acceptable substitute, we're stuck with it. Buy organic milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, meat; they're all pretty readily available in supermarkets and/or health food stores.

My basic philosophy is 1) don't preach to me - been there, done that, heard it all; 2) all things in moderation, even moderation.

Gardening...Hmmmmmmmm

I've never been all that interested in gardening, however, when I lived in NYC I had a roof garden of herbs with fencing over it so the cats wouldn't use my pots as a toilet. Since moving to Colorado, where the growing season is about 45 minutes long, I lost interest altogether. Now that we're moving to Florida by the fall, I'd like to have a small greenhouse in our yard where I can grow herbs and lettuces, etc.

Now, all your organic people out there...What the heck do you put on organic veggies to keep the nasties away without crossing over that "organic" line?? Someone I know puts chile peppers all over her soil to keep bugs away. Any suggestions?

There are lots of 'natural' ways to fight the little nasties, Chiffonade - although in Florida they won't be that small!

- Hot pepper wax spray
- Diatomaceous earch for slugs (unless you want to trap the little escargot for dinner!)
- Soap water
- Using beneficial insects i.e. ladybugs, wasps, praying mantis
-Giving guinea hens the run of your garden (they also love ticks!)
-Lots of good fencing to keep the wabbits out
-Learning how to prepare your soil to make it healthy, therefore disease resistant; i.e. additives, composting, crop rotation, cover crops, etc.

Natural gardening is a little more labor intensive than just getting the old spray gun out and zapping everything in sight - but well worth the effort! It'll also give you a great opportunity to teach the kids a little about the world they'll be inhabiting and how they can make it better.

When you get to Florida, try to get in touch with your local college agricultural extension; they'll be able to help you the most with basic info. Remember, the climate in Florida is totally unlike either NYC or Colorado!!!! You won't be able to grow much lettuce in teh heat of summer.

Oh, and have you ever seen a Southern cockroach? They politely call them 'Palmetto bugs'. They fly. They're about 3 inches long. I tried to kill one with the heel of a boot once, and it just flew in my face.

I just realized I should have posted this in the gardening forum. If you have any more questions, I'll see you there!!!!!

There's a lot of good catalogs for supplies - Gardener's Supply is one I enjoy.

Thanks!

I'm glad you posted the response here, or I wouldn't have seen it. This board shouldn't be so afraid of "segues." They are a part of lively conversation and how topics evolve out of one another. Life sometimes can't be neatly "filed."

I like gardening primarily for herbs but would like to go into some larger scale gardening for veggies, garlic, chiles, etc. I envy those people who yield these great veggies out of their own gardens. I'll take your advice and check with extension offices and ag programs at the local college.

Mostly only in the West, though. Most African and Asian cultures do not use dairy, and in fact there are many people out there with a genetic inability to digest it.

And the calcium in dairy is apparently NOT as usable as was first thought; there's too much protein in it. Which is why North American women, who consume more dairy than anyone else in the world, still have astronomically high rates of osteoporosis -- far higher than, for instance, Japanese and Chinese women eating a traditional diet, which is dairy-free but rich in calcium-containing vegetable products. I do believe that the "drink milk for strong bones" line is an advertising ploy used to the fullest by the milk producers' association, with very little validity.

I do consume dairy, though. In moderation.

Unless it has chocolate with it, of course. :lips:

The truth about canola is that it is safe. I use organic expeller pressed canola oil all the time. The story and junk science that has been passed around via web boards and internet sites has been debunked by real scientists. Canola is derived from the seeds of the rapeseed plant most of which comes from Canada.
There is no documented evidence that canola oil is bad or harmful to humans in any way.

Always buy organic whether it is dairy, meat, poultry or vegetables.

On rare occasions when a client wants meat I will buy Coleman's beef, DuBreton pork, or natural bacon. The taste and quality are far and away superior to the conventional chemical ridden foods Americans have been accustomed to over the past few decades.

The one downside to organics is the shorter shelf life since they are not full of preservatives. Just think what the buildup of these chemicals do to your system. You do not need a science degree to figure it out. If it can preserve food that was meant to decay or break down and the human body intends to break it down then you are asking for trouble.


One of my missions is to educate people so they can make their own choices. I have in-laws who scoff at some of the things I say yet they have more ailments than I can count. Gastro intestinal, high blood pressure, kidney, and diabetes. I have no health problems whatsoever and fully believe it is in direct correlation to the foods I eat.

When I watch the Food TV network all I see is a constant push for butter, meat and dairy. That is not all there is despite what Emeril might espouse. And, soy itself is not the answer to all of our prayers. A lot of the soy produced comes from ADM which is a huge international conglomerate and has repeatedly been fined for its business practices. They are big proponents of GMO which should concern every consumer. Do you want pig dna in your corn on the cob? I don't.

I encourage all chefs to educate themselves about organics and natural foods. There is an increasing demand for this way of eating and cooking. Plus you can feel good about what you are serving your customers.