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If I see another celebrity enorsement for diet plans based on fake food and quick fixes, I may just vomit.  Are these people for real?  And do the people buying it really believe it?

Lets start with my favorite – Nutrisystem.  For a start up cost of $300 you can get a truckload of boxed up food that requires no refrigeration.  Yeah, on the commericals they boast that their food can be taken on the go because it doesn’t have to go in the refrigerator.  OK- everyone’s common sense – o – meters should be going crazy.  How is this possible?  This just doesn’t sound right, does it?  Their hamburgers, for instance, are prepared by rehydrating them in a bowl of hot water.  Wow, that sounds appetizing. 

I can’t even fathom what goes into those ready made meals.  They are full of additives, preservatives, and toxins but I wonder if it’s really food at all.  Maybe the reason people are able to lose weight is because your body doesn’t even identify it as food and it passes right through the system.  That leads us to a good point…losing weight does NOT equal being healthier.  You can lose weight a number of ways but not all of them are healthy.  My husband has a great quote, “You may lose weight but you’ll die earlier.  The only thing it does is make it easier on your pall bearers.”  Here’s another one of his Fredisms (Fred is my husbands name) , “there are plenty of skinny sick people out there.” 

So why are these things so popular?  Well, it comes down to people’s neverending quest for the magic bullet- a pill, a quick fix, prepared food, etc.  Guess what, it doesn’t work that way.  Anything worthwhile takes discipline and commitment.  Trying to beat the system and skirting around the truth only makes matters worse.  If we spent as much time, money, and energy on just doing the right thing instead of searching for a quick fix many of the issues Americans face would be solved. 

For example, take that $300 you are ready to lay out for Nutrisystems man-made, laboratory specimens and put it towards buying some organic, natural food and getting your butt into the kitchen.  I guarantee that that $300 would go so much further and would actually be bringing you a superior level of nutrition and health.  And hey, you could actually talk to your family. 

All of these companies that assert that they are there to help you lose weight and get healthier are fooling you.  All they care about is profits and selling more of their crappy products.  Just look at the ingredient labels of some of the Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Atkins, etc…I have personally seen them loaded with things like MSG, trans fats, colorings, flavorings, artificial sweeteners, nitrites, etc. 

The plan that works is simple.  Eat foods that God and Mother Nature put on the planet for us to consume, stay away from man-altered food (much of our meat, conventional produce, etc), get enough exercise, and listen to your body.  (It is also important to note that addressing stress, relationship issues, time issues, and making sure your body is functioning at 100% are also essential)

So what’s up with these celebrities?  I like Queen Latifah and Valerie Bertinelli!  While they may have the best of intentions, they are NOT promoting health.  Come on, does anybody really believe that they are exclusively eating the crap these companies make?  I seriously doubt it.  They have access to the top personal trainers, personal chefs, etc.  Let’s face it- they are not like the rest of us but we want to be like them so we listen to what they say.  

Come on people, the answers are out there you just have to look and GET COMMITTED!  And here’s a hint…the answers are not in a package you have to rip open and microwave or plop into a bowl of hot water.

Is anyone with me out there?

Below you will see part of one of my projects for school.  I am attending Clayton College for Natural Health to get my degree in Holistic Nutrition.  Since this is my passion and I spend all my spare time reading and researching in this area, I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and get a degree and some credentials behind me.  I considered going to a traditional nutrition school but decided I wouldn’t be able to stomach someone telling me to use sugar substitutes instead of sugar and margarine instead of real butter.  Yep, there are nutritionists and doctors out there telling people this.  No thanks, I’ll stick with the foods God and mother nature put on the planet.  It’s worked since the beginning of time- I’m not going to mess with it 

This project was fun for me because I got to showcase how wholesome home cooked meals can be and how corrupted processed foods are.  I probably could have come up with better examples but I figured any processed food I pulled off the shelf could be ripped apart.

A good portion of the report also ilustrates the benefits of grass fed beef which a basic nutritional change everyone should make. 

I couldn’t get some of the graphics in, but you’ll get the idea.

Abstract

 

The purpose of this research project is to compare and contrast the qualities of three foods based on whether it was homemade, conventionally processed, or naturally processed.  To accomplish the objectives of this project, I took three random recipes from my regular recipes to compare my homemade versions to the conventionally processed variety from the grocery store.  The items that were randomly selected were guacamole, chili, and chicken soup.   

 

After purchasing the ingredients and pre-made products I set out to examine the ingredients in detail.  I discovered ingredients in each of the three foods that were associated with significant health risks.  Although many of these products are very quick to prepare and have a fairly good taste, the detrimental health consequences possible from some of the ingredients is a major concern.  It is my intention to use this research paper to educate the general public as to the potential risks of eating the processed foods that are so common in our culture.  

Method

 

To accomplish the objectives of this project, I took three random recipes from my regular recipes to compare my homemade versions to the conventionally processed variety from the grocery store.  The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the quality of the foods, the amount of additives and preservatives, the effect (either positive or negative) on health, the overall taste, and the ease of preparation. 

 

The three recipes that came up in my random sample were:  guacamole, chicken soup, and chili.  These are all items that can be purchased at any grocery store so I set out to do some shopping.  As I went to the store, I decided that I would not check the ingredient labels at all.  Instead, I would just pick the brand name that stood out to me or that I know is a popular product.  Although these items were ostracized to the back of the cart, away from my precious organic items, they made it home unscathed.  However, it should be noted that I kept my receipt so that I could return the items after this project (my money is a vote after all).   

 

Results

 

Guacamole

 

Let’s take a look at the first item, guacamole.  The recipe for my homemade version is as follows:

 

1-2 Organic Avocados

1 Organic Tomato

¼ Organic Onion                  

1 Clove Garlic

Fresh Cilantro

 

For preparation, I mash up the avocados and run the rest of the ingredients through my juicer using the non-filtering attachment.  I then add it to the avocados for fresh, delicious guacamole. 

 

I bought T. Marzetti ready-made guacamole from the produce section of the grocery store.  This was the only option available at the store.  The ingredients were:

 

Soybean oil, sour cream (cream, modified corn starch, gelatin, lactic, acid, guar gum, mono and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate added as preservatives, disodium phosphate, citric acid, artificial flavor), green chili peppers, water, tomatoes and tomato juice, avocado, egg yolk, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, dehydrated onion, spices, dehydrated tomato, modified corn starch, monosodium glutamate, xanthan gum, mustard seed, caramel color, citric acid, natural flavors, dehydrated garlic, yellow #5, calcium disodium EDTA added to protect flavor, blue #1.

 

I discovered that avocados were the 6^th ingredient which I thought was unusual for a product based on avocados so I took another look at the label.  It actually said Guacamole Veggie Dip which explained the demotion of avocados down the ingredient list.  Also notable are the extensive list of additives, preservatives and other unnatural ingredients.

 

So now let’s look at the two from a health perspective.  Avocados have numerous health benefits.  You can see the nutrients in an avocado below.  They are considered a nutritionally dense food, meaning it gives you a lot of bang for your buck. 

The World’s Healthiest Foods  (para 2) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5

 

Avocados sometimes get a bad rap because of their high fat content.  Typically the avocado contains 30 grams of fat but 20 of them come from monounsaturated fat (just like olive oil).  Monounsaturated fats have been shown to have many health benefits though I won’t go into all of them here. 

 

It is a shame that the Guacamole Dip I purchased at the store puts this superfood way below the #1 slot on the ingredient roster.  In addition to this unfortunate occurrence, the dip is also filled with non-nutritious and questionable ingredients.  I may go as far as to call them anti-nutrients. 

 

The first ingredient is soybean oil which, in doing much research, I feel is very detrimental to health.  Dr. Joseph Mercola (2008) describes these bad oils this way, “In my opinion, polyunsaturated oils, which include vegetable oils like corn, soy, safflower and canola, are the worst oils to cook with because of the trans-fatty acids introduced during the hydrogenation process, which results in increased dangers of chronic diseases such as breast cancer and heart disease.” (para 4)

 

Along with corn, soybeans are the most genetically modified food crop in the United States.  It often appears on food labels and in processed food because it is readily available and one of the more inexpensive oils.

 

The T. Marzetti dip also lists several other chemical ingredients including monosodium glutamate (MSG) which I will cover in later in this paper. 

 

Unfortunately, I cannot give my opinion as to the taste of the two items comparatively because I could not even bring myself to try the store-bought brand. 

 

There are other naturally processed options that could be a viable alternative to the conventionally processed guacamole.  One brand I looked at contained only Hass avocados and sodium benzoate (for freshness).  There was even an organic version of the same product.  For people looking for a slightly faster preparation, this would be a possible option.  However, it is very important to read the ingredient label.     

 

Chili

 

My homemade recipe:

 

1 lb grass fed beef or bison

1 small organic onion

1 can organic crushed tomatoes

1 can organic kidney beans

1-2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

½ – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 chipolte peppers, chopped  OPTIONAL

 

Brown ground beef in a large pot over med-high heat, using a wooden

spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. Drain off the fat and add the

chopped onion. Continue cooking (and stirring) until the onion is

translucent. Add the remaining ingredients (adjust spices to your

liking) and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to warm, cover and let it

simmer.

 

I purchased Bush’s Homestyle Chili which contained the following ingredients:

 

Diced tomatoes (tomatoes, tomato juice), water, seasoned ground beef (beef, salt, flavoring), pinto beans, kidney beans, onions, seasoning blend (chili pepper, enriched bleached wheat flour [wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], salt, potassium chloride, spices, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, jalapeno pepper, extractives of paprika, dextrose, natural flavor), tomato puree (water, tomato paste), green bell pepper, modified potato starch, pepper sauce (vinegar, red pepper, salt).

 

This is a recipe that I make very often.  It is very easy, uses ingredients I typically have on hand, and tastes great.  Although I was glad to see that there weren’t as many additives and chemical names on the label of the store-bought brand, there were a couple of things that stood out to me.  1)  the ground beef (see below), 2) the words “seasoned” and “flavoring”  What are these seasonings? What are these flavorings?  Unfortunately the FDA allows companies to list ingredients under common names which can sometimes hide the true ingredient.  (for example, MSG can be lumped under “flavors”, “natural flavors”, etc) Whenever I see things like this on the label I have to wonder “what are they hiding?”  3) modified potato starch – this often means that it contains monosodium glutamate and finally 4) sugar- it seems that food manufacturers sneak in sugar in just about everything.  The health detriments from sugar are numerous and extreme.  It seems that we cannot avoid it, even in a savory dish like chili. 

 

The main ingredient I wish to discuss here is the quality of the beef used in the homemade versus store bought chili.  Cows were designed to graze pastures and eat grass.  Although most Americans know this, they do not make the correlation between this natural state and the fact that the beef they eat is not grass fed but grain fed.  This could be a whole research paper on it’s own but it is my intention to try to relay the information I have learned in a way that will elicit others to go and research on their own. 

 

So the food that the cow eats results in the overall health of the cow.  I’ll start with the beef most Americans eat today.  Today’s cows are typically raised in a giant feed lot where the animals are crammed so tightly they are barely able to turn around.  The typical feed contains things like:  hay, corn, barley, processed grain by-products, rendered animal products (i.e. other dead animal parts/pieces), animal waste, restaurant waste, antibiotics, etc.   See the Table 1 attached at the end of this report.

 

Because the cows are not being fed their normal diet, their body composition changes.  This results in several problems which include, but are not limited to, a sickly cow that requires the frequent (often constant) use of antibiotics just to keep it alive, a food product that is deficient in many nutrients normally present in a grass fed cow, and an unbalanced ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fats which is normally balanced.

 

So now let’s switch to the differences and benefits of eating grass fed beef. 

These types of cows are raised humanely and naturally, roaming the pastures, grazing on grass that has not been sprayed with pesticides, and are healthy animals.  Here is a summary of the benefits of grass fed beef as obtained from www.eatwild.com (2008).

 

• Lower in Fat and Calories- grass fed beef is leaner than grain fed beef resulting in fewer overall calories.

 

• Has more Omega-3’s- grass fed beef can contain up to 4 times as much omega-3 fats (these are considered the “good” fats and are essential for every cell and system in the body).  Omega-3’s have proven heart benefits, lowers blood pressure, have a positive effect on the brain (helps with depression, hyperactivity, Alzheimer’s, etc.), aids in weight loss, and helps prevent cancer. 

 

• The richest known source of CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) which has shown a dramatic impact on cancer prevention.  Grass fed beef has 3-5 times more CLA than the conventionally fed cow. 

 

• Vitamin E (which is a powerful antioxidant)- grass fed beef is 4 times higher in this important vitamin that many Americans are deficient in.   

 

• Purchasing and eating grass fed beef is not only good for your health, it supports local farms and farmers, is more humane, and is better for the environment.

 

Also important to note is my use of organic tomatoes.  It is widely known that conventional tomatoes contain pesticides that can be harmful to our health.  Pesticides have been associated with short term problems like nausea, vomiting, breathing problems, and headaches and longer term problems like allergies, cancer, reproductive problems, etc. 

 

I did find some more natural products at Whole Foods that contained more natural ingredients without some of the additives and preservatives.  However, all of them were still made with conventionally processed meats (i.e. grain fed beef).  Based on the benefits of grass-fed beef, I feel that the homemade version is the only healthy option. 

 

Chicken Soup

 

The third item that was randomly selected was chicken soup.  This is another favorite of mine.  It takes a fairly long time to cook but it is basically just simmering and cooling time.  The rest is very easy.

 

Here is the homemade recipe:

 

1 whole free-range organic chicken

2 quarts organic/homemade chicken broth or filtered water

1 large organic onion

1 organic tomato

1 bunch fresh parsley

5-6 stalks of organic celery (leaves included)

6-8 organic carrots

Sea salt and pepper to taste

OPTIONAL  Whole Wheat Noodles

 

Put everything except carrots into a large stock pot and boil 3-4 hours.  Remove chicken and pull off meat.  Strain broth mixture over a screen colander to remove any skin, loose bones, celery leaves, etc.  Put strained broth back into stock pot with separated chicken.  Add carrots and cook another 30 minutes or until carrots are finished.  Let cool in the refrigerator or other cool place until fat rises to the top.  Skim fat off with a spoon and reheat soup to serve. 

 

Cook noodles and put into a bowl.  Pour soup over noodles.

 

Here are the ingredients from an American favorite, Campell’s Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup. 

 

Chicken stock, enriched egg noodles (wheat four, egg solids, egg white solids, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), cooked chicken meat, water, carrots, contains less than 2% of the following ingredients:  salt, chicken fat, modified food starch, celery, monosodium glutamate, yeast extract, onion powder, vegetable oil, beta carotene for color, dehydrated parsley, soy protein isolate, sodium phosphates, chicken flavor (contains chicken stock, chicken powder, chicken fat), dehydrated garlic, spice extract.

 

Again, the home made soup contains all natural ingredients, no preservatives, no additives, and no harmful compounds.  If the long cooking time is a concern, it can be simmered overnight, cooled during the day, and skimmed before re-heating to serve.  It can also be frozen (without the noodles) and defrosted right in the saucepan.  This is a very healthy soup because is contains chicken which is a good source of protein and vegetables which are a good source of vitamins and minerals. The nutrients from the vegetables stay right in the pot. 

 

The Campbell’s soup, while convenient, has cons that far outweigh any gain in preparation time.  As mentioned in the grass fed beef section, conventionally raised and processed chicken contains antibiotic residues, hormones, pesticides from the chicken feed, etc.  An organic, free range chicken has not been altered from it’s intended form.  The conventionally processed soup is often criticized for it’s high sodium content but I feel that more alarming than that is the additives that appear on the label.  In particular, monosodium glutamate is listed as it is in most soups and processed foods.  It is a flavor enhancer which helps the food manufacturers sell products but it has many insidious health consequences.

 

“MSG has now been implicated in a number of the neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and Huntington’s disease.”  Jack Samuels (2008, para 9) 

 

MSG is a know allergen with detrimental effects.  It is an excitotoxin- a substance that causes the cells of the brain to become overstimulated and possibly die.  It is known to cause immediate reactions like seizures, allergic reactions, migraines, hyperactivity, etc.  However, many of the effects of this additive are cumulative and may not be noticed right away.  Mark Gold relayed on his online article that Dr. Russell Blalock, author of “Excitotoxins- The Taste That Kills” estimates that 80% or more of the neurons in a concentrated area of the brain have to be killed before any clinical symptoms occur.   

 

My own father had a severe reaction to MSG at a restaurant.  Within minutes, he collapsed to the floor, stopped breathing, and suffered heart palpitations.  He was rushed by ambulance to the hospital where he was brought back around.  The doctors were able to link his condition back to MSG.  That is an extreme reactive example but imagine what this harmful substance can do over time.  And it is in almost everything.  The tricky part about it is that food manufacturers have found ways to list MSG under other names. 

 

Below is an excerpt from “Excitotoxins – The Taste That Kills” by Russell Blalock as included in the article Monosodium Glutamate by Mark Gold (5/8/95)
 
Additives that always contain MSG:
 
        - Monosodium Glutamate
        - Potassium Glutamate
        - Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)*
        - Hydrolyzed Protein*
        - Hydrolyzed Plant Protein*
        - Hydrolyzed [Anything else]*
        - Plant Protein Extract
        - Sodium Caseinate
        - Calcium Caseinate
        - Yeast Extract
        - Textured Protein
        - Autolyzed Yeast
        - Hydrolyzed Oat Flour

 

Additives that frequently contain MSG*:
 
        - Malt extract
        - Malt Flavoring
        - Bouillon
        - Broth
        - Stock
        - Flavoring
        - Natural Flavoring
        - Natural Beef or Chiken Flavoring
        - Seasoning
        - Spices
 
        [* Often have between 30% and 60% MSG when it is added.]
 
        Additives that may contain MSG or excitotoxins
 
        - Carrageenan
        - Enzymes
        - Soy Protein Concentrate
        - Soy Protein Isolate
        - Whey Protein Concentrate
 
    Accent is a trade name for a common MSG seasoning.

 

Eating this type of soup may taste good but it is pretty clear that it is not healthy in terms of nutrition or taste.  I don’t think anyone could argue that it would compare to home made soup.  It is also clear that we eat is because of it’s convenience and because we are not educated as to what it actually contains.  We assume that the food manufacturers and government agencies (like the FDA) are protecting us but that is very far from reality.

 

Several organic, natural soups are available at health food stores like Whole Foods so this does give consumers some feasible options for healthy soups.  However, I did find (even in the health food stores), several soups that still contained MSG or it’s derivatives.  Again, it is important to stress that people must read and understand the food labels. 

 

 

 

 

Discussion

 

My takeaways from this project are fairly close to what I expected.  I have been eating a more holistic diet for about 3 ½ years so I had a good understanding of what harmful ingredients are in our food supply.  This project reinforced my commitment to purchasing, preparing, and eating natural foods.  It is apparent that the nutritional value of foods prepared with natural foods at home are much healthier that those that are processed.  The detrimental health consequences of eating processed foods far outweighs the slight difference in price and preparation time.  I consider food an investment in my future and I am willing to spend the extra time, money and effort to nourish my body. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 1

Animal feed ingredients that are legally used in U.S. animal feeds.^a

Origin, raw material	Examples
Plant
Forage	Alfalfa meal and hay, Bermuda coastal grass hay, corn plant, and soybean hay
Grains	Barley, corn (organic and genetically modified), oats, rice, sorghum, and wheat
Plant protein products	Canola meal, cottonseed cakes and meals, peanut meal, safflower meal, and soybean (organic and genetically modified) feed and meal
Processed grain by-products	Distillers products, brewers dried grains, corn gluten, sorghum germ cake and meal, peanut skins, and wheat bran
Fruit and fruit by-products	Dried citrus pulp, apple pomace, and pectin pulp
Molasses	Beet, citrus, starch, and cane molasses
Miscellaneous	Almond hulls and ground shells, buckwheat hulls, legumes and their by-products, and other crop by-products
Animal
Rendered animal protein from the slaughter of food production animals and other animals	Meat meal, meat meal tankage, meat and bone meal, poultry meal, animal by-product meal, dried animal blood, blood meal, feather meal, egg-shell meal, hydrolyzed whole poultry, hydrolyzed hair, bone marrow, and animal digest from dead, dying, diseased, or disabled animals including deer and elk
Animal waste	Dried ruminant waste, dried swine waste, dried poultry litter, and undried processed animal waste products
Marine by-products	Fish meal, fish residue meal, crab meal, shrimp meal, fish oil, fish liver and glandular meal, and fish by-products
Dairy products	Dried cow milk, casein, whey products, and dried cheese
Mixed
Fats and oils	Animal fat, vegetable fat or oil, and hydrolyzed fats
Restaurant food waste	Edible food waste from restaurants, bakeries, and cafeterias
Contaminated/adulterated food	Food adulterated with rodent, roach, or bird excreta that has been heat treated to destroy pathogenic organisms
Other
Antibiotics	Tetracyclines, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and streptogramins
By-products of drug manufacture	Spent mycelium and fermentation products
Arsenicals	Roxarsone and arsanilic acid
Other metal compounds	Copper compounds and metal amino acid complexes
Nonprotein nitrogen	Urea, ammonium chloride, and ammonium sulfate
Minerals	Bone charcoal, calcium carbonate, chalk rock, iron salts, magnesium salts, and oyster shell flour
Vitamins	Vitamins A, D, B12, E, niacin, and betaine
Direct-fed organisms	Aspergillis niger, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium animalis, Enterococcus faecium, and yeast
Flavors	Aloe vera gel concentrate, ginger, capsicum, and fennel
Enzymes	Phytase, cellulase, latase, lipase, pepsin, and catalase
Additives generally regarded as safe (GRAS)	Acetic acid, sulfuric acid, aluminum salts, dextrans, glycerin, beeswax, sorbitol, and riboflavin
Preservatives	Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and sodium bisulfite
Nutraceuticals	Herbal and botanical products
Plastics	Polyethylene roughage replacement

^aData adapted from AAFCO (2004).

Environ Health Perspect. 2007 May; 115(5): 663–670.

Published online 2007 February 8. doi: 10.1289/ehp.9760.

Copyright This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article’s original DOI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

 

The World’s Healthiest Foods  Avocados Retrieved March 3, 2008 from        http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5

 

Mercola and Droege (Oct. 15, 2003).  “Which Oils Should You Be Cooking With and Which Should You Avoid?”  Retrieved on Mar 3, 2008, from http://www.mercola.com/2003/oct/15/cooking_oil.htm   

 

Eat Wild (2008)  www.eatwild.com

 

Jack Samuels (2008) MSG Updates Retrieved on Mar 3, 2008 from http://www.westonaprice.org/msg/index.html

 

Mark Gold (May 8, 1995) Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Retrieved on Mar 3, 2008 from http://www.holisticmed.com/msg/msg-mark.txt

 

AAFCO (2004)  ^aData adapted from AAFCO (2004), Environ Health Perspect. 2007 May; 115(5): 663–670. Published online 2007 February 8. doi: 10.1289/ehp.9760.  Retrieved on Mar 3, 2008

So eventually, I want to add lots of recipes here so that people can get cookin’.  Yep, it’s time to dust off the stove, pull out the instruction manual for the oven, and stock up your pantry.  However, it is a daunting task to try to decide which of my recipes would get top honor in going first.  Rather than trying to pick the BEST recipe or the EASIEST recipe, I will start with a breakfast recipe.  That way, for those of you just starting on a healthy eating campaign, a good breakfast recipe will give you a good start for the day.

One of my staples, and favorites is the smoothie.  Nope, not the one you get from a fast food restaurant or an ice cream shop…a homemade smoothie with real fruit, nutritious ingredients, and NO added sugar or sugar substitutes. 

Now that I think about it, I can’t just give you one smoothie recipe.  There are so many variations.  I’ll give you some ideas to get you started but then it’s up to you to get creative!

Blueberry Smoothie

2/3 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

1/2 cup plain yogurt (preferably made from raw milk) or coconut milk

1 banana

1 tbsp wheat germ (optional)

Mix in the blender – if you use fresh berries you may need to add a few ice cubes

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

1 cup frozen organic strawberries (make sure strawberries are organic- convential are LOADED with pesticides!)

1 frozen banana (peel the banana freeze…slice it up with a knife when you add it to the blender)

1-2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice

Blend

Berry Smoothie

Handful of frozen mixed berries

Coconut milk or organic yogurt

Filtered water to make it blend.

Blend

Go Green Smoothie– yes!  try it…it’s GOOD.

1 banana (frozen preferably)

1 handful spinach

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon dried mint flakes

Blend

Eggnog

2 whole raw organic eggs

1/2 can coconut milk

1 cup ice

a couple drops of vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg and cinnamon

Stevia to taste (or omit)

Blend

Just mix whatever fruits and whatever form of milk you want.  Adding greens is always an added bonus.   You can see I use coconut milk a lot!  If you don’t like coconut milk…try unsweetened almond, rice, or hemp milk.  As you will come to find out, I’m not a huge proponent of dairy.  Not only am I intolerant to it, it is very acidic to the body, is associated with many allergies and ailments (like congestion, hyperactivity, GI problems, diabetes, heart disease, etc.)  Even though it is touted as a healthy food high in calcium, the cons outweight the pros and there are much better sources of calcium  i.e. greens.  One last note on dairy and then I’ll shut up and let you do your own research…even if dairy was ever possibly healthy for humans, what we have done to the dairy has altered any health benefits.  Diary cows are usually the sickest cows, pumped full of hormones and antibiotics (because they are fed grain instead of the grass they were intended to eat, altering their body composition- making them sick!).  Check out this video to see what I am talking about.  http://www.themeatrix2.com/.  While you are there, check out the original meatrix video.  www.themeatrix.com exposing the meat we eat.

Sorry, I got off on a tangent…back to breakfast smoothies.  Smoothies are a quick, no excuse way to start your day.  Kids love them too!  You can even take them on-the-go (even though I don’t recommend it- it is better to sit, relax, and enjoy your meal)

Happy blending!

Americans are experts at eating out.  Not only do we eat out for food but for entertainment and fun.  This is a very hard habit for people to break.  We are all so busy and eating out is just too easy.  It is, however, very costly (money and health).  If you take all of the money you would save by not eating out, you would have enough to buy the organic produce, the grass-fed beef, the wild caught fish that costs a little bit more than conventional.  Besides the cost factor, you honestly do not know what goes into those yummy dishes.  Restaurants focus on taste because they want you to come back and to have an enjoyable experience.  I can guarantee they do not care if you are making healthy selections or not.  In fact, they thrive on our bad choices.  Obviously what tastes good may not be the best thing for us.  Restaurants will load up their food with hydrogenated oils, additives, rich/creamy sauces, salt, sugar, etc. 

 

We all know that fast food is not good for us.  It is pretty much a given.  Why we eat it in the quantities we do is beyond me.  But don’t fool yourself.  Many of the restaurants we eat at thinking they are healthier are merely dressed up fast food.  Instead of standing in line, you sit at a table.  Many of the places like Your Neighborhood Grill and the place you can get your Baby Backs are no better than the typical fast food. 

 

My hope is that you will drastically reduce the amount of times you eat out and that if you do go out, you will make better decisions.  It is important to remember that we vote with our forks.  If more and more people demand organic dishes the restaurants will respond.  If they see that their Fried Hormone/Antibiotic filled Chicken Tenders with Hydrogenated Oil soaked French Fries are not selling, they will take them off the menu.  This is a recurring dream for me.

 

Here are some hints to help you if you do go out to eat.

 

• Scan the menu.  If asparagus appears somewhere on the menu, you should be able to substitute it in with your meal.  You may have to pay an upcharge but who cares.  If they won’t do that for you, leave.
• Don’t feel like you have to finish everything.  Restaurants give you way too much food.  Most meals are 2-3 times bigger than a normal serving size.  Save ½ for lunch the next day or split with someone else.
• Skip the bread and butter before your meal.  In fact, ask them to not even bring it to the table.
• Start with a salad but be careful.  Restaurant salad dressings are a killer.  They are loaded with bad oils, sugars, salt, etc.  They can make a salad have more bad fat and bad calories than just ordering the hamburger and French fries.  Bring your own dressing (I know, it’s weird but who cares) or ask for olive oil and vinegar or olive oil and lemon slices.  Usually the restaurant can accommodate this.  Just tell them you are allergic- they’ll understand. 
• Avoid soups, especially cream based soups.  Soups are notorious for hiding harmful ingredients like MSG (monosodium glutamate), excess table salt, hydrogenated oils, etc.  Most soups come on large bags, premade at some corporate headquarters, shipped for hundreds of miles, and loaded with additives and preservatives to make it last.  Not exactly mom’s homemade soup.
• Ask for all sauces on the side.  Try not to even use them.  They are other hiding places for stuff you shouldn’t be eating.  If you do have to use them, just drizzle a few drops, don’t slather it on like the restaurants do.
• Avoid fried foods.  Ask for grilled or broiled
• Order bottled water or bring your own.  Most other water comes right from the tap. 
• For kids, order off of the adult menu and have them share.  Typically, there is nothing healthy on a kids menu.
• If you are ordering fish, make sure it is wild-caught and preferably not from the Atlantic (toxicity issues).  If they don’t know, don’t eat it.
• Ask if they use margarine or butter.  I went to a large chain restaurant and asked for butter and they brought me margarine- they think it’s the same thing.  Come to find out there was no butter in the entire restaurant.  Guess what your food is cooked with.  (Margarine is very bad, by the way)
• Look for organic restaurants.  You can do some searches online in your area.
• Substitute a second vegetable for potatoes, rice, etc.
• Always drink water (preferably bottled) this will save you lots of money.  Most restaurants charge $1-$3 for sodas, lemonades, and specialty drinks.  That really adds up over time.
• Talk to the manager/owner and let them know what you want
• Decide what you are going to eat before you get there.  Many restaurants have their menus online where you can print them off.
• Skip dessert
• Skip appetizers (salad can be your appetizer)
• Make your own salad concoction.  If you see any ingredients on the menu that would make a good salad, ask them to make you one.  (i.e. grilled onions/peppers, broccoli, artichokes, black beans, etc.)
• Squeeze lemon slices over your meal for extra flavor.
• Check the nutrition facts of your favorite dishes online.  This is sometimes provided by the restaurant or sometimes by some avid nutrition sleuths out there.  You can go to www.thedailyplate.com for specific entrees at specific restaurants.

 

Just remember that when you eat at home you get these benefits:

• You know what is going in the food
• You can take pride in a home cooked meal
• You can spend quality time preparing the meal and eating with your family without the distractions of a busy, noisy restaurant
• It will save you time and money
• It will save your health!

 

Go homemade!