Healthy Eating / Healthy Living

[Morrigoon]

As far as goals, I have a few myself. I'm not trying to be a model, or even look good in a swimsuit, but I'd like to be healthier.

Mostly, I want to get sick less often with my stomach issues. So that means less grease, less soda.

As an aside, I'm also trying to reduce heavily processed foods and eat more "real" food, stuff that's closer to its source. So real butter, more "fresh" bread and less preservative-filled bread, more items that still retain their original shape (chicken comes to mind).

One major exception to that is Splenda, which I'm actually trying to sub in once in a while as a way to reduce my sugar intake. I'm not comfortable with subbing it in 100% (see above paragraph), but I find that if I put 3 sugars in a coffee, I can easily put in 2 sugars and one Splenda, reducing my sugar by 1/3, and still not feel like I'm bombarding myself with over-processed food.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

One major exception to that is Splenda, which I'm actually trying to sub in once in a while as a way to reduce my sugar intake. I'm not comfortable with subbing it in 100% (see above paragraph), but I find that if I put 3 sugars in a coffee, I can easily put in 2 sugars and one Splenda, reducing my sugar by 1/3, and still not feel like I'm bombarding myself with over-processed food.

Goonie, you may want to switch to agave sweetener, it's natural and ridiculously sweet for coffeee and such. It is liquid (like honey) I've given up all the other sweeteners like spenda because I just do not know how they will be for me. Splenda gives me a headache, and I used to use Equal by the ton.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

As an aside, I'm also trying to reduce heavily processed foods and eat more "real" food, stuff that's closer to its source. So real butter, more "fresh" bread and less preservative-filled bread, more items that still retain their original shape (chicken comes to mind).

I know that the processed foods is your personal soap-box the way vegetarianism is mine - and I agree that natural foods are best. Still, there are some things that are processed that are healthier than their unprocessed counterparts. (Earth Balance v. butter comes to mind, in terms of cholesterol. ETA - but then, it's not really soooo processed. It's pressed natural oil.)

Though I'm confused about the question of retaining original shape. Is that more of a... cooking process thing?

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

I know that the processed foods is your personal soap-box the way vegetarianism is mine - and I agree that natural foods are best. Still, there are some things that are processed that are healthier than their unprocessed counterparts. (Earth Balance v. butter comes to mind, in terms of cholesterol. ETA - but then, it's not really soooo processed. It's pressed natural oil.)

Though I'm confused about the question of retaining original shape. Is that more of a... cooking process thing?

It's the difference between getting a chicken breast or a chicken nugget.

If I have a choice between a sandwich of turkey pieces in odd shapes because they were sliced right off the bird, or deli slices in perfect ovals, I'm going to prefer the odd shapes because direct off the bird is probably processed less. And the overall sandwich usually tastes better.

Also, to be fair, I'm not a hardliner about this, at all. I eat plenty of processed foods. But I'm trying to eat more of the "real" stuff and less of the processed.

One side effect I'm finding is that somehow my decision to prefer "real" food is aiding me in preferring sandwich shops over burgers, even though the difference in processing is probably minimal. I'd actually say the effect is as strong as my fear of getting sick in terms of helping to discourage me from getting burgers. Somehow my mind is convinced that the stuff in sandwiches is closer to the source. (they're certainly less greasy) Weird, but hey, if it works...