I often have people ask me what the "important" food rules are. The truth is the nutritional advice is often inconsistent AT BEST with conflicting ideas among respected dietitians & nutritionists, scientists, and how the media chooses to relay information; its hard to keep up! In fact, someone recently advocated for restricting water intake because "too much water can kill you".
So why all the confusion? In short, its good business for the food manufacturers: the more theories about what is healthy the easier it is to advertise towards the specific claims and everyone's "right". Have you ever thought about how so many items in the grocery aisles can all be so good for you but the American population is so unhealthy?
I have recently read Food Rules and recommend it as a good kick start to your REAL FOOD journey. Sure many rules are reminders of what you have heard (but might not be practicing), but after reading this book its much easier to navigate the grocery store and protect your cupboards and your body from what Pollan not so affectionately refers to as "edible food like substances". After all, isn't that what processed food is? A collection of chemicals shaped into something resembling food. I can already sense your objection, "But, its FDA approved! So it MUST be safe!" That FDA label is merely fancy flare the big businesses add on to their packaging and why are you so certain the FDA has your back? Who has the resources to go after an FDA approval? Big Business. Don't be fooled into thinking that Less bad for you and Good for you are the same things! Rule #8 cautions consumers against foods that profess their healthy "benefits" because a) it comes in a package to display their claims and is therefore processed and b) Broccoli doesn't need to boast about its benefits!
I urge you to pick this book up and take some time to reboot your ideas about food. In search of the secret, Pollan discovered we are seven words away from success:
That is WAY to simple to be the answer! Surely, with the technology available to create supplements and new ways we study the human body and its functions there HAS to be more to it! Maybe not since the average American (both male and female) is 20 pounds heavier than 20 years ago.
Since the Rules are grouped by theme I will share my TOP 12 Food Rules with you and hope you find some that resonate with you:
Rule #7 AVOID FOODS CONTAINING INGREDIENTS THAT A THIRD GRADER CANNOT PRONOUNCE
Forget the 3rd grader have YOU looked at your labels lately? This one ties in nicely with
Rule #15 EAT FOODS MADE FROM INGREDIENTS YOU CAN PICTURE IN THEIR RAW STATE OR GROWING IN NATURE
Can you guess what this ingredient list is for? I'll give you a hint its "Heart Healthy"
I have to say I am a little overwhelmed trying to decipher that code for CHEERIOS! Do you know what distilled monoglycerides look like (without google-ing?)
Rule #10 AVOID FOODS THAT ARE PRETENDING TO BE SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT
Now, I know I advocate for swaps and am partial to most things covered by Hungry Girl so I am NOT talking about things like Cauliflower Mock Potatoes or Shirataki Tofu Noodles. One of the biggest offenders is the 100 Calorie Pack Craze. Not only are you spending WAY to much per serving on things that are rarely satisfying but they're still chips, cookies, crackers that are highly processed and not very good. If I'm going to have a cookie its going to be delicious I would rather splurge once in a while and enjoy it that settle for a mediocre substitute.
This also pertains to pretty much anything that claims to be low or nonfat. How do you think they make the cream cheese nonfat. It definitely does not happen naturally which makes me think of
Rule # 20 DON'T INGEST FOODS MADE IN PLACES WHERE EVERYONE IS REQUIRED TO WEAR A SURGICAL CAP
MOSTLY
PLANTS
Rule #27 EATING WHAT STANDS ON ONE LEG IS BETTER THAN WHAT STANDS ON TWO LEGS, WHICH IS BETTER THAN EATING WHAT STANDS ON FOUR LEGS
I love the term Pescatarean. If we are going for least number of legs then 0 must be greater than 1! If you know me or remember my eating habits from 5 years ago you are probably laughing that I suggesting others eat more seafood. There is something to be said for fueling your body and once you know how to prepare formerly "scary" foods you will learn that being delicious and nutritious are not mutually exclusive terms. Too often we try "healthy foods" but forget to spice them up. There is no wonder most people perceive healthy as bland! One great piece of advice in regards to portion size I was received was that I could have a little piece of read meat, a bigger piece of chicken, or a giant piece of fish. I am a quantity girl so Fish wins most of the time!
I am certainly not advocating for everyone to become vegetarian or vegan but coupling this rule with
Rule # 26 TREAT MEAT AS A FLAVOR OR SPECIAL OCCASION FOOD
Try filling your plates up with colorful veggies (Rule #28) then have a "side" of meat. It will save you from not only added calories but also the extra saturated fat that comes with that steak. Also, we often eat meat as our go to protein and have it in some form at each meal. Let's be creative with our proteins, shall we?
Rule #41 MILK IS A FOOD NOT A BEVERAGE & Rule #40 MAKE WATER YOUR BEVERAGE OF CHOICE
Besides milk, we drink hundreds of unnecessary calories daily! YOU over there with the zero calorie Vitamin Water, Crystal Light, or Diet Soda are not getting off so easy. I am guilty too! For me, there is nothing like an ice cold fountain DC as a treat! Eating/Drinking sweet makes you crave more sweet! You are better off sticking to water to quench your thirst. I rarely turn down a fountain soda when I am out to eat (I do not keep soda in the house) so when I have it I want to enjoy the bubbly goodness NOT wash my meal down with it. Some of you are reading and thinking water is so boring; so spice it up! Add citrus, cucumber, or berries (extra points if you use frozen fruit not only does it flavor your water but it also chills it too! Pretty soon that Vitamin Water Lemonade will be a distant memory.
Just one more brief thought on the subject of dairy. Not only is it unnecessary calories in the name of calcium (there is actually more calcium per serving in Soy and Almond Milk) but it causes MOST humans physical pain in order to digest it. We are all somewhere on the lactose intolerance spectrum maybe you just haven't hit your limit yet. I will leave you with this quasi-gross image and the question why are we the ONLY mammals who drink the milk of another species?
NOT TOO MUCH
This isn't breaking news! We are in control of what we eat and how much. Don't let habit rule your life. Its time to take CONTROL and RESPONSIBILITY for your HEALTH. This isn't about fitting into a specific size or hitting an elusive number on the scale this is about living a long healthy life for your family and teaching your children be healthy as well. These last few rules will help guide your choices of HOW to eat.
Food is fuel. It is not: Entertainment, a Friend, Comfort, or a Reward. Although I will save the topic "Food is an abusive relationship" for another day, think about how food shows up in your life. Have you had a bad day and "deserve it"? Maybe you don't want to hurt a host's feelings by turning down an unhealthy choice. Christine Avanti, nutritionist and author suggests using "I'm off sugar for health reasons"as a go to reason for declining when faced with food peer pressure. If you are committed to your health and wellness you will find a way, if not you will find an excuse.
Rule #56 EAT WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY NOT WHEN YOU ARE BORED
It is often hard to differentiate simply because we have established these patterns of behavior where we think we need food at certain times (after school, dinner time, when we are sad, etc) or during activities (at the movies or watching TV- Are you one of the many who watch Biggest Loser with a bowl of ice cream?). I use my 15:15 rule to help crack the food vs. boredom conundrum- drink 15 oz of water (roughly) and wait 15 minutes. If I am still hungry I will grab a small handful of almonds or a piece of fruit which brings me to my next rule:
Rule # 57 IF YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY ENOUGH TO EAT AN APPLE, THEN YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT HUNGRY
If you have ever thought to yourself I am hungry but I don't know what I want; you are NOT hungry.
Finally, we will focus on quantity:
Rule #67 BUY SMALLER PLATES AND GLASSES
Clearly you are not to be trusted with portion size, and I am not either. I have gotten into the habit of using my lunch plates for dinner solely because if there is space I will fill it and my more than adequate size dinner portion looks better on the lunch plate. Eating healthily doesn't mean you need to hide out at home. When out to eat know that a restaurant portion is 2 maybe 3 times the portion of food you should be eating and that's not VALUE they are adding their so don't be fooled. If you have ever complained about a "fancy" restaurant serving too small portions it's likely because we are so used to being over served that we don't know what a true portion looks like any more.
Rule# 68 SERVE A PROPER PORTION AND DON'T GO BACK FOR SECONDS
Step away from the family style meal! Serve your dinner from the counter or better yet another room. If you have to get up to get seconds you have another opportunity to JUST SAY NO. Too often we eat because its there not because you are hungry. Trust me the extra is both a WASTE in the trash and on your body and its not helping starving children anywhere. If you are out to eat as for a to go container up front to put away half for later or split an entree with someone.
So SLOW down, enjoy the food you are tasting, put your fork down in between bites, and limit your drink intake during your meal. This last trick will not only slow you down because your whistle isn't so wet that your food slides down your throat at lightning speed ready for the next bite BUT it will help with digestion too.
I hope you have an opportunity to check out these and Michael Pollan's other food rules. Please let me know what YOUR favorites are.
If you love food books, one of my favorites is Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck. It totally changed my life.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I actually bought that, Food Rules, In defense of Food, at the same time because its Christine Avanti recommends all of them in Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food.
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