Say Cheese!!

Yay, a non-baby post!! It seems like the world of babies has taken over my life. I still have such a huge interest in nutrition though, so I'd like to start blogging more about that. I have a ton of topics on my list. Let's start with cheese.

The world of convenience food was brought to another level when pre-shredded cheese was readily available...and cheap! I think grating cheese is evil to most people (especially my husband). It takes forever, you're pretty likely to get a little skin in there (ha!, but yuck), and what do you do with the ends? Then there's sliced cheese. There's not much that seems wrong with this cheese, well except the fake Kraft kind that feels more like plastic than food. Brick cheese to me just seemed old fashioned. Something we bought we were children.

I've recently started looking closer at the cheese we buy. The first thing I wanted to get rid of was the artificial coloring. What cheese is yellow or orange by nature?? Why do they feel they have to add color? SO Weird!! My choices are usually Monterrey, Swiss, Mozzarella or White Cheddar.

Second, I started researching shredded cheese. The ingredients included a few extra items, and what is that powdery stuff that coats the shreds? Cellulose. Manufacturers use cellulose in shredded cheese to prevent clumping.

Cellulose is an difficult thing to discuss and even research. In the end I've found that it's actual wood pump. Not exactly saw dust, but enough like it to make me want to stay away. Okay, okay so it's a natural plant fiber (insoluble). However I don't usually go chew on a piece of bark, and I especially don't swallow it. The interesting thing about it is a lot of nutritionists and the FDA is they do not consider it toxic or harmful. Meat is the only food that has a limit on cellulose content-3.5%. So in the end, yes it's 'okay' that cellulose is in our food. It's even debated that it's good for us. We need insoluble fiber right? While I agree, I'd rather get it from FOOD. REAL FOOD. Not wood.

*These photos were taken before I went to WHITE cheese only.

So we decided to stay away from cellulose in our cheese (and hopefully other products). With that we had to rely on shredding it ourselves. Oh the life of a real foodie. Luckily, I have my handy-dandy food processor. It shred's a 2 lb bring of cheese in minutes!! I then bag it and throw in the fridge or freezer and presto! It even taste better.

What about sliced cheese? I never buy the cheap plastic kind. If I want the convenience of pre-sliced cheese, I'll get the natural kind, check the ingredients to make sure there's nothing added and done. Usually I'll just take some of my brink cheese and slice it myself. Again, my food processor comes in hand-it also has a slicer. I bag this separately and we have sliced cheese ready to go for my little guys grilled cheese sandwiches. Oh, and he doesn't even notice the cheese isn't orange!

*These photos were taken before I went to WHITE cheese only.

So that's where I'm at right now... we shred and slice our own WHITE cheese. It actually wasn't a hard change to make. I actually enjoy it. It makes me feel all domestic and such.

I do have one more step that we haven't accomplished yet-organic and grass fed. Because of budget and availability issues, this is one goal I'm still working on. I feel it's important to buy organic and grass fed cheese. Just as important as it is for milk. Organic cheese will be free of the hormones and antibiotics that is so prominent in most dairy.

Cheese from grass fed cows will have more Omega-3's than factory farm cows since they eat a natural diet of grass, insects, and soil.

One last thing to think about when selecting your cheese is fat content. I buy mainly full fat cheese since my baby loves his cheese and needs the fat. Plus it tastes better. I will admit though that I am a fan of low fat or non fat cheese. Not ideologically of course, but when it comes to losing weight-it's just hard to buy the full fat versions!!  However, I do believe that full fat dairy is the least processed and contains the most nutrients. I think buying the full fat dairy is a great choice, and if you are trying to lose weight, just cut back a little.

Well I hope this helps you choose how to buy your cheese. Baby steps is my motto in the real food journey. If you want to take it step by step try this:

1. White Cheese Only
2. No Cellulose-sliced or brick cheese only
3. Full Fat
4. Organic/Grass Fed

Even doing one of these steps is making the change to REAL FOOD.

About Bread

So I've been researching bread a lot lately as I've been creating my Utah County Shopping List. At the grocery store there is usually only one brand of bread that would possibly fit the Real Food rules (if that!). So I went on a hunt to find the best kind for my family. Here are the things to look for:

1. Whole Grains Stamp- The most helpful tool to start with would be the 100% Whole Grains Label managed by the Whole Grains Council.  Here is the information from The Whole Grains Council website.

Basic Stamp or 100% Stamp?

There are two different varieties of Stamp, the Basic Stamp and the 100% Stamp.

• If a product bears the 100% Stamp, then all its grain ingredients are whole grains. There is a minimum requirement of 16g (16 grams) – a full serving – of whole grain per labeled serving, for products using the 100% Stamp.
• If a product bears the Basic Stamp, it contains at least 8g (8 grams) – a half serving – of whole grain, but may also contain some refined grain. Even if a product contains large amounts of whole grain (23g, 37g, 41g, etc.), it will use the Basic Stamp if it also contains extra bran, germ, or refined flour.

I don't use this too much because the bread I buy is usually local, so they're not a member of the WGC. It's a great tool though. Be sure to pay attention the 100% on the stamp!

2. Ingredients- My main tool is the ingredient list. I want less than 5 ingredients. Anymore, I put it right back on the shelf. These ingredients should be flour, water, yeast, possibly salt and a possibly a sweetener. 'Flour' is okay as long as it is 100% whole wheat flour. I believe this would just mean they possibly didn't grind it themselves.

3. Technique- The first ingredient I want to be is 100% WHOLE GRAIN. Stone-ground is even better. Wondering what the difference is? First, let's look at the anatomy of the grain. There are 3 parts. The Bran, the Endosperm, and the Germ. The Germ contains valuable nutrients and fats. Here's how I understand it:

There are a few ways to grind wheat. I'm going to talk about two of the most popular. Stone grinding goes back as early as the third century B.C.  It uses the whole grain, and just simply grinds it up. Because it's slower than the modern milling processes, the wheat germ is not exposed to high heat, which would cause the grain to become rancid and the vitamins to be destroyed. Stone grinding avoids this problem. It also evenly distributes the fats from the germ which causes less spoilage. So, 100% stone-ground whole wheat flour contains all 3 parts. The Bran, the Endosperm, and Germ. You get the WHOLE GRAIN.

The other way is Roller milling. This is the technique most large commercial mills use today. The bran and the germ is removed from the endosperm, they ground the bran and the endosperm separately and then are recombined. You usually don't get the germ (and the nutrients along with it).

So in summary, Stone-ground will give you the most nutrition because the Germ is included.

4. Sugar- The fourth thing I look for is the grams of sugar and sweetener that is used. I like to make sure it is as natural a source of sugar as possible. Honey or Raisins are two I've found that I like. The grams of sugar is important as well. Remember 4g of sugar equals 1 teaspoon. I want to keep my daily sugar to under 5 teaspoons if possible, which is 20g of sugar. If I eat a sandwich from bread that has 6g of sugar a piece, that's already 3/5 of my daily sugar allowance. So keep this in mind as well!

5. Local- I also like my bread to be local. This is important when you're purchasing 100% stone-ground whole wheat bread. Because the germ is included in addition to there being no preservatives, it will go bad faster. The fresher the bread (meaning made this morning and limited travel) the better!

I hope this helps you pick out a great loaf of bread for your family and takes out the research for yourself. If you live in Utah County, check out my listing of products I've found to fit my Real Food Charter.

Put Me In Overalls

I'm officially a gardener. I just planted my first vegetable garden (of my own)! We grew up with a large one but I only cared about the beautiful pumpkins. My poor mother did the rest of the work. Mine is a small garden, but it's a start. I used a City Pickers Patio Garden Kit to get started.

I chose Harvest Plenty soil made from fruit and vegetable compost and it was completely organic. No poop-like the bag said! It's even made right here in Salt Lake City.

I added in Azomite, a natural mineral product that is mined here in central Utah. I love local products! It's 100% natural with no additives, synthetics, or filters. It claims that "Gardeners can see increased germination rates, improved yield, more flowers, disease and pest resistance and better tasting vegetables."

Today we went and picked out the starters and seeds. I didn't really have a plan (remember, I'm a beginner!). I found a few herbs that I really wanted and a few vegetables. I planted basil, parsley, cilantro, Rebor kale, spinach, red peppers, green peppers, and zucchini. I also added a few marigolds to keep away pests. It's said that planting marigolds with your produce is the safest, natural way to garden organically.

I'm so excited to begin harvesting my own herbs and veges! Especially since we've been eating more. It gets expensive buying organic produce. Ya, I'm ridiculously excited.

Visiting the Farm

I've been on a search for local, organic produce and dairy. I want our family to eat cleaner and more nutritious. Local produce is much more nutritious due to traveling shorter distance. Organic produce usually reduces the pesticides on produce, is usually non GMO, and usually chemical free. See my doubtfulness? Well the best way to really know what's in your food, is to go to the source. I was very happy when I heard of a new farm in north Provo, La Nay Ferme, where I could do just that.

Click play to find out more:

See what I mean?

Peanut and I went for a tour of the farm during my time off. He of course had to be in proper attire. His onesie says "home grown'. We had a great time. It was a fun outside, spring activity to close our 2 weeks together.

 

LÄRABAR

Since learning about processed foods, I've basically given up on protein bars, candy bars, and energy bars. Basically any quick convenience food. For some reason it hasn't stopped me from looking. Maybe I want to see all the junk that is included in most bars or possibly I was really hoping to find something REAL. Anyway, I was at the checkout in our local Sunflower Market. I recently found something exciting-the LÄRABAR! They were on sale 10 for $10 which caught my eye. I immediately turned them around expecting added sugar, a list of ingredients, additives, colorings, preservatives. What I saw shocked me.

I am naturally drawn to ANYTHING peanut butter, so I flipped over the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and saw only 4 ingredients (7 if you count the additional ingredients IN the chocolate chips). They were Dates, Peanuts, Chocolate Chips(unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla), and Sea Salt. Now I wanted to avoid the sugar, and since it had peanuts it had 11g of fat. So I turned a few more over, and it just got better. The non chocolate chip bars had no added sugar, less fat, natural REAL food. Fruits, Nuts, & Spices were the main ingredients. I could pronounce every ingredient. The bars have from 2 to 9 ingredients. I threw a few on the counter-super excited.

I could tell the sweetener in these bars are the dates. My friend Kristal over at Fit Finney uses dates as well for a sweetener. I'm new to that, but it wasn't so bad. The first one I cracked open was the Peanut Butter Cookie (no chocolate). It was yummy. I finished it quickly. I brought a coconut one home to my hubby-he wasn't so fond of it-the dates especially, but hopefully after we've been on real food for a while we get more used to them. I think I'll keep a few on hand for a sweet tooth or an emergency bite of REAL food.

I checked out the website wanting to know more and what I found impressed me. Each bar has between 1/4-1/2 cup of fruit. They're not baked or cooked. Just mixed together, so they're as close to the natural state as possible. I'm keeping in mind that these won't be a daily treat. I want to eat WHOLE REAL foods, but this is a great 2nd option!

Photo Credit: http://www.larabar.com

Chia Seeds

I've recently learned of a superfood that is gaining in popularity-Chia Seeds! One of the best things I can say about Chia Seeds is that they're a great source of Omega-3's.

---A quick note on Omega-3's-they're an essential fatty acid found in fish, avocado, and more. They regulate blood sugar level, suppress the appetite, and burn fat.

Chia seeds also have high amounts complete proteins, antioxidants, vitamin B(s), fiber and minerals. They're low in calories and easy to digest. Chia seeds are awesome and contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber adds bulk and keeps things moving along, speeding along the digestive process. Soluble fiber aids in food movement and keeps the colon hydrated. It moves through slowly making you feel more full, forming a gel during the digestive process that carries cholesterol out of your body. Also since it moves more slowly it assists in regulating blood sugar levels.

Here are a few of the consumer reported health benefits: increased energy, improved mood, better concentration and clearer thinking, decrease in food cravings, decrease in aches and pains, better regularity, improved hair, skin & nails and more!

To use chia seeds, try  putting it in your oatmeal, smoothies, & yogurt. Since it forms a gel around the seed when mixed with liquid, you can use it as a thickener in your soup. You can add it to bread and salads. You can add it to juice or water to make a fun jello-type drink. Toss it in stir fry, eggs, cake and more. You can use it for dressings, sauces, marinades, even on ice cream! For somethings you'll want to soak it in milk or eggs, but I'm not even convinced it's necessary unless you want to use it as a binder (like eggs for turkey burgers).

I hope you give chia seeds a try today!

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."

-La Rochefoucauld

Utah County Shopping List

Since I started my hunt for real food, the most stressful thing has been actually FINDING the real food at the best prices in the places I shop. I like how Christine Avanti puts it in her book Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food; "In a way, we've come full circle. Our earliest ancestors had to gather, forage and even experiment to find nutrients in their uncertain environment, and that's similar to the adventure you're embarking on."

So for your reference (if your in the Utah County area) as well as my own, here's my list of foods, where to get them, links, and possibly costs.

Bread: 100% Whole Wheat Bread from Prairie Grains Bread Co. 5 ingredient bread with 10% Stoneground Whole Wheat including Raisin Juice Concentrate as the sweeter-which leads to only 2g of sugar per piece! Made in SLC, UT. Macey's for about $3.69, possibly WalMart. Click here for nutritional information.

My second choice would be Aspen Mills Honey Whole Wheat Bread, which is made in Ogden, UT. You can find this at Costco or Sunflower Market. This has 100% Stoneground Whole Wheat Flour with a total of 5 ingredients. The only thing I didn't like about this bread is there was 6g of sugar per piece because of the honey. While I was okay with some sugar of course, 12 g of sugar for a sandwich felt like too much for me-especially for something that I really don't care if it's sweet or not. I'd rather have a cupcake.

A third option, in case you need another, is the Honey Whole Wheat from Great Harvest. This bread also has only 5 ingredients with 100% whole wheat. The awesome thing about this bread is they grind the wheat every morning in the bakery so it's completely fresh the day you pick it up. The others may as well, but it also takes time to get to the store and then time for you to buy it. The downside is it has 7g of sugar per piece.

Eggs: Oakdell Organic Eggs (farmed in Lewiston, UT). These are "cage free" and organic. I called the farm and they explained that there is an outdoor patio with wood chips over cement that they can go out to all day. They are fed organic soy and corn feed (non-GMO) and are not given antibiotics. Click here for more information. I get these at Macey's for $3.99/dz or Costco for $6.99/2dz.

I would like free range, organic eggs, but I haven't found any in a supermarket yet-so I'll keep searching. There is Roberts Ranch & Gardens in Spanish Fork that sells a dozen for $3.00. It's a little out of the way, but could be worth it.

Chicken: I'm not entirely happy with my chicken findings yet. I'll keep searching. For now, I found the frozen chicken from Perdue sold at Costco. It is USDA Process certified-??. They only feed the chickens a vegetarian diet and they're cage free, but in a chicken house-so not outdoors. They of course eat soy and corn (I don't believe it's organic or GMO free). They say that they DO use antibiotics, but only under the instruction of a veterinarian and it's not every day use. I guess it's better than others. I'm not sure about steroids or other additives. I'll keep looking for sure.

I also like the chicken at Sunflower Market. The butcher said it's 'all natural' and 'antibiotic free'. The antibiotic free claim isn't on the label, so I'm not too sure. I want to do some more research on it.

Tortillas: This has been a hard category for me. Almost every "whole wheat" tortilla I've looked at has at least 40 ingredients. So I've had to use the 80/20 rule on this a little. The best tortilla I've found so far is at Macey's. Maya's Tortillas from Papa Pita has about 12-19 ingredients (I never know if I should include the ingredients in the parenthesis.) They claim 100% whole wheat, and the first ingredient is Whole Wheat Flour, however the fiber includes Oat. This also has canola oil which is a GMO. There's zero grams of sugar, however added sugar IS in the ingredient list, but pretty far down. I've chosen this purely because it has mainly whole wheat and the ingredient list is much much shorter than the rest. It is also made in West Jordan, UT-so it's local. Click here for nutritional information.

I'll continue to update this post as I have more information-which will be a lifelong process!

The Real Deal On Sugar

I promised a post about sugar in one of my last confession posts. I've been procrastinating because it feels so big. I feel that once I post the information, and it goes from my books and my research to my blog-it's for real. Hopefully this will help the information to go from my head to my heart (i.e. stomach and taste buds) and really sink in.

As I said before, eating sugars causes our bodies to release the hormones opioids and dopamine. For this reason, sugar is actually addicting. It's either a comforting thought (I'm not a pig!) or a scary thought (I have no hope!). Hopefully it's the first. However my point to telling you this isn't to give you an excuse to move ahead with eating as much sugar as you want. It's to understand. once you understand the root of a problem, it's easier to find a solution. That, the solution, is my goal.

Okay, so sugar is addicting. So what? Well, when you're addicted to something, you have a hard time not consuming it, right? This leads to over-eating of those sugary substances and that can create a lot of issues.

Here are the problems I find with sugar. Most processed sugars (table sugar) have no nutritional value. We need to change our perception on what eating is for. It's for giving our bodies the nutrients it needs to live. We eat to live, not live to eat. Of course, we can enjoy eating. Especially a sugary treat every once in a while-but our main purpose should be to give our bodies the best food we can. That's one of my number one goals-to change my reason for eating. Remembering that what we put in our mouth effects more than just our hips (or muffin top) & taste buds is important. We need nutrients from our food. If we're eating mainly sugary, fatty foods-most likely we're skipping the nutrient, vitamin, mineral rich foods our body needs.

So to get a little scientific, our brain needs sugar(glucose). Our body craves it. So when those cravings begin-we don't usually think of whole fruits and vegetables. We think of sweets. There's natural fructose in vegetables and fruits-that's the sugar our body wants. Those are great to eat because they're paired with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that is used to slow down absorption of the sugars and metabolize it properly. When we take out a macro-nutrient from a real food. It becomes a processed food, and it's not in the natural state God intended.

Another problem is portion size. We eat so much sugar. It's in everything! This is another great reason to stay away from processed foods. It's ridiculous the food they add sugar too. Between the years 1950 and 2000 America's sugar intake increased about 39%! That's 43 pounds of sugar per year per person more what people ate in 1950. I would guess this is attributed to the processed foods we eat. Biologically, we're not made to eat this much sugar-which is why we get so many health problems from it. Our body doesn't know what to do with it all! We're supposed to eat the whole package mentioned above (whole fruits & veges).

The scariest thing about sugar is the health issues that arise from eating too much sugar. As I said above, by eating something sweet with no nutrition your denying your body healthy food. It can cause bone loss, tooth decay, worsen your asthma, cause mood unbalances, depletes antibodies that fight viruses and bacteria, and much more. Because we're addicted to it (most of us) it causes us to overeat which in turn can cause us to be overweight, obese, and have high levels of stomach fat. The biggest health risk I see is spiking our blood sugar which can cause Type 2 Diabetes.

Now what about 'natural' sugars? Sugar in the raw, cane juice, agave nectar or honey? Aren't these healthier for us? Here's my take: It depends on what you mean by healthy. Sugar is sugar. Whether it's glucose or fructose, our body see's it as sugar. It processes it the same. It will spike your blood sugar if it's not taken with other nutrients that will slow down the absorption. Now if your goal is to eat more REAL, unprocessed foods. As close to their natural state as possible, and you need to eat sugar (hopefully as a natural ingredient in a recipe), then by all means use agave nectar or the like. In the non processed sense, yes it is better for you. However if your goal is to lose weight and fat and give your body the nutrients it needs then I would remember that your body sees it the same as any other sugar.

Here's a good thing to remember. 4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar. That puts it in perspective for me. It's suggested that if you want to lose weight, not to have more than 5t/20g of sugar per day. Also, the USDA suggest that the average person with a 1200-1600 calorie diet (most people trying to lose fat are in this category) should eat only 4-5 t. per day.

So my game plan? Ha, I'm not sure. I think arming myself with this information is a good first step. Two, cut out as many processed foods as possible (even that chocolate chip cookie dough in my fridge). Be aware of added sugar in foods. Be a label detective. Here are a list of added sugars1. One or two isn't too bad (as long as it isn't one of the first 3 ingredients listed). More than that I would avoid it.

• Agave nectar; brown sugar, can crystals, cane sugar, corn sweetener; corn syrup or corn syrup solids; crystallized fructose; dehydrated can juice; dextrin; dextrose; evaporated cane juice; fructose; fruit juice concentrate; glucose; high-fructose corn syrup; honey; invert sugar; lactose; maltodextrin; malt syrup; maltose; maple syrup; molasses; raw sugar; rice syrup; saccharose; sorghum; sucrose; syrup; treacle; turbinado sugar; xylose.

1.U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Chapter 7: Carbohydrates. Accessed on April 5, 2009.

Vegetable Washes

I recently ran out of my store bought vegetable wash. This wash was probably around $4-$5. I used it a little at first, then it probably sat on my shelf for over a year. I recently picked it up again in an effort to make my organic produce last a little longer and get rid of bacteria and pesticides. I ran out quickly and remembered I saw something on Pinterest about a home made vegetable wash. As my spinach, cilantro, and tomato were soaking under plain water I quickly did an online search (because Google is quicker than going through my Pinterest boards-sad I know), and found a recipe. It was for half white vinegar and half water. I poured a splash of vinegar in my water-because I was hardly going to measure such a thing. Presto right?

Well this afternoon after thinking about it a little more, I decided to do quick some research. First I found two ways in which a vinegar mix can help clean off your produce. They are only about 80% effective.

1.  Use 1 TB Distilled White Vinegar and 1.5 t. salt with 4 cups water.
-The conclusion was that it worked well, but it took a little rubbing afterwards to get everything(visible residue, dirt, & bugs) off, but it came off easily.

2. Use half water, half vinegar.
-The results to this recipe was very much the same as the one above, however it was a little more work rubbing the remaining particles off the produce. I'm guessing the salt loosens the 'grip'.

So my conclusion is that I will no longer purchase the store bought wash, I'll just use vinegar & salt from my cabinet.

The other part of this theory is a little harder to decipher. What is the value of the bacteria on produce? Can you really wash off chemicals and pesticides?

I do believe good bacteria is vital to our existence. We need bacteria to survive. Washing bacteria off of our produce though will help it last a little longer. Especially because organic produce usually deteriorates faster than those with preservatives.

Chemicals and pesticides we can do without. Here's the deal though, I don't think these sprays are just sitting on the top of our produce. It's within it. It's grown with it. Chemicals are a part of the soil. It's even difficult for organic farmers to keep it away 100% of the time. So will a vinegar wash get rid of all the chemicals and pesticides. I don't have a solid answer for you, but I doubt it. Let's guess maybe 40%? Dish Soap is shown to take off wax and pesticides from produce, however I'm not fond of the idea of using dish soap. Plus it damages the greens a little more.

So what's my plan? I'm going to wash all my organic produce with just plain water. If I have organic produce that I don't plan on using for a few days...I'll use a vinegar wash. For my regular produce, I'll use a vinegar wash as well. I may even do a squirt of dish soap. If you do use dish soap though, do it right before you use it. The produce won't keep very well afterwards.

Garden Herb & Vegetable Scramble

 I'm not a big recipe poster. I find recipes other people create. However the Vegetable Scramble is by far my favorite thing for breakfast. It's full of good proteins, yummy veggies, and whole grains. My hubby loves it too which is a plus! I can usually make it only on the weekends-so it's a great treat.

I never measure, I like the creativity in cooking without measuring. I do eventually want to measure it out so I can get the correct nutritional information though; maybe this weekend. I measured it this weekend so the information is added below!

Garden Herb & Vegetable Egg Scramble (serves 2-3)

1TB Coconut Oil
Handful of spinach (about 2 cups), Organic
3 Whole Eggs-Organic, Free Range
3 Egg Whites-I actually use the liquid egg whites from WalMart. I hate wasting an egg yolk.
1 tomato-I like Roma Tomatoes
1/4 c Feta Cheese
1/4 c cilantro (chopped if you'd like)
1/4 c parsley
1/2 c mushrooms (not pictured)
Salt/Pepper
2 slices 100% Whole Wheat Bread, toasted

This is as easy as it sounds, I feel silly writing instructions.
Heat Coconut Oil in pan. Toss in spinach and wilt along with mushrooms.
Add whole eggs and some egg whites to get the amount you'd like.
Once those are done toss in chopped tomatoes, feta, parsley and cilantro just until incorporated and slightly heated.
Spread some coconut oil on the toast if desired.

Now a few notes. I'd usually throw mushrooms in as well if I had them. Any veggies you like would be great!

Enjoy!

I'm a Sugarholic

I'm a good auntie. When my nephew was selling buckets...yes I said buckets of cookie dough, I bought one. I first put down the double chocolate fudge cookies because, well they speak for themselves. I thought better of it though and knew if I stuck with that selection, I would end up having to eat most of them since my husband prefers regular chocolate chip cookies. Wisely, I changed my selection to the regular kind.

They were dropped off tonight. He wanted me to try them (he's 7) so even though I made sure to tell him that it was against my food charter-I would try the dough just for him. Now we all know it wasn't painful at all. I thoroughly enjoyed the excuse. What kind of auntie would I be if I denied him the pleasure of seeing me enjoy his cookie dough.

Having that cookie dough in the fridge is painful. I so badly wanted to throw a few spoonfuls in the oven and enjoy a freshly baked, local may I add (Utah's Best), but processed and preservative full cookie. Luckily I made myself a nice hot cup of Chamomile Lavender tea instead.

I'm a sugar addict, and I'm not quite sure how to quit.

I've gone spurts without sugar, or with limited sugar. I tell myself I can say no any time. I deny the donuts at the office all the time. I can go in the break-room and pass up the chocolate covered almonds. I can quit anytime. I'm not addicted. Sugar isn't a drug. Well, when I'm alone my little sugar demons come out. You know the ones I'm talking about I'm sure.

I've recently learned these little demons are actually opioids and dopamine. Opioids are responsible for making me feel so good after having that freshly baked cookie. Dopamine is responsible for making me eat more. Don't get me wrong, I take responsibility for my actions as well, but it's important to know that sugar is literally ADDICTING. There is an actual chemical reaction caused by what we eat. It triggers our reward system and steers our attention toward the food causing the reaction.

There's many ways to combat this addiction, and I'll go into that more in the next post. For now, realize that if you're a sugar addict, don't feel ashamed. Remember you're not alone.

My Real Food Charter

I'm on a Real Food journey. I begun learning about nutrition a few years now, but it's been a slow process. To be honest, my first motivation is probably weight loss. In a very close second place is a healthy body and lifestyle. I want to be active and have energy. I want great skin and a good figure. I want to be happy in my body. I want to teach my kids good nutrition and give them the best step forward in their health.

 

What I love about a Real Food journey is that you can start right away. You don't have to know EVERYTHING before making changes in your diet. I'm still learning and deciding what is best for my family. This is also new to us, so I'm taking it easy at first, then will hopefully tighten the strings a little as time goes on. My first step is to create My Real Food Charter for myself and my family. This will most likely change over the next few months as I learn more and try things out. So here goes:

Real Food

• Is as close to it's natural state as possible.
• Is not overly processed and does not contain more than 5 ingredients.
• Has no added sugar in the first 3 ingredients listed.
• Contains no artificial coloring, caramel coloring, MSG, Acesulfame-K, BHA, BHT, Olestra, Potassium Bromate, Propyl Gallate, Saccharin, Aspartame, Sodium Nitrate, and TBHQ.
• Contains no refined carbs, such as white flour or high-fructose corn syrup.
• Contains no factory processed polyunsaturated or hydrogenated vegetable oils.
• Contains zero trans fats.
• Is 100 percent whole wheat and whole grain.
• Is organic, antibiotic-free chicken & eggs, preferably free range/pasture fed. 
• Is grass fed, antibiotic-free, hormone-free beef.
• Is local and organic milk. Antibiotic and hormone free. Grass fed preferred.
• Includes organic produce off the 'Dirty Dozen' list. 
• Is wild caught fish.
• Contains vegetables and fruit at every meal.

If possible, buy:

• Produce and animal products that are locally grown and raised
• Organic & local cheese and yogurt products.

Now I know some of this will be hard to get used to, especially identifying the additives and preservatives listed above. I may not be able to do it all at first, I'll do my best though.

Christine Avanti's Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food gave me a lot of the definitions listed above. I highly suggest reading this book as a starting point. I also think Lisa Leake's 100 days of mini-pledges sounds like a great way to incorporate Real Food into your every day life. Feel free to join me on the journey to Real Food with the help of these lovely ladies.