Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with food and diet

Why did they make me eat fish on Fridays?

tastybrains — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:52:42 -0800

In some religions (at the very least Catholicism), eating fish on Fridays is (or at least was) a requirement and seems to remain a bit of a tradition. I was raised by some strict Catholics, but never understood what the real rule was. Do you have to eat fish, or do you just have to not eat meat? And how exactly is "meat" defined in this situation? This question is one I've wondered for a long time, triggered by my intense dislike of all seafood. Most recently, what triggered this question was the fact that it seems that all corporate cafeterias I know of serve fish every Friday (and stank up the whole place).

As a child, on Fridays during Lent, I was given a lot of shit for refusing to eat fish like everyone else. My question was always "if we can't eat meat, why can't we just order some cheese pizza?!" Really...why? Why is fish the traditional alternative to meat, instead of *real* nonmeat foods like tofu and beans and pasta and the aforementioned cheese pizza?

I also wondered exactly how fish was not meat, but chicken was. I mean, where is the line drawn between meat-dead-animals and non-meat-dead-animals? Is it warm-blooded versus cold-blooded (if so, could I eat amphibians and reptiles on Fridays if I wanted to observe this rule? Are frog legs and alligator fair game?)? Is it land-dwelling versus water-dwelling (if so, could I eat a dolphin or a manatee?)?

What about mealworms? Could I eat those?

I like it raw.

blackcatcuriouser — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:46:54 -0800

Any suggestions for a 14-day raw food detox diet? What can I expect to feel like? I've been in the process of losing weight (via eating better and exercising) and have lost about 20 pounds since early summer. I fell off the health wagon in early November due to work/school stress, started ordering takeout more often, missed the gym for weeks at a time. Throw in a few weekend birthday celebrations and Thanksgiving - all of which involved indulging heavily in fatty foods and quite a bit of alcohol - and I gained about 4 pounds back.

I'd like to get back on board and continue to lose the weight I started losing. (I'm about 10-15 lbs to my goal.) I've started going to the gym again, and lighter eating began the day after Thanksgiving. But I still feel sluggish and generally gross from a month of face-stuffing and boozing.

I've developed, based on various internet articles, a plan for a 2-week raw (or mostly raw) cleanse. It's a variation of the vegan raw food cleanse in that it's not as super strict as some of the ones I've read about online. I plan to eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts and drink water and herbal teas. (Which is pretty much what I normally drink anyway.) I'm allowing occasional oatmeal with raw honey and fruit, maybe 1 or 2 mornings a week. I'm also thinking of throwing a teaspoon of olive oil per day into the mix, for salad dressing. Maybe some light salt and pepper. No meat, dairy, eggs, pasta, bread, alcohol, candy or processed foods. I am going to allow myself avocado and canned beans, but no tofu.

Anything else I should avoid? Any cool raw recipes I should consider feasting on or advice in general? I've never done this before. What can I expect to feel like? (Some background, I'm a mid-20s female of a healthy weight, and I usually eat everything.)

antinutrients

leotrotsky — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:39:58 -0800

Anti-nutrients: Do they pose any legitimate risks? I'm reading about the Paleo diet, I've noticed some references to the toxicity of grains, legumes, potatoes, etc... Is there any substance to these concerns in a modern diet that contains a large portion of these foods? Are the Paleo folks taking a legitimate term and taking it to mean something more alarmist?

Is Green Tea Good for You even when it's cold?

lynnie-the-pooh — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:09:17 -0800

I heard Green Tea is extremely good for you. If I drink it cold, will it give me the same benefits as hot green tea? I like the Snapple Green tea drink you can get in a glass bottle and you drink it cold. Thanks, Lynnie-the-pooh

Can I fuel my human body off just SPIZ (nutrition drink), water, and the occasional "recreational" meal?

mikee — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:26:56 -0800

Has anyone ever attempted or documented using a "nutritionally complete" drink such as SPIZ that has all your daily values over a long period of time? I've read some other threads here, but not finding much. It is nearly impossible to Google anything diet related these days, too much spam and nutjobs. My goal here is to think of food merely as fuel, and just scrap the whole eating what I crave thing.

Going to talk to my family MD and ask for a referral to a nutritionist, too. But before I do, and because I know I'll be met with some criticism to my desires, I wanted to get some more info.

Where is the food pill already?!?

Food is nutrition, not entertainment

arniec — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:03:34 -0800

How can I change my mindset to think of food as sustinance and not food as entertainment/reward? I've searched and was shocked to not see this question come up before, but if I missed it, links?)

I am turning 35 in a hair over a month, and I'm trying to get my life in order. A big part of this for me is losing weight and getting fit. However I have a mindset that is ingrained from the past 34 years that I need a way to get around.

I am quite the foodie. I've traveled across the US and some other countries and love to try the culinary delights there. To me, food is entertainment. When traveling, the food is part of the tourism, and when home food is part of the entertainment. Special occasion in the family? Eat out! Going to a movie? More fun with popcorn!

Worse is after a hard day at work (long hours, stressful work environment) my wife and I turn to "comfort food". This is not emotional eating, it's just that after a hard day we can relax a bit better with a pitcher of margaritas and some hot wings (for example). The enjoyable eating experience is a good amount of the enjoyment, and the relief of not having to cook and do dishes, two more chores at the end of a long, hard day, are rewards to ourselves. Instant gratification is the downfall of many an American...including us.

So yes, like dogs, we are food motivated. But to achieve our fitness goals, we need to stop thinking in those terms. How can we do that?

(And hint: as part of "getting my life in order" I'm also cutting back a lot of spending in order to pay off credit cards, so the option to replace the food reward with some monetary reward won't work).

Lean and Mean

freddymetz — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:26:20 -0800

Help a skinny guy shape up! more after the jump! some facts:

i do some sports, used to jog almost every day (although in the past few weeks ive slacked off)

I eat a lot, but i dont eat healthily (i.e. no fruit and veg)
A typical week would see me eating meat pretty much every day with pasta or potatoes. Fast food (mcdonalds/burger king) is also consumed at least once a week . I drink a lot of unhealthy sugary drinks and fruit juices. Greasy meatloaf or full english for breakfast (ocasionally) .

I need a goal and results. Im pretty lazy, and slack off if i dont see results, but can get very motivated if it's a foolproof plan and i see results after a while.

Right now i want to put on some weight, yes also fat, because i look pretty skinny. I dont know if that's advisable, or if i should just look at starting with a tabula rasa and gaining muscle mass (which would probably be more difficult).

I have mild scoliosis, which affects my posture a bit and makes me slouch. I try to work actively against slouching by pushing my upper chest forward and my stomach in. is that the correct thing to do? I think gaining weight, especially muscle, would help my posture too, right?

I have a fast metabolism, i think, so what should i do guys?

Help me plan a healthier daily diet.

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:42:27 -0800

Help me plan a healthier daily diet. I really want to eat healithier. I don't think I'll be able to cut out meat from my diet entirely, especially not right away, so I'd like to work my way up to it. I also don't have any great love for most vegetables so that is something I'll have to work up to as well.

I've recently cut way back on fast food. I don't eat out more than once or twice a week, but I'd like to make that not at all, or at least very rarely.

I also have a job where I want to take a lunch or dinner type meal to work with me. I have access to a microwave and a refrigerator there.

Currently a typical day looks like this:

Breakfast: bowl of cereal, usually Oh!s or Honey Bunches of Oats (with cinnamon), with 2% milk. Sometimes I'll cut up a banana and add it in. On rare mornings, I'll scramble a few eggs and have buttered toast. I always burn bacon when I try to fry it.

Lunch: chicken or roast beef (from the deli, not pre-packaged) sandwich with fat-free mayo, lettuce and havarti cheese on multi-grain wheat bread with crackers and maybe an apple.

Dinner: This is where I have the most difficulty. I'm just now trying to teach myself to cook. Some nights I'll just go without. Other times I'll heat up a salmon patty and have some macaroni & cheese with it.

I can cook, I'm just lazy about doing so. I've taught myself to cook some delicious chicken pasta, but that's about the extent of my skill so far. I want to include more fruits and vegetables in every meal, and preferably have more frequent, smaller meals/snacks throughout the day.

To help, here are some of my likes and dislikes:

Like: melons, bell peppers, black olives, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, onions, apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, chicken (white meat only), beef, most any kind of fish (but no shellfish), pasta, avocado, pineapple

Dislike: pork, ham, pastrami, mushrooms, spinach, anything too spicy or sour

Willing to try: beans, just about any other vegetable

Links to sites with good tips, info, and recipes would also be appreciated.

I don't always have a lot of time to prep meals, so quick-prep meals are a plus. I also have two crock-pots (one large, one small), a toaster, and a blender at my disposal at home.

Bonus points if you can recommend something good to drink (besides water) that is not too sugary or expensive.

Can I eat my way to happiness and fufillment?

jon1270 — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:57:09 -0800

What constitutes a healthy diet when excess weight is not an issue and reasonably high calorie intake is necessary? Late 30's male, going through a bit of a midlife crisis and thinking about aspects of my life that might need adjustment. Though I can't say exactly why, I've been wondering whether my diet couldn't stand some improvement.

I'm 6' tall and have been 160#, give or take a pound or two, ever since high school. I think I'm more physically active than average, but I seem to be able to burn through no end of calories whether I'm moving around a lot or not. I have no major health problems that I'm aware of.

I taught myself to cook, cutting my teeth on the butter- and cream-laden fare of James Beard. Over time, my cooking habits have continued leaning towards what I think of as decadent and restaurantish cuisine -- a bit heavy on meat and fat -- largely because this is an easy way to get calories and avoid feeling hungry again half an hour after a meal. Last night it was penne with a Bolognese sauce. The night before it was ribs and succotash with a rich dessert (dinner party). Before that, a chicken and vegetable curry with coconut milk. In the fridge are ingredients for a risotto with sausage. I like vegetables and fruit, but they are generally accessories to the meal rather than the main event. This is all very tasty, but I sometimes have the sense that I've consumed more grease than is good for me.

I have a drink on as many evenings as I refrain (typically only one) which is pleasantly relaxing but muddies my thinking for the rest of the day. I'm not sure it's worth the tradeoff.

I also have a moderate caffeine addiction. If I don't have a couple mugs of strong coffee every morning, I get irritable and can't think straight by mid-afternoon. If I have coffee after noon, I don't sleep well and the diuretic effect wakes me up at 3 in the morning.

I'm wondering if I can do better, but I've been living this way for so long that my imagination is constricted by habit. What are my options for tasty foods and good eating habits that can deliver calories and general well-being without the long-term health implications of the animal-based fats? Should I consider cutting out caffeine and/or alcohol entirely? If I were to make such changes, what benefits might I experience?

Do Bananas constipate??

lynnie-the-pooh — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:07:12 -0800

Do Bananas constipate or do they do the opposite? My daughter needs to eat foods that make stool soft. Some people have told me to feed her bananas and others say to stay away from them. Which is the truth? My daughter is five years old. Also, my daughter takes Miralax to make things soft. Is there any alternative to this? Like an herb or some natural vitamin/herb/spice combo that she could take instead?

Thanks,

Lynnie-the-Pooh

Do cold cuts cause cancer?

zembla3 — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:40:27 -0800

I've seen several news articles (including this one) over the past few years highlighting studies that suggest a link between processed meats and cancer. Does the preponderance of scientific evidence suggest that people should stay away from foods like deli meats and hot dogs, even in moderation?

Can't stay full!

yellowbkpk — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:13:34 -0800

I'm trying to watch what I eat, but I'm hungry all the time! What should I eat to help curb the hunger? I've been keeping track of what I eat and exercising trying to count calories (and make the calories I do eat more healthy than cheeseburgers and milkshakes).

The problem is that as I do this I get hungry every 3 hours or so. I'm eating salads, fruit, some vegetables, staying hydrated, etc. but I just can't seem to last from breakfast to lunch or from lunch to dinner.

I'm trying to eat healthy snacks between meals, but I'm quickly losing interest in dried fruit and nuts.

Is there something wrong with what I'm doing that is causing me to hungry so often?
Can you suggest some snacks to eat to curb the hunger between meals?

Body Weight Set Point

netbros — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:38:44 -0800

How to lose that stubborn, unwanted 5-7 pounds? For nearly all of my adult life (I'm 56 now) I've had a very consistent weight of around 153-155 pounds. At 5' 9" that seems about right for me. I suppose you could call it my "set point." About a year ago I suddenly jumped up to 160 within a matter of a couple weeks, and have stayed there since. I just don't feel quite the same at 160.

In the past two months I have made a concerted effort to get back to my original set point with a healthy, reduced portions diet as well as regular, daily exercise that includes walking about three miles/day as well as sit-ups and push-ups. All of this has had no effect on my weight, up or down. I am still sitting at 160, seemingly no matter what I do.

What do I need to do differently to get back down to my 154 set point? Has my body simply reached another, higher set point and will be content to keep me here? What is to prevent another sudden six pound gain in the future? All hints, tips, and advice welcome. Thank you for your assistance.

If the caveman diet is sound, should, er, people from the savanna eat differently?

Busoni — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:22:31 -0800

I'm interested in knowing more about the caveman diet, and the logic behind it. Does the reasoning behind this diet dictate that the modern Korean should eat differently from the modern Englishman? But maybe more importantly, is the reasoning indeed sound? Or is it pseudo-science? Is this really what evolutionary biology would suggest? If so, how much of it should really dictate what a modern human, Korean or English or otherwise, should or shouldn't eat?

Food diary paralysis

boo_radley — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:29:23 -0800

When keeping a food diary, what is a good strategy for estimation? I'm not sure what's a reasonable way to go out to a restaurant, eyeball a dish and come up with a reasonable calorie count for it. Is there a guideline or rule of thumb to follow>

Where can I look up calorie information for typical Japanese foods?

Vorteks — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:24:26 -0800

I'm looking for a website or perhaps a printed book that gives typical nutritional values for a large variety of Japanese foods. I'm counting calories, and logging everything I eat. For most typical American foods and restaurants, it's pretty easy to get a rough estimate of the nutritional value of what I eat. If I eat out, most major restaurant chain provide nutritional info on their websites. And if not, or I'm eating at home, places like The Daily Plate and Calorie King can be used to find similar foods and make a reasonable estimate.

But, when I eat Japanese foods, I'm totally lost. The above sources might be useful for foods well-known in America, like "california roll" or "shrimp tempura". But what about okonomiyaki? unagi? katsu curry? chanpuru? natto? I'm lost. Does anyone know where nutritional information for these sorts of foods might be obtained? A website is preferable, but if there's some sort of guidebook or something I could buy that'd be helpful too.

I read Japanese at perhaps a 5th-grade level and I have dictionary tools to help me out, so I don't mind using a Japanese website if you know of one.

How can I get rid of my craving for fast food?

elder18 — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:59:24 -0800

How can I get rid of my craving for fast food? In particular, I have a weakness for Nachos Bell Grande, even though I know they are terrible for me. Sometimes I want one so bad I can almost taste it.

Reverse veganization

zenofthefrisbee — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:00:10 -0800

How can I incorporate animal protien and supplemental iron in my vegan diet? That sounds contradictory, I know.

But my doctor just told me that I am protien deficient and anemic, and that I must eat animal protiens and more iron. Every body is different, and apparently mine can't survive on a strict vegan menu alone. Now I am having trouble imagining how to incorporate meats in my meals. I've looked into whey protien mixes, but am interested in ways that I can hide meat (and extra iron) in my diet without, you know, tasting it. Basically I'd like my diet to remain as vegan as possible on the surface, while satisfying my body's protien requirements.

Fish is out; I can't palate it. Chicken, pork, and beef are better.

So, what are some good recipes to hide animal protien in?
Are there any prepared foods (like I'd buy at Whole Foods on my lunch break) that might work?
What are my other options outside of meat? Do eggs count?

Where could I find a ranking of foods by their carbon footprint?

GIMG — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:28:49 -0800

Where could I find a ranking of foods by their carbon footprint? I remember hearing that cheese, fish, and tomatoes, even have a higher carbon footprint than chicken.

Does anyone know where I could get an extensive and reliable list of foods by carbon footprint?

Taking grains of salt seriously

jammy — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:46:36 -0800

SaltFilter: Looking for a good book or online resource that helps one calculate the amount of salt in various kinds of food - down to the grain if possible. I've googled a bit & found a few things but I'm looking here for personal recommendations (i.e., a book that you found helpful, well-written, clearly laid-out, etc.). Thanks.

It's just like being in school again! But with better food!

pdb — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:32:00 -0800

Help me grade myself on my new lifestyle. I'm not a new year's resolution person, normally, but this year I turn 40, which has occasioned a fair bit of stock-taking of who and where I am and all that good stuff. One of the things I decided to focus on this year was my diet - it needs improvement, I need to lose weight (the number isn't significant, but it's a larger number than I want it to be, thus the impetus to lose it), and I'm ready to take on the challenge of losing the weight.

There are two things I need to overcome to make this happen - my poor history of food choices (specifically as regarding portion sizes), and my constant beating myself up when I do make bad choices, which leads me to make more bad choices, etc. and so on.

So, I came up with an idea that needs some refining. I'm going to grade myself on a weekly basis, using the standard A-F grade scale (with +/- as needed), on the food choices I make during the week. If I can keep up at least a B average in a given week, I plan on rewarding myself with something non-food (a couple CD's, books, or whatever), and if I fall below that B average, I have resolved...not to punish myself and to spend the time to figure out how to get back to the B level.

So my question is, what in your minds would constitute each letter grade? There are the obvious ones (fast food is a D or an F, eating cheese and crackers for dinner because I'm lazy and can't be bothered to cook would be the same), eating one or two servings of vegetable per meal would be a B or an A, but then there are the "finesse" type questions, like:

1. Today at lunch, I had a six-inch Subway turkey breast (only additions were spinach and green peppers) with no spread - but with cheese. I decided to give myself a B - an A in my mind would have been the same sandwich but with no cheese. But, I thought to myself as I ate, what if I would have gotten a foot-long version of that same sandwich, with chips? Would that be a B or even a C grade, based on portion size?

2. Alcohol. I don't drink a ton, but I like to have a couple beers with dinner two or three times a week - it's not realistic that I cut it out entirely, so if I have one beer with an otherwise healthy dinner, would that require a reduction of letter grade? Does having one or two glasses of wine on a Friday night out also necessitate a grade drop?

Any and all ideas to further refine this concept would be welcome. I don't really need menu/recipe/cooking tips, I've got a pretty good handle on that side of things, I'm more looking for ways to help myself reinforce good eating behaviors.

South Beach and anxiety

jujube — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:11:37 -0800

Started a low-carb diet. Anxiety has hit the roof. Anyone have experience with this? Started a low-carb diet couple of weeks back. A quasi South Beach type of meals--very little grains or starchy vegetables, but plenty of other veggies, legumes, meats, and dairy. I've noticed that I've been more anxious lately. Of course, it could just be coincidence, but am wondering if they are related. What's going on? Advice on lowering anxiety would help, as well as suggestions for adjusting what I'm eating. Also, any other surprises that I should know about related to eating low-carb?
Thanks.

Is it possible to become vegetarian and gain weight at the same time?

Matrod — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:18:12 -0800

I´ve recently discovered that my body "dislikes" red meat, this is, I become heavy and slow when eat this kind of food. Additionally, my doctor suggested that I should eat less meat since my kidneys are not working properly. One of my life goals is to become vegetarian (ovo-lacto kind to start), and I purchased some books on the subject, but none of them explains how to do so without putting your health in risk. Is there a comprehensive and safe guide to start being vegetarian? My case: 36 year-old male, 70 kg. 1.82 mts tall. I´ve been struggling all my life about being too skinny. I consider myself a healthy person, and I don´t like to eat processed sugar or soft drinks. Mostly of the time I´m home, and have the chance to fix my own meals. I exercise regularly (bike, push-ups, Yoga).

As explained above, I´ve been trying to stop eating meat (poultry and fish as well), but I´m afraid of becoming thinner if my protein intake is lowered. My goal is to gain some weight (about 5 kg) and keep it being vegetarian. Is it possible?

Any resource will do: websites, books, etc.

Hummus goes with what veggie?

reenum — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:44:20 -0800

I want to find veggies I can dip in hummus instead of chips. Suggestions? I like to snack on hummus and crackers, but I am trying to get healthier this year. I'd like to replace the crackers with some sort of veggie. I tried carrots and did not enjoy the combo.

Can you suggest another veggie (or fruit) that might be a good sub for crackers and allow me to keep up my hummus habit?

Has anyone ever truly lost weight and kept it off?

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:17:37 -0800

What kind of hope is there for the average person to lose weight and keep it off when someone like Oprah who has personal trainers and personal nutritionists and personal chefs and personal minders and more money than God can't manage to do it? I never used to be a heavy girl. I ate terribly, but I exercised at the gym every day, and I was slim and fit regardless. But then I moved, and I got older, and I put on close to 80 pounds in a decade. I have watched people all around me struggle to lose weight and then they put it all back on plus more. I can't even motivate myself to try because it looks like I'm just setting myself up for disappointment--I'd have to radically change how I eat (learning to cook, for a start, which is a whole other hurdle). I keep reading that none of it works anyway, and everyone has a "set point" or something, and only 5% of people manage to keep weight off after losing it.

Canned milkshakes are gross. I sat in on a Weight Watchers meeting once and I felt like I was in a cult. I'm at my wit's end.

Has anyone here managed to lose real weight and never gain it back?