I admit that I enjoy a lavish dinner rich with creme sauces and chocolate desserts along with the rest of the human population, but those dinners are far and few! For as long as I can remember I have been conscious of healthy eating. Sadly this means I allow myself few restaurant meals, where I cannot control the ingredients. In general, this means lots of home cooked meals, which isn't so easy for a working mother (about 3 different jobs - school, public libraries and tutor!) and part-time library student. I will confess that a crock pot is a must! However, a big part of being successful is planning.
Lately, I have been exploring "low carb" meals. Fortunately, I have never had to go on a serious diet, but with changing metabolism in these middle-aged years, I am becoming increasingly aware of the power of gravity! Our nation as a whole seems to overdo it on carbohydrates. Our favorite foods are the ones that top the charts for carbs - pizza, hamburger buns, bagels, french fries, etc.). Carbs are known to cause a rise in a person's blood sugar. As a result, the pancreas overreacts and secretes more insulin than we really need to lower the blood sugar. Leftover insulin causes the body to store more fat and makes the person hungry soon afterward.
I have never been a fan of severe eating deficiencies (a.k.a. Atkins), but I believe there's an element of truth to cutting some carbohydrates out of our diet. All the experts say we need some carbs to stay healthy, but the exact number isn't clear. Even if there was a magic number, I'm sure it would depend on one's body structure and genetics. In general, moderate low-carb plans suggest a daily intake of 90 to 100 grams per day.
Alas, the challenge now is to make low carb meals that are simple enough to prepare on a busy work day!
Have you been to the Whole Foods in Princeton? Lots of delicious healthy ingredients and meals for the choosing!
ReplyDeleteYes, I have been there - it's close to home! Did you see the news segment this week about supermarkets being fined for stocking expired products? Whole Foods (not specifically Princeton) was on the list. Goes to show we have to be careful no matter where we shop.
ReplyDeleteThis was really interesting to read. I can't say that I'm exactly passionate about healthy-eating, but I'm near-obsessive in my attempts to avoid high-fructose corn syrup. That might be considered passion!
ReplyDeleteDid you see the commercial where one woman is telling the other woman she wouldn't drink a certain beverage because it contained high-fructose corn syrup? I don't remember the product being pitched, but basically I got the message (via this commercial) that high-fructose corn syrup is not as terrible as it's been made out to be. I don't know the truth though - there's always so much back and forth about different things. For example, coffee is sometimes considered good, and a year or two later it is considered bad. Go figure.
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