Baby Steps to Better Foods#2...Part 2

[Tina]

Sarah began with:
"The next three steps are cutting down on high fructose corn syrup, having better breakfasts, and adding more veggies to our diet.


To cut down on HFCS, read labels. It is found in LOTS of processed foods, but if you take the time to look around while shopping, you can usually find a comparably priced option without HFCS. Let's take bread for example...almost all sandwich breads and buns on the shelves contain HFCS, or they are way more expensive if they don't...but a walk over to the bakery netted me a couple different loaves baked in store that did not contain HFCS (or preservatives!) and it was comparable in price.  ThumbUp

Having a better breakfast is important as well. It really does matter how you start your day. If you eat well, you feel better...and you are less likely to eat junk. If you start with junk, often you feel like you've already "blown it" today, so more junk doesn't matter.

I've never been fond of breakfast, and I understand how hard it is to get a good one on the run. I'll continue to add options over the next few weeks as I remember them. Smiley


To add more veggies to your diet, add an extra one or two to lunch and dinner. Add new veggies to your pizza, salad, or sandwiches. "
We had a lot of ideas and reporting on how it was going.
Sarah somewhere you said that you had issues with soy. Can you elaborate? Is it a personal issue? Or how it is grown? Processed? Used? All of the above?
Ted has lived on nutrition drinks that are soy based for many years.

[barleychown]

My issues with soy are many. First, almost all soy on the market now is genetically modified, and some of the animal studies surrounding GM soy are downright scary...I can dig them up if you'd like.

Second, soy contains pyhto-estrogen, and I've found it to really, really mess with me, but I'm super sensitive in that area. Again, there are studies, if you'd like me to find them...

There are other issues, but I'm drawing a blank right now. Ideally, I would only consume naturally fermented soy products, ie. soy sauce and miso...but here in the real world I just try to really limit the amounts I consume.

[Tina]

Thank you. That is what I wanted to know.
I have been looking it up and found the studies and things. As GM foods have not been shown to be more productive, I wish they would just quit. I would prefer to see those brilliant minds putting their resources together getting the abundant food supplies to the places they need to be.

[barleychown]

I agree. Now there are "super weeds" growing because of them. 

[Tina]

I really believe in science and experimentation to improve our lives and those for generations to come. But I do not like that 'improvements' are foisted on us before being fully tested. If they can find a way to genetically iradicate some cancers, I would be cool with that. I would just like those things tested before put out there like most drugs are. Closely monitored and things.

[barleychown]

I agree...

#1...Cut down on HFCS

I continue to read labels. Mike has started...I often hear him complain about odd places he has found HFCS.

#2...Have a better breakfast

I've managed a "real" breakfast every day, though sometimes it's more like brunch. My breakfasts rely heavily on eggs, but mostly because this time of year I have eggs coming out my ears. 

#3...Add more veggies

I continue to poke in more veggies. Salads are an easy way, but the family burns out on salads quickly, so I have to be more creative.

[bayou girl]

i'm trying to add more veggies.  not doing great, but working on it.

[barleychown]

I too have hit a point where I'm having a hard time getting more veggies in, but I do notice on the days I do eat more fresh veggies I don't feel sluggish.

I'm hoping that as the garden starts producing I'll be able to poke in more to every meal.

[Tina]

I love fruits and veggies. I have to try to remember to add some protein to my days. I am so not into much meat for some reason. So figuring out a complete protein using grains and legumes and things is what is on my list. To tuck into the vegetables.

[Tina]

And cheese!

[bestofour]

I can do the veggies.  I eat mostly veggies.   I've stopped the yogurt though because my stomach started bothering me and I thought maybe it was the dairy.

[bayou girl]

sheri, it might be the heat combined with the dairy.  i can't do dairy very well during the summer.

[Jessica]

Our evenings are so busy right now that I am struggling to get good meals into us.  I need to plan ahead better.

[Jessica]

Sarah, what do you think of sunflower oil or safflower oil as an ingredient in something?

[barleychown]

Sunflower oil is one of those oils best used unheated...I'd imagine safflower would be the same. What is the recipe?

[Jessica]

It was in some chips that I had bought.  The ingredients are stone ground corn, high oleic sunflower oil and/or safflower oil, corn bran, lime juice, sea salt.