Because Losing Weight is a Bitch, and Gaining it Takes No Effort at All.
This blog is about losing weight for real. No gimmicks, no fast fixes, and no miracle weight loss stories. You won't read anything about losing 30 pounds in a month, but you will learn about losing weight for real, getting healthy, and changing your whole family's eating habits.
I started realizing this on my own a few years ago. I don't think, however, that the consumption of refined grains is the problem. Or, at least not the whole problem. After all, billions of Asians eat large quantities of white rice, the French consume lots of bread and pastries, the Italians lots of pasta and bread and so on. But they also consume whole grains and legumes, and far more vegetables and fruits than Americans do. And usually less meat (but not always).
I think the problem is a diet that consists largely of refined foods and meat and not enough fiber-rich, nutrient-rich foods.
I like what Martha Rose Shulman said in her "Recipes for Health" column in the New York Times earlier this year:
"I don't share the current national aversion to white rice. True, nutritionists prefer brown rice because the high fiber content slows down the carbohydrate absorption rate. But you can get the same benefit by combining rice with high-fiber vegetables and legumes...
..Bottom line: if you prefer white rice, just make sure you're also eating lots of vegetables or beans with it." http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/news/health/series/recipes_for_health/rice/index.html
Americans tend not to combine the refined foods with the high-fiber foods. Dietitians and other experts tend to over correct and that doesn't appeal to many people, either. Just my 2¢.
I don't believe in the evils of animal fat anymore. Because fat is high in calories it needs to be controlled to prevent obesity. But all calories cause obesity if eaten in excess.
I started realizing this on my own a few years ago. I don't think, however, that the consumption of refined grains is the problem. Or, at least not the whole problem. After all, billions of Asians eat large quantities of white rice, the French consume lots of bread and pastries, the Italians lots of pasta and bread and so on. But they also consume whole grains and legumes, and far more vegetables and fruits than Americans do. And usually less meat (but not always).
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is a diet that consists largely of refined foods and meat and not enough fiber-rich, nutrient-rich foods.
I like what Martha Rose Shulman said in her "Recipes for Health" column in the New York Times earlier this year:
"I don't share the current national aversion to white rice. True, nutritionists prefer brown rice because the high fiber content slows down the carbohydrate absorption rate. But you can get the same benefit by combining rice with high-fiber vegetables and legumes...
..Bottom line: if you prefer white rice, just make sure you're also eating lots of vegetables or beans with it."
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/news/health/series/recipes_for_health/rice/index.html
Americans tend not to combine the refined foods with the high-fiber foods. Dietitians and other experts tend to over correct and that doesn't appeal to many people, either. Just my 2¢.
I don't believe in the evils of animal fat anymore. Because fat is high in calories it needs to be controlled to prevent obesity. But all calories cause obesity if eaten in excess.
ReplyDelete