Note to self: Exercise TV is brutal, and you should not allow Jillian Michaels to have at you, even for 15 minutes, before you play hockey (even if you scored a goal 😉 ).
My husband and puppy went out for an evening stroll last night. And I am walking with a pimp limp. Ow!
Three questions for this week’s Q&A (they’re longish, sorry!)…
Lena of LMC in the World: Is MSG going to kill me? I’ve heard it can be used heavily in Singapore.
Prevention RD: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly found in Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups, and processed meats. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a GRAS (“generally recognized as safe”) additive, its use remains controversial in the US. While MSG has taken center stage in recent years, it has been a food additive for decades. Adverse reactions to MSG have been reported to the FDA over the years. These MSG symptom complexes include: headache, flushing, sweating, facial pressure or tightness, numbness, tingling, or burning in the face or neck, heart palpitations, chest pain, nausea, and weakness, yet no definitive researchers have found evidence to link MSG and these symptoms. If your diet contains MSG and you have any of the above symptoms, omit MSG for several weeks to assess for improvement. Bottom line is we don’t know enough about the effects of MSG. One of the easiest ways to reduce MSG in the diet is to reduce intake of canned vegetables and soups, as well as processed meats. On these particular items, look for MSG-free products. Great question!
Morgan of Healthy Happy Place: A friend of mine is basically vegan (with the exception of cheese). She has trouble finding foods that keep her full for longer periods of time.
Prevention RD: Humph. It’s hard for me to be pro-vegan unless it’s being followed for specific religious or humanitarian reasons. I realize this makes me biased from a nutrition perspective, but hear me out. I truly believe humans are engineered to be omnivores – consuming both plants and animals alike. In Paleolithic times, humans consumed a simple meat, plant, seed, and nut-based diet – no bread, grains, dairy, etc. I believe meat is an integral part of a healthy diet, especially for females in regards to anemia. Heme iron, found in animal sources, is the most bio-available source of iron in our food supply. Many vegetarians and vegans fail to understand that plant-derived iron requires vitamin C for absorption. For example, if spinach is consumed without being paired with a vitamin C source, its abundant iron is not absorbed. The transition from vegetarianism to veganism is a leap. The omission of eggs, milk, and dairy creates a more limited diet which is many times insufficient in protein; protein greatly improves the feeling of “fullness” in the diet. Vegan sources of protein are limited to legumes, nuts, seeds, and the negligible amounts found from other sources such as wheat. Calcium and vitamin D content also plummet in vegan diets, commonly requiring supplementation. Again, my personal bias plays into my opinion here as I am a firm believer in getting our nutrition from the diet whenever possible. The more you omit from the diet, the more difficult it is to get all the nutrients your body needs each day. Veganism is particularly concerning in menstruating females who require much more iron and calcium than any other population. In the end, the responsibility is the individual’s, and unless that individual makes a conscious, daily effort to meet the RDA’s, I fear under-nutrition and vitamin-mineral deficiency. Now that I have that off my chest, I believe your friend needs to increase vegan protein sources such as seitan, tempeh, tofu, legumes, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, soymilk, almond milk, rice milk, and hemp milk which should be paired with a vitamin C-containing food at every meal. Foods that contain vitamin C include: guava, papaya, red bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, brussel’s sprouts, strawberries, oranges, cantaloupe, kiwi, cauliflower, and kale. I wish her all the luck, and hope that she is pursuing veganism in a safe way!
Holly of The Balanced Broad: I really know nothing about meat, but I think grass-fed is good?
Prevention RD: Cattle are grass-eating animals, it’s as simple as that. Cattle are ruminant meaning that they house 4-compartment stomachs and are able to create protein from their vegetarian diets. I will use a lot of research included in the publication The Omnivore’s Dilemma in order to answer this question as clearly and completely as possible. Basically, 60% of the US corn supply goes towards feeding cattle in feed lots, where cattle are sent to fatten up before slaughter. The introduction of corn into cattle diet has enabled meat to be cheap and abundant. While American homes used to have meat for special occasions, it is now a part of most every meal in the American diet. Farmers and ranchers scattered across the US are still employed by raising cattle on pastures until they are sold off to feed lots, most likely operated by one of the top 4 meatpacking companies: Tyson, Cargill, Swift & Company, or National. Four out of every five beef cattle born in the US are slaughtered and marketed by one of these companies. Farmers and ranchers continue raising beef as opposed to the meatpacking companies due to the capital and risk involved. Due to the lack of grass-feeding and inclusion of grain-feed, beef now contains more saturated fat and less omega-3 fatty acids. Further, the USDA’s grading system is designed to reward fattened, marbled cuts of beef. Additionally, feedlot cattle are kept healthy in such unsanitary, crowded conditions by means of antibiotic use which has lead to antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Consuming grass-fed beef is therefore not only important for health and nutrition, but also for sustainability and food safety. Excellent question (and apologies if this sounded preachy – much of it was information taken directly from The Omnivore’s Dilemma)!!
So I hope you’re wondering how my chickpea cookies went over, riiiiiiiiiiiight? Goooood!
Our clinic has about 30 employees working on any given day and yesterday, being diabetes day, does keep employees rather busy. Less time to munch? Maybe! But the feedback and consumption are PROOF that chickpea cookies are delicious!
P.S. I did check the garbage for any discarded cookies. None to report 🙂
Giveaway Alert!!
Andrea over at Andrea’s Wellness Notes is giving away a copy of Core Performance for Women. Go enter here!
Question: Can you think of one food that contains a “healthy” ingredient that no one would ever know about unless you mentioned it?
Feel free to submit any nutrition questions for next week’s Q&A…I’ll continue answering so long as there’s incoming questions! Have a great day and thanks for reading!
Great Q & A! I completely agree with you on the vegan issue. I don’t really support it unless its done for religious or humanitarian reasons as well.
I’m totally trying your chickpea cookie recipe! They look incredible 🙂
Haha love the photos with the time updates!
The “craziest” thing I’ve made was muffins with avocado.
We like to make the brownies with pumpkin…I suppose that would be a little bit like your chickpea cookies (except the brownies only have two ingredients…so they are also lazy brownies ha).
Thanks for the Q & A!
Glad the chickpea cookies were a success!!! 🙂
I definitely try to limit MSG in my diet, but it’s almost impossible when you go out to Chinese restaurants…and I do love some good Chinese broccoli! Also, it shouldn’t be too hard to find foods to make you full as a vegan. The vegan diet is very high in fiber when the right foods are chosen. A combination of fiber from fruits and veggies, with protein from nuts is sure to keep you full…like banana + peanut butter, my favorite snack! Rice and beans is also a good, hearty yet healthy meal.
Great Q&A, I have to say I agree about the vegan issue. Also, now I have to try those cookies!
Thanks for the great Q&A! I will say, on the vegan area, that one thing I’ve learned doing my vegan challenge (just for a month, but still…it’s been pretty enlightening) is that most of the information I’ve read about the lifestyle (and I would call it that) seems to point toward the fact that you CAN eat healthfully and balanced on a vegan diet, but that it takes a focused, serious effort. It takes learning about new foods that you might not have eaten pre-veg…for instance, kale is loaded with calcium! But you might not know that if you’ve always gotten your calcium from dairy. So yes, I think that in order to do vegan “right,” it takes a lot of effort, especially in the beginning. However, if you are going vegan for ethical reasons (as I think most people do), that would suggest that you’re willing to put in the time to learn the necessities of keeping a healthy, balanced diet (that is also cruelty-free).
Just my two cents!
The cookies look yummy. Congrats on none being thrown in the trash.
Thank you for answering my question!! I agree with you about veganism. It’s really tough to get a balanced diet while eliminating so many food sources. My friend became vegan because her parents own a beef slaughter house and that really turned her off from eating animal products. I guess I can see her point!!
I’m definitely going to pass your suggestions along to her and I’ll report back to see if the tips are working! Thank you sooooo much.
Glad the cookies went over well. Love the responses to the great questions you have been asked. I agree with you on the vegan question. I just commented on another blog all about that. There is a right way and a wrong way and right now I feel like the raw food movement is like a fad diet and people are hoping on this one with no idea about nutritiona and their own health.
Thanks for answering my question – you know I don’t really think I’m going to die though, right? 😉 The other Q&A was great as well – very interesting on the vegan diet and the grass-fed beef.
I thought those cookies might be a hit!!
I want to try those cookies – my curiosity is piqued!
I make a cookie with shredded zucchini in it – its delicious and no one has ever guessed what is in it.
nice work with the chickpea cookies! suckers, lol. i love that you even checked the trash can for potential toss-outs. have agreat tuesday!
That’s awesome! I make a chocolate mousse pie with tofu that everyone loves but no one realizes that there’s tofu in it!
HAHA I heart Exercise TV! best invention EVER!
I am so happy that you thought of me when you did some Yoga! and yup jil jil IS the devil but I still lover her =)
love not LOVER hahahaha
Haha, I love that you checked the garbage! People can never get enough homemade cookies at work! I would love to try these 🙂
I love that everyone loved the cookies! My sister has the “Deceptively Delicious” book and has “tested out” quite a few things on her kids (ages 2 and 3). They have no complaints…so I’m betting it’s good stuff. 🙂
Thank you so much for the Q&A! It’s good to know the exact reason why grass-fed beef is better. I’ve always heard about it, and that makes sense. Now the problem will be FINDING it at a store near me (that hopefully doesn’t cost an arm and a leg?!).
I love this post! Agree with you about the bias with vegans – not that there’s anything wrong with it haha!! Just from my experience, anything that restricts anything just doesn’t work long-term, I don’t feel it’s healthy either. I love the pics of the cookies!!!
These delicious cookies would be gone fast at my house too, will have to try them soon!
I wish someone would bring in some chickpea cookies here where I work… they sound delicious!
I think grated carrots in baked good taste great and no one has ever said anything yet. 😉
wow those chickpea cookies are a HIT!! i bet they are delish!
I agree – meat should be part of a balanced diet. It’s always nice that it gives you that full feeling for longer.
I love the Q & A!
HEY!
Sorry I have been MIA for so long. Just catching up now.
I see why your chick pea cookies were all gone- I LOVE using chick peas and black beans as subsitutes! They make softer baked goods usually.
🙂
Love the Q&A! Thank you so much for taking the time to write such thorough and detailed answers!
The chickpea cookies look very good! That’s awesome that everyone enjoyed them! I made a chocolate cake with chickpeas once, but it didn’t turn out as well – I think because I mashed them with a fork, when really, they needed to be pureed or mixed in a blender or something!
Cattle also need antibiotics due to the stomache ulcers that they get from their unnatural grain diet. Grass fed beef is substantially lower in saturated fat, closer to dark meat chicken, and is higher in omega 3 fatty acids. All in all its more nutritious and worth every penny.
for some good information on grass fed you can go here. http://www.eatwild.com/basics.html
Haha! Love the time-lapse pictures!! 🙂 Glad they were a hit!! 🙂
Glad your chickpea cookies went over so well. I have made chocolate chip cookies with applesauce but that was similar to your cookies, kind of just sneaking it in there.
Love the Q and A
Oooo!!!! I may have to try those!!!!!
Maybe you can answer a question for me!!!!! My favorite employee at my school (the secretary) has diabetes (sugar diabetes…but I don’t know if that means type 1 or 2 or if it matters). She also will eat ANY and EVERY kind of candy she can get her hands on. I love to bake cookies, and I want to give her something HEALTHY but…not let her know it.
Got any delicious but good for a diabetic recpies??? I have the e-copy of your cookbook, but I’d like to know what is the yummiest!
She LOVES reeses cups if that helps.
I’d love to hear what you suggest as far as the best sweet treat to trick a diabetic!!! 🙂 I’ll tell her that they are diabetic-approved AFTER she eats them and likes them.
Oh no, another question….hope you don’t mind!!!
I have Crohn’s disease….or at least that’s what one GI Dr said. Except I don’t have ANY of the regular issues. I can eat nuts, popcorn, onions, etc. But I’m on medication for Crohn’s.
I also have anxiety disorder. I’m on meds and seeing a therapist…but I’m also starting to think I might be slightly lactose intolerant?
What is your opinion on managing these issues with diet? Do you think going vegan could help my stomach troubles??? I can give you more info but um…the rest of your readers might not wanna hear it. 🙂
ANY thoughts appreciated!
PS you rock.
This is actually a question that I had around Thanksgiving, but the grass-fed question reminded me of it. For poultry, is it supposed to be grain fed or grass fed? Do chickens eat grass?
And those cookies look great.
Great answers! And, I am so happy that your co-workers enjoyed those healthified cookies! Wow, look at them go!
As for your question, it’s sort of random but peanut butter is one of those foods that people get shocked at when I mention it’s health benefits. They assume FAT means FAT, as in it will make them FAT! But then I have to clarify and tell them it’s healthy fat, and ok in moderation.
Hahaha…I loved the fact that you checked the trash can to see if anyone threw them away. 🙂 Someone brought cookies into work recently and I couldn’t even eat a bite without spitting it out. Who knew you could mess up chocolate chip cookies?
Glad your cookies were a success! The only time I really get hungry between meals is in the afternoon (around 4) . . . sometimes I don’t get home from school until 8:30, but I find that nuts and nut butters really help me stay full longer! An apple + PB is a fantastic vegan snack 🙂
Love Jillian! Not before a game tho 🙂 I’m thoroughly impressed by those cookies! Who’d a thought?!? Love it!
Look at those cookies go! Did you tell them after the fact about the chickpeas?
such a great post!! I learned a lot!
and wonderful sounding cookies 🙂
i have made brownies with black beans before 🙂 For sure, a hit!
Very informative post…love reading Q&A ….and how fast the cookies got over..i think its a must try for sure…
Great Q&A! Your response to the vegan question was interesting for me. I’m a vegetarian for humanitarian/environmental reasons but I also believe humans should eat meat (kind of weird I know). I’m always torn between not eating meat because of the harm production does to the environment and poverty and developing nations and nutrition for my own body. Thanks for the info!
I loved this Q+A session. Especially the MSG question. I’ve been wondering about that for a while.
I love when I serve someone a healthified version of a baked good and they have no idea. It just proves that healthy food CAN be decadent as well.
The Q&A section really gets me thinking!! It seems as if there is ALWAYS something bad in everything (MSG, saturated fat, etc.) except for fruits & veggies, but I suppose that is where “everything in moderation” is key! 🙂
Ahh those chickpea cookies are SO unique–I’ve never heard of using them in cookies. I always use baby food in baked goods for extra moistness and a sub for oil. I don’t think anyone would ever guess!
wow way to go! these are impressive!
Thank you for your insights