Fat

[Grog]

This article spans nutrition and injuries, so I posted it here. I hope it sparks lively discussion:


Women runners: Let fat be the fuel that helps you cross the finish line

CELIA MILNE

From Friday's Globe and Mail

March 28, 2008 at 9:26 AM EDT

Women who run regularly should make sure they eat enough fat. A recent study has shown what Neety Panu found out the hard way: Female runners who eat too little fat in their daily diet are more susceptible to injuries.
Continue reading: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...andHealth/home

[Jolt]

Very interesting. I wonder if it's all a function of the fat itself or if it's partly that a lot of runners just aren't getting enough calories for their activity level and fat is a good way to get more since it is more energy-dense. It could also have to do with fat-soluble vitamins--if you're not eating any fat then you're not able to absorb these very well and that can be problematic. Again, moderation. Eat some fat, but make it mainly healthy fats (no trans fats!!!!) and don't overdo it.

[KSH]

Hee-hee... does Mexican food give me my proper amount of fat intake? If so, I'm covered.

[OakLeaf]

Makes sense, since EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory effects.

[Jolt]

Makes sense, since EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory effects.

Good point.

[Di bear]

Olive oil is one of the main staples of my diet. If I fry something (I don't deep fry), I use a paper towel to smear a thin layer of oil on the pan. I use Olive Oil on my pasta with fresh basil and tomatoes. I'm even learning how to make my own salad dressing. The organic condiments are just too expensive for me, they don't necessarily taste how I want them to, and the regular "Walmart" variety salad dressings mostly have high fructose corn syrup. I'm gonna start making my own mayonnaise, too. I hear it's easy.

I truly believe that by targeting fats, Americans are targeting the wrong element in their diet. Fat is a scapegoat. Same with carbs. It's the rest of the crap that's causing problems.

[OakLeaf]

(I don't deep fry)

How do you live without falafel?

PS: blender mayo is easy. I rarely use any, but 2-3 times a year when I want to whip up a batch of tuna salad or deviled eggs, I make the mayo just because I never use enough to buy a jar.

[Di bear]

How do you live without falafel?

Uh . . . I've never had it? Kinda like those born blind don't miss seeing.

I love deep-fried foods, but I don't feel good after I eat them. I feel really greasy after eating greasy. I save them for eating out.

So, what is falafel? *curious*

I hear ya on the Mayo thing. I broke out the Mayo from my fridge to make deviled eggs and it was two weeks past expiration. I used it anyway and I'm still alive. But, being a single gal with no kids, I waste a lot of things like that. It'll go in the garbage soon.

[Jolt]

I truly believe that by targeting fats, Americans are targeting the wrong element in their diet. Fat is a scapegoat. Same with carbs. It's the rest of the crap that's causing problems.

I agree--there are the crappy fats and carbs (trans fats, white flour, too much sugar) and those have sort of made all fats/carbs look bad to a lot of people, plus as you said all the other garbage that gets added to food in this country. Not to mention other factors like just plain overeating in some cases, lack of physical activity etc. It's a mess, and it's hard to get away from in our society with the way everything is set up. Junk food tends to be cheaper than healthier food, towns are set up so you have to drive pretty much everywhere in a lot of cases, we're all busy and it's tempting to pick up prepackaged food, tight schedules make it hard for some people to find the time/energy to exercise, some areas aren't safe enough for people to be comfortable exercising outdoors, farming practices for the most part are unnatural and unsanitary, and I could probably go on. I wish I (or anyone else for that matter) knew how we could fix this.

[OakLeaf]

So, what is falafel? *curious*

Middle Eastern chickpea patties. Sometimes called "the original vegie burger." Coarsely ground chickpeas (thoroughly soaked but not cooked before frying), onion, parsley, cumin, salt, baking powder (not sure why but the recipes always call for it), a little red pepper. Traditionally served with a tahini-lemon juice sauce on pita bread. Mmm, mmm, mmm.

[OakLeaf]

I wish I (or anyone else for that matter) knew how we could fix this.

NOOOOOOOO I get enough defeatism at home, I will not listen to "incremental change doesn't work" here!!!

None of us acting alone can "fix it," obviously, but each of us collectively can add our personal flakes to the snowball of change.

You grow your own or buy from a local sustainable farmer whenever you can. Every new customer puts a little fillip into the economy of scale. You be very careful about reading the labels on stuff that you don't get directly from the person who grew it. You recommend The Omnivore's Dilemma and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle to everyone you know (and probably In Defense of Food, also, though I haven't read that one yet). You support your local bike co-op with money, time, advocacy, or cast-off parts. You do whatever advocacy you have the energy for. You set a good example for the people around you. Your "random acts of kindness" are centered around health and accessibility issues - cleaning just one pile of gravel off a local bike lane, f'r instance. You start a child care/workout co-op with your neighbors.

Myself, I'm like whatever my comfort level, I try to take it up just one more notch. Not so it hurts - just enough that I know I'm working on it. That's how change happens. We've got to believe.

- Oak, always in the minority school of thought that despair (Tristitia) is one of the Seven Deadly Sins...

[Jolt]

NOOOOOOOO I get enough defeatism at home, I will not listen to "incremental change doesn't work" here!!!

None of us acting alone can "fix it," obviously, but each of us collectively can add our personal flakes to the snowball of change.

You grow your own or buy from a local sustainable farmer whenever you can. Every new customer puts a little fillip into the economy of scale. You be very careful about reading the labels on stuff that you don't get directly from the person who grew it. You recommend The Omnivore's Dilemma and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle to everyone you know (and probably In Defense of Food, also, though I haven't read that one yet). You support your local bike co-op with money, time, advocacy, or cast-off parts. You do whatever advocacy you have the energy for. You set a good example for the people around you. Your "random acts of kindness" are centered around health and accessibility issues - cleaning just one pile of gravel off a local bike lane, f'r instance. You start a child care/workout co-op with your neighbors.

Myself, I'm like whatever my comfort level, I try to take it up just one more notch. Not so it hurts - just enough that I know I'm working on it. That's how change happens. We've got to believe.

- Oak, always in the minority school of thought that despair (Tristitia) is one of the Seven Deadly Sins...

You're right that we should each do what we can and set a good example, and that will help to a point...it's just that a LOT of people need a kick in the pants and there are a lot of factors (like the way towns are designed and the fact that some areas are just unsafe) that it's hard to do much about on that grassroots level (unless I'm missing something)--seems like those are the kinds of things where the damage is already done. The culture needs to change, and that will only happen if a larger number of people make an effort.

[Di bear]

I'm renting a house that already has it's own rhubarb and raspberries. I'm going to add squash, lettuce, and other veggies to the garden this year.

Jolt, think of it as doing what's right for you. I didn't make all these changes overnight. I started making them last summer. I still have more changes to make, but I'm already noticing hugely important benefits. One thing I've noticed about avoiding high fructose corn syrup is that I no longer have an insatiable "appetite." I can actually eat my meal and feel satisfied. I like the small and often approach as well. I like to have a bunch of things for breakfast: tea, yogurt with fruit, a slice of toast with jam, and an egg or cereal. When I have time, I spread the meal out over the course of a couple hours. I also eat serving sizes. If I open a can of soup (typically two serving sizes), I put half of it in another bowl in the fridge for later.

Start out with small, easy changes. The soup thing was one of my first changes.

[alpinerabbit]

I truly believe that by targeting fats, Americans are targeting the wrong element in their diet. Fat is a scapegoat. Same with carbs. It's the rest of the crap that's causing problems.

Yeah. AMOUNT. That's what is causing problems.

[SandyLS]

I thought this was going to give me an excuse to eat Dove dark chocolate!
Di Bear, nothing better than fresh raspberries and rhubarb. You'd better start those other plants soon, you have a pretty short growing season up there. Still lots of snow up there?