Healthy foods forum???

[Jiffer]

Jiffer, are you saying you actually use artificial sweeteners?

Hi Darcy. No, I haven't used artificial sweetners in at least 10 years, and didn't really use them much before that ... nor margarine, etc. Sorry if my post was confusing.

Yes, I am all about whole foods, organic and natural. I buy the least refined sugar. I tried Stevia, but I don't really care for it. I've been telling my mom for years how bad margarine and diet sodas are, yet just recently that she told me how bad hydrogenated oils are, so she won't eat margarine anymore. Ummm ... yah ... told you that 10 years ago! Sadly, I don't think she's truly caught on to the horror of chemical sweetners, though. She still has a diet soda from time to time. I'd rather drink water ANY day than a diet soda, not just because of the chemicals, but because I can't stand the taste. I allow myself and my kids one regular soda a week. Usually Dr. Pepper! Yesterday I tried to order one, but they didn't have it. I got Pepsi instead and didn't even finish it. It's just not the same! If I'm going to allow myself something so bad for me only once a week, it better be something REALLY tasty!

[Jones]

I know this isn't really whole foods but, soda sold in the U.S. is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, soda sold in other countries are sweetened with sugar. While neither of these are great choices if you are going to drink soda the sugar option is better, several U.S. retailers (including Wal-Mart) have started selling Mexican Coca-Cola and boy does it taste good.

[solobiker]

This would be a great discussion thread. I keep trying to eat better. It lasts for a week or two then I fall off the routine. I have been staying away from sodas and juice except for the occasoinal OJ. I drink primarily water. My weaknesses are the snack type foods. I love pretzles, nuts, and some sweet treats as well.

[Tuckervill]

Jones Soda rocks out with only sugar and no HFCS.

Karen

[DarcyInOregon]

Eating healthy is partially defined by keeping toxins out of the body, which are chemicals that remain in the organs and lymphatic system and are difficult for the body to excrete.

Toxins enter our bodies through three routes: 1)the environment, with respect to what we are exposed to on a daily basis such as pollution; 2)the skin, as in lotions, perfumes, soaps and so on, and 3)the food and liquids we consume.

To eat healthy, a person needs to eliminate or minimize the amount of chemicals they consume. It is why so many TE members will say don't eat processed packaged foods, or frozen processed meals, or hormone fed meat and poultry, or cola soda pops. Other substances considered to be toxins are caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

The accumulation of toxins in the body is believed to cause a wide range of illnesses, including cancers, allergies and immune disorders. Many of the effects are long-term, in the sense that it may take decades of toxin accumulation for the body to show signs of distress. By then, the person is older and suffering, and is looking back and regretting the years of choices that lead to a specific avoidable disease. A blatant example is a chain smoker who eventually gets emphysema or lung cancer. A not-so-obvious example might be a person who is suffering brain damage from constriction of the blood vessels in the brain.

It is why drinking a lot of pure water everyday is so important, because the water helps to flush out the toxins that enter the body through the breathing, the skin and the food/liquid consumption.

I wish I could be toxin free. I am not. I minimize my exposure to toxins by limiting my consumption of foods and drinks that are man-made chemicals, such as artificial sweeteners. I don't smoke, drink alchohol, or take drugs. I don't drink coffee or cola drinks. My worse folly is eating Oreo cookies on my longer rides during the summer months, because the cookies don't melt in the summer heat; I should make my own carrot cake with raisins to take with me instead.

Darcy

[Jiffer]

My weaknesses are the snack type foods. I love pretzles, nuts, and some sweet treats as well.

Nuts are great for you! Especially almonds. Just today I was eating nuts and told myself I needed to eat more of them (instead of cookies and chocolate). Of course, TOO much of anything can be bad, and you don't want to eat them just to eat them out of boredom when you're not even hungry, but if you're gonna have a snack, nuts are a great choice.

[abvnx]

heres a organic and vegan nutrition guide. it has meal plans and stuff.

http://www.organicathlete.org/index....108&Itemid=277

[deeaimond]

Nuts are great for you! Especially almonds. Just today I was eating nuts and told myself I needed to eat more of them (instead of cookies and chocolate). Of course, TOO much of anything can be bad, and you don't want to eat them just to eat them out of boredom when you're not even hungry, but if you're gonna have a snack, nuts are a great choice.

I like baked almonds with dried cranberries. They're a good mix and u can get organic and cane sweetened.

Chocolate is not bad either. Stay away from the likes of hersheys and cadbury, but some good dark chocolate once is a while is excellent for general well-being. try Green & Blacks organic chocolate range. They have a Mayan (Gold??) one, and its spiced slightly and orange scented. Not too sweet too. I love it, excellent pick-me-up on a dreary afternoon.

As for HFCS, when I was in the US, I generally found things overwhelmingly sweet. Even cookies and such. Packaged cookies here are not as sweet, and also when I look at ingredients lists I see identifiable ingredients (and I'm talking about some cheap run of the mill factory made cookies, not special bakery sort of cookies). I think its all in the tastebuds. Mainstream Americans have gotten used to alot of sugar in their diet.

[jillm]

I recently discovered the site 101cookbooks.com. Just bought her book "super natural cooking". Haven't used it yet, but there's a lot of whole grain goodness going on!