View Full Version : Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Ultralight
4-23-18, 6:00pm
Because I have some health issues of the chronic variety (not getting into any details) I have been on an anti-inflammatory diet.
No gluten. No deep fried food. No refined grains. I use only olive oil and coconut oil. I don't eat desserts or candy anyway. I eat fresh fruits and veggies, though I steam, roast, or saute the veggies. I also eat beans and lentils.
All my foods are whole, unprocessed, and rather fresh. Though I do eat organic, local saurkraut and kefir (no other dairy products though).
And for the hell of it I also stopped adding salt to foods.I have not shaken the shaker since March.
So here I am 23 days into this...
I feel a little better. And I am somewhat accustomed to eating these flavorless foods.
Anyone else on this diet?
ApatheticNoMore
4-23-18, 7:12pm
No but sometimes I eat specifically anti-inflammatory food like turmeric, fish, etc..
(Mostly to try to escape join pain when I have it. I don't know why but it's all joints, it's only occasional, long standing, not getting worse - I suspect it can be aggravated by dietary things mostly eating lots of wheat and nightshades, but I've never known with any real certainty). But it's not like turmeric etc. does any harm, it's very healthy and anti-inflammatory.
Oil is pressed, sauerkraut and kefir fermented. So technically not all your foods are unprocessed. You could add fresh herbs to flavor things a little. It could be worse. The most bland thing I have ever tried is matzo bread. If you are not eating salt make sure you are still getting iodine.
frugal-one
4-23-18, 8:08pm
Not all processed foods are bad for you:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/not-all-processed-foods-are-bad-for-you-how-theyre-made-matters/2017/02/08/8b205378-ea5b-11e6-bf6f-301b6b443624_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e7fe6a5d7768
Ultralight
4-23-18, 8:23pm
Oil is pressed, sauerkraut and kefir fermented. So technically not all your foods are unprocessed.
There is one in every crowd. ;)
I guess my fresh mango is processed too because I peel and slice it. :)
If you are not eating salt make sure you are still getting iodine.
What???
Iodine deficiencies lead to goiter, a growth on your neck. My grandmother had one during WW2. To prevent this iodine was added to salt in the US.
Ultralight
4-24-18, 6:38am
Iodine deficiencies lead to goiter, a growth on your neck. My grandmother had one during WW2. To prevent this iodine was added to salt in the US.
This is just the rationalization I need to eat lots of salt, or as I call it -- magic flavor dust!
I think if you cook in cast iron, you avoid the iron deficiency.
I feel a little better. And I am somewhat accustomed to eating these flavorless foods.
Haha, I laughed at this--my DH accuses me of eating flavorless food--my diet is naturally pretty unprocessed without a lot of added stuff...he's huge into a ton of salt, which he proclaims is the "right" way to eat, thanks to the Food Network chefs who criticize contestants who don't "season" enough. But I looked at a list of anti-inflammatory foods, and that's pretty much what I eat and love.
An anti-inflammatory diet, or any healthy diet, shouldn't have to be flavorless. First of all, if you've cut out the unprocessed foods (like packaged, canned and convenience foods), IMHO you're allowed to put some salt on your unprocessed food, because it's the processed stuff that overloads us. As Yppej said, you need SOME salt.
I think you'll learn to appreciate things like whole-grain vs white. I also think that adding spices, herbs and lemon help a lot with flavor.
Also, I think it's important for you to make sure you have enough "good" fats--we also need fat in our diet, but it's been demonized for 20 years. If you don't get enough good fat, you're going to crave something unhealthy, and you'll probably be miserable. One time DH went on an awful Optifast liquid diet. And he found himself craving hot dogs--so rather than go off his diet, he chewed the hot dog and then spit it out. It was gross--but speaks to how badly our body will tell us "I want fat!"
If you eat a whole-foods diet, you'll get a lot less salt than you would with manufactured foods. (I think the target is 5000g a day, IIRC.) A minority of the population is salt-sensitive--maybe 25%. I don't use common table salt with additives, but I take Iodorx tablets or swab some iodine on my skin occasionally.
Yes--we need fat. And saturated fat is one of the healthiest kinds--if you look at its chemical makeup, you'll see that it's very stable. And humans have thrived on it forever. It's the highly processed industrial seed oils, along with transfats, that are problematic.
I always said they probably serve unseasoned food in hell...:devil:
There are all kinds of books that promote anti-inflammatory regimes, from vegan to carnivore. Whole 30 and Wahl's Protocol are two. You shouldn't resign yourself to flavorless food. Bleah.
Ultralight
4-24-18, 5:24pm
Haha, I laughed at this--my DH accuses me of eating flavorless food--my diet is naturally pretty unprocessed without a lot of added stuff...he's huge into a ton of salt, which he proclaims is the "right" way to eat, thanks to the Food Network chefs who criticize contestants who don't "season" enough. But I looked at a list of anti-inflammatory foods, and that's pretty much what I eat and love.
An anti-inflammatory diet, or any healthy diet, shouldn't have to be flavorless. First of all, if you've cut out the unprocessed foods (like packaged, canned and convenience foods), IMHO you're allowed to put some salt on your unprocessed food, because it's the processed stuff that overloads us. As Yppej said, you need SOME salt.
I think you'll learn to appreciate things like whole-grain vs white. I also think that adding spices, herbs and lemon help a lot with flavor.
Also, I think it's important for you to make sure you have enough "good" fats--we also need fat in our diet, but it's been demonized for 20 years. If you don't get enough good fat, you're going to crave something unhealthy, and you'll probably be miserable. One time DH went on an awful Optifast liquid diet. And he found himself craving hot dogs--so rather than go off his diet, he chewed the hot dog and then spit it out. It was gross--but speaks to how badly our body will tell us "I want fat!"
Kudos to you for eating healthfully! I support this. :)
Whole grains are not bad, they taste okay sometimes. But I just eat mostly yams or potatoes. But I do have some brown rice or a little barley and I do eat popcorn. Occasionally I have eaten whole grain corn tortillas.
I get plenty of fat from olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, and fish (salmon or sardines). I also eat peanut butter and almond butter.
Ultralight
4-24-18, 5:26pm
If you eat a whole-foods diet, you'll get a lot less salt than you would with manufactured foods. (I think the target is 5000g a day, IIRC.) A minority of the population is salt-sensitive--maybe 25%. I don't use common table salt with additives, but I take Iodorx tablets or swab some iodine on my skin occasionally.
Yes--we need fat. And saturated fat is one of the healthiest kinds--if you look at its chemical makeup, you'll see that it's very stable. And humans have thrived on it forever. It's the highly processed industrial seed oils, along with transfats, that are problematic.
I always said they probably serve unseasoned food in hell...:devil:
There are all kinds of books that promote anti-inflammatory regimes, from vegan to carnivore. Whole 30 and Wahl's Protocol are two. You shouldn't resign yourself to flavorless food. Bleah.
Fresh fruit tastes good. Eggs are still pretty good, I guess. Nut butters ain't bad.
Iodine deficiencies lead to goiter, AKA under active thyroid....my understanding is we need a
Grand total of about a TBSP of iodine in our lives. The problem lays in the fact that we need a tiny bit
of it every day for the thyroid to function properly.
So NOT to think you need tons of salt....lol... a couple of shakes a day of iodized salt should be good.
I put a few shakes on the grounds of my morning coffee just make sure I get some each day.
This is important to your health.
Ultralight
4-25-18, 7:23am
I take multi vitamins, like a Centrum.
rosarugosa
4-25-18, 9:42am
Some of our recent favorite seasonings are pretty healthy: turmeric, cumin, & smoked paprika. Freshly grated black pepper in an old favorite.
Sounds like a reasonable diet to me, if you're into something anti-inflammatory. I think the food manufacturers sneak enough salt into our canned goods, peanut butter, and whatever else to give us the minimum. I've never quite bought into the technicalities of sugars from fruits and other more simple sugars, but that's probably biased opinion. I assume you still eat meat? I'm sold on a plant based diet without meat, but we all have to make our own choices and everyone is different.
I'd also second the suggestion for turmeric. Other than a multivitamin it is the only supplement I take, and mostly for it's purported anti-inflammatory properties.
dado potato
4-25-18, 2:35pm
ApatheticNoMore,
I don't have joint problems, but DW has had problems with a knee. She took a lot of ibuprofen, and at her last visit to the doc they said she had to cut that out, because her blood pressure was too high. So, I have begun making a daily cuppa turmeric & ginger tea for her. I like how cheery it looks (bright yellow) in a clear glass Bodum teacup on a stainless steel saucer.
I have a dedicated tea kettle I keep on top of the stove (because I brew turmeric inside, and it leaves a residue). Since I only use that kettle for that tea, I can get by with simply rinsing it after use.
My method to make 2 cups:
Fill liquid measuring cup with 2 cups filtered water. Pour same into kettle, turn on the stovetop under the kettle.
Add one-half teaspoon of ground turmeric into kettle.
Slice 5-6 thin slices off a fresh ginger root. Add same into kettle.
Bring kettle to the boil, then turn off stovetop and allow tea to brew for 10 minutes.
Slice a fresh lemon a big enough chunk to express a tsp of juice.
Add a tablespoon of white sugar to the bottom of the measuring cup and fit a strainer over top of the cup.
Squeeze the lemon juice, letting it drip through the strainer & dissolve the sugar in the bottom of the measuring cup.
Leave the squeezed lemon rind in the center of the strainer.
When the brewing time is up, pour the tea through the strainer, over the lemon rind, into the measuring cup.
Remove the strainer, stir with a spoon.
It is ready to pour...
The salt in processed/restaurant food is often not iodized.
frugal-one
4-25-18, 9:40pm
The salt in processed/restaurant food is often not iodized.
Make your own assumptions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/well/eat/should-we-be-buying-iodized-salt.html
Many restaurants use kosher salt since iodized salt leaves an aftertaste when cooking. Some processed foods use sea salt since it is viewed by some as healthier. I have seen a lot of this on food labels. Iodized salt has become less common in recent years.
I did a quick google on the salt issue. The most interesting thing I ran across is that most of our salt intake comes from processed food, not table salt. I checked my mustard and ketchup and it's there. Plus in canned beans, tomato sauces, and soups. It's good evidence to do our own food preparation. And indeed may not have iodine. My choice is to depend on other dietary sources for iodine as I'd like to keep my salt intake low, but it's one of those things that is not perfectly obvious.
Ultralight
4-28-18, 1:48pm
I got this seasoning called 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's. It has many herbs and spices blended into it. While it does not make my flavorless food taste good, it does make it more palatable. It also makes the food smell good, which is pleasant.
21 Seasoning Salute has just a tiny bit of cayenne pepper in it, but it does not come off hot or spicy.
I put this stuff on all kinds of things -- trout I caught at the lake, squash I sauteed, breakfast potatoes, hard boiled eggs -- seemingly anything "savory."
I suggest giving 21 Seasoning Salute a try!
So I did the whole month of April on this flavorless/Anti-Inflammatory diet.
For this month I made one very minor change. I am allowing myself one serving of iodized table salt each day. Today is only my second day, so who knows if this little bit of salt will send me into some wild binges or not. Obviously I hope not.
But I will say this: When I had some of that magical dust sprinkled on my raw radishes and avocado yesterday I was like: "Foodgasm!"
Fortunately, the nutrition gurus I admire are bullish on salt and flavor. I've seen a lot of autoimmune plans, and none of them have proscribed sodium.
For iodine, you can also purchase powdered seaweed to sprinkle on your food. It has a somewhat salty, "weedy" taste. The one I use and can't recall the name of is made from seaweed on the Maine coast.
I just ran across Mikhaila Peterson's blog. She credits a carnivorous diet (meat and water) for reversing her many, many health conditions (unfortunately not including several joint replacements...) There seems to be no one treatment for whatever ails you, and finding a cure seems to require diligent trial and error.
There seems to be no one treatment for whatever ails you, and finding a cure seems to require diligent trial and error.
True words. In a country that reveres 100-calorie packs of crackers and Meatless Mondays*, I've lost more than 50 pounds eating chicken skin, sour cream, and eggs fried with butter. I haven't felt this good in decades. It (essentially a ketogenic diet) is not an eating plan for everyone. But if I had listened to the conventional wisdom, I'd be on diabetic meds between my blood glucose swings and probably heavier than I am now. We all have to tailor for what works for our bodies. This is a way to eat that I can stick with and has positive results. For me.
Good luck, UL! Once you've grown accustomed to the taste of "naked" food, adding even a little salt is a revelation.
* I'm aware there are several reasons to promote non-meat meals. But IMHO nutritionally, avoiding meat is not necessary for most people. So Meatless Anyday or Meatless Everyday can be based on other considerations.
Fortunately, the nutrition gurus I admire are bullish on salt and flavor. I've seen a lot of autoimmune plans, and none of them have proscribed sodium.
I am worried about my high blood pressure.
True words. In a country that reveres 100-calorie packs of crackers and Meatless Mondays*, I've lost more than 50 pounds eating chicken skin, sour cream, and eggs fried with butter. I haven't felt this good in decades. It (essentially a ketogenic diet) is not an eating plan for everyone. But if I had listened to the conventional wisdom, I'd be on diabetic meds between my blood glucose swings and probably heavier than I am now. We all have to tailor for what works for our bodies. This is a way to eat that I can stick with and has positive results. For me.
Good luck, UL! Once you've grown accustomed to the taste of "naked" food, adding even a little salt is a revelation.
* I'm aware there are several reasons to promote non-meat meals. But IMHO nutritionally, avoiding meat is not necessary for most people. So Meatless Anyday or Meatless Everyday can be based on other considerations.
I eat fish and poultry daily. But I don't like beef's flavor. I avoid pigs and goats -- even though they taste amazing -- because they seem too pet-like to me.
Today I had trout for lunch. Tomorrow I will likely have salmon.
I am worried about my high blood pressure.
I think any one of a number of anti-immune plans will naturally bring your blood pressure down, without paying too much attention to salt. YMMV. Of course stress is a major factor, as well.
I think any one of a number of anti-immune plans will naturally bring your blood pressure down, without paying too much attention to salt. YMMV. Of course stress is a major factor, as well.
Is your assertion about diet evidence-based?
ApatheticNoMore
5-2-18, 6:18pm
Some people's blood pressure doesn't respond to salt:
The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that slightly more than half of people with high blood pressure are salt sensitive to some degree. And one of every four people with normal blood pressure is also salt sensitive
However:
Not everyone with hypertension is sensitive to salt. In fact, one of every three people with hypertension is salt resistant. This means that their blood pressure doesn’t respond in an exaggerated way to excess sodium.
http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/nutrition/article/are-you-salt-sensitive
Your diet doesn't sound bland. Sauteed squash and fish doesn't sound bland at all. Certainly I've eaten such meals. However I gotta admit I would add salt to them. I don't think salt causes binges, although you might eat less of low salt food because blander ... however neither of these would be binging, that's it's own thing.
Do you put salt in your pancakes? That is the binge I remember you writing about.
Your diet doesn't sound bland. Sauteed squash and fish doesn't sound bland at all.
I think it all depends on what you're used to. People who eat a lot of restaurant/takeout food or processed/prepared food from supermarkets typically ingest a lot of sodium. Whether that affects hypertension or other issues is, as you pointed out, open to question. But high sodium intake certainly affects what one's tastebuds are used to; foods without that extra enhancement can seem pretty ordinary until one's sense of taste readjusts. At that point, even a little added salt has a big impact.
Oh, and I would nominate summer squash (zucchini, crookneck squash, etc.) and certain varieties of white fish (the lower-oil species) as some of the blandest foods on the planet. They benefit greatly from adding something, even if it's not salt.
Is your assertion about diet evidence-based?
No, Ultralight--I just pulled it out of thin air, as I do all my assertions.
"Evidence based" always makes me laugh--in this country, at least, you get the evidence you pay for. The best evidence, IMO, is based on much-maligned anecdotal reports, from which most good science springs.
Stephen Phinney, MD, and Jeff Volek started Virta Health to promote a low-carb approach. They've done studies:
https://www.virtahealth.com/research Dr. Phinney is himself a researcher who has a number of recorded lectures on YouTube.
Dr. Timothy Noakes presented reams of supporting studies at his trial in S. Africa last year. You can Google it.
There is all kinds of information out there in the wild, if you look for it.
...
Oh, and I would nominate summer squash (zucchini, crookneck squash, etc.) and certain varieties of white fish (the lower-oil species) as some of the blandest foods on the planet. They benefit greatly from adding something, even if it's not salt.
I was thinking just that--and summer squash adds a delightful layer of texture to the mix. :~)
Sugar has dire effects on blood pressure for at least some people - evidence-based! Check out Pubmed.gov.
In high school biology class, we used sugar, not salt, in osmotic pressure experiments.
I spend too much time in youtube - and now I’ve discovered Food Hospital...one episode featured a visit by a 30-year-old raw vegan. His examination showed that his bone age is 20 years older than his chronological age.
Also, 80% of his calories come from sugar. It may be sugar from fruit, but it’s still sugar.
Also, the sugar in fruit, fructose, is primarily metabolized by the liver, and can contribute to hepatic hypertriglyceridemia and non-alcoholic hyperlidemia in general, particularly when part of a carbohydrate-heavy diet.
Me, I jazz up my anti-inflammatory diet with lots of lemon juice/lemon zest, garlic, fresh basil and some olive oil...I could eat cardboard using those four ingredients.
Garlic is amazing for inflammation and infections...just Google garlic benefits to find out about its many healthful properties. Remember to "let it rest" for 10 minutes after chopping and before cooking with it to bring out its great properties.
You can add finely minced raw garlic to many different salads, too.
Chives and scallions are wonderful to add some spice, too. Spices are -- the spice of life!
It's a rare day when I don't eat some combination of onions, garlic, scallions, shallots...
But I also enjoy harissa, sri racha, cold-pressed sesame oil, various spice blends including curries and garam masala, and many more.
I am still hammering away at this anti-inflam diet. Having a few meals I actually like keeps me going!
Ultralight
5-19-18, 7:00pm
I am still sticking to this "diet," flavorless as it is. haha
I am still sticking to this "diet," flavorless as it is. haha
Well, I had a meltdown last week, after not eating for 2 days under a lot of stress with the move and a really wacky black comedy of a Mother's Day, but when things started settling down, I did a screeching turn into a parking lot with a food truck on it and had a styrofoam clamshell filled with deep fried clam strips and French fries.
No regrets.
Ultralight
5-19-18, 7:11pm
styrofoam clamshell filled with deep fried clam strips and French fries.
Sounds delicious. :)
Also, the sugar in fruit, fructose, is primarily metabolized by the liver, and can contribute to hepatic hypertriglyceridemia and non-alcoholic hyperlidemia in general, particularly when part of a carbohydrate-heavy diet.
my one food sensitivity is frctose, so no HFCS at all, and apples, avacados, etc are really bad for me. I haven't seen a weight change but when i figured this out i was dealing with stomach distress and that was not the reason. I get very concerned about the prevalence of HFCS in our diets. It is very hard to avoid, i dont get any sauces, desserts or beverages other than plain iced tea when i am out.
I went on the no sugar thing over a month ago and now that i could have sugar i really don't want very much. I had a few ice cream bars and then just cleaned out my kitchen and threw out the hot cocoa mixes and really old frosting. I can eat bananas and some berries which is sweet enough
Because I have some health issues of the chronic variety (not getting into any details) I have been on an anti-inflammatory diet.
No gluten. No deep fried food. No refined grains. I use only olive oil and coconut oil. I don't eat desserts or candy anyway. I eat fresh fruits and veggies, though I steam, roast, or saute the veggies. I also eat beans and lentils.
All my foods are whole, unprocessed, and rather fresh. Though I do eat organic, local saurkraut and kefir (no other dairy products though).
And for the hell of it I also stopped adding salt to foods.I have not shaken the shaker since March.
So here I am 23 days into this...
I feel a little better. And I am somewhat accustomed to eating these flavorless foods.
Anyone else on this diet?
I have noticed during my low carb diets off and on over the past few years that aches and pains almost go away. Probably because of the no sugar part of the diet?
Ultralight
6-21-18, 7:06am
I am still sticking to this flavorless diet. I am weighing in at about 192 elbeez. So no major weight loss.
I often find myself fantasizing about food. This disturbs me! haha
When I was a young man my fantasy time was composed almost entirely of sex. But as a middle aged, out-of-shape, Midwestern, doughy dude I find myself fantasizing about buttery biscuits, ball park hot dogs, Indian buffets, slices of triple pepperoni pizza, and tall, cold glasses of whole milk. lol
Nonetheless, I am still on this diet. Though I don't know that it is having any notable effect on my chronic illness.
It can take awhile for you to feel better. I have a friend who once could barely move due to chronic pain. She went on an anti-inflammatory diet and followed it religiously. It took 10 months for her to start feeling better. It's been several years now and the change has been dramatic. She is back to skiing, hiking, etc.
If it wasn't for her, I would have given up on the anti-inflammatory diet after a month. But I stuck with it like she did and my pain levels dropped dramatically. I only take the occasional Advil or Tylenol now where as before I was popping them like Skittles.
Now that I'm eating clean, I find that I rarely crave the "forbidden" foods. Some foods, like pizza, don't even seem like food anymore. But I do have a sweet tooth and crave chocolate and ice cream, especially in the summer.
The best suggestion I heard was to follow the 80/20 rule. Eat 80% anti-inflammatory food and you could probably tolerate the other 20%. Better yet, is to follow the 90/10 rule, which is what I aim for.
Don't give up. You may need a lot more time to feel the benefits.
Most flavorful foods can be adapted to whatever food plan you're following. I can't imagine adhering to a flavorless regime for long; thankfully, I don't have to.
Ultralight
6-21-18, 4:42pm
Most flavorful foods can be adapted to whatever food plan you're following. I can't imagine adhering to a flavorless regime for long; thankfully, I don't have to.
Let me give you examples of the foods I find flavorful.
-Greasy pizzas
-Greasy burgers
-Naan
-French fries
-Deep-fried, battered fish
-Hot dogs
-Pakoras
-Pasta
-White bread
-Biscuits
-Pancakes
-Bacon
Here are examples of foods I don't like the taste of or have no desirable flavors:
-Essentially all veggies
-Brown rice
I have no problem with "grease," as long as it doesn't involve industrial seed oils, but replacing the wheat component is a little more difficult. Fat Head pizza is a pretty good substitute, and I've managed to navigate Indian restaurants without much trouble. Today I had something similar to this: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cauliflower_chickpea_curry/
Not at all bland.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/fat-head-pizza
Let me give you examples of the foods I find flavorful.
-[snip]
-White bread
-Biscuits
Uh, dude -- white bread? :)
More seriously, I think what you often find attractive is what goes on these other foods. Pasta ain't much without some sauce or dressing. Pretty much ditto for pizza dough (at least for me, the action is in the toppings), pancakes,... Is there some way you could isolate what you really find compelling (meat flavor, saltines [or lack of it], umami (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami)?) and work on emulating those without the inflammatory attributes?
Ultralight
6-21-18, 9:57pm
Uh, dude -- white bread? :)
More seriously, I think what you often find attractive is what goes on these other foods. Pasta ain't much without some sauce or dressing. Pretty much ditto for pizza dough (at least for me, the action is in the toppings), pancakes,... Is there some way you could isolate what you really find compelling (meat flavor, saltines [or lack of it], umami (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami)?) and work on emulating those without the inflammatory attributes?
Interesting thoughts.
But I like all kinds of white breads -- baguette, buns, Texas Toast, Italian bread, bagels, etc. I like them with butter or preserves or both. I like to dip some in marinara. I like to dredge some in scrambled, raw egg then fry in bacon grease and smother in honey and maple syrup.
I like pastas with the sauce -- red sauce especially -- and sausage.
Gardenarian
6-22-18, 4:39am
Nothing wrong with pasta! The whole wheat and gluten free kinds taste a lot better than they used to, and tomato sauce is full of antioxidants.
Have you tried cauliflower substitutes? (Cauliflower noddles, pizza, flour, etc.)
Ultralight
6-22-18, 5:57am
Nothing wrong with pasta! The whole wheat and gluten free kinds taste a lot better than they used to, and tomato sauce is full of antioxidants.
Part of this diet is avoiding wheat/gluten. GF pastas... yeah, I tried them. They are not good, no matter how much I try to convince myself to like them, I cannot.
Ultralight
6-22-18, 5:58am
Have you tried cauliflower substitutes? (Cauliflower noddles, pizza, flour, etc.)
No, but isn't it highly processed?
Your OP said no processed grains. These are not grains but vegetables, albeit processed ones.
Ultralight
6-22-18, 6:04am
Your OP said no processed grains. These are not grains but vegetables, albeit processed ones. I try to keep the processing down to what I can easily do with my kitchen knife. ;)
Chicken lady
6-22-18, 6:23am
https://ifoodreal.com/cauliflower-pizza-crust/
you can can bake or steam the cauliflower first and then mash it up with a fork and drain it in a non - fuzzy dish towel instead of using a food processor and cheese cloth. If baking - dice with your kitchen knife. If steaming, leave pieces a bit larger.
Ultralight
6-22-18, 6:56am
I appreciate all the suggestions. Though what I do is just try to think of food as fuel, not as fun. Yesterday I ate a salad, for cryin' out loud. It was so gross.
The big question I am trying to answer is: What can fill the fun void, now that I don't get any real enjoyment from food?
Chicken lady
6-22-18, 7:00am
Is not enjoying your food a choice, or a side effect? As in, are you ok with finding healthy food you enjoy, you just haven’t, or would you prefer to keep it utilitarian to avoid temptation?
Ultralight
6-22-18, 7:04am
Is not enjoying your food a choice, or a side effect? As in, are you ok with finding healthy food you enjoy, you just haven’t, or would you prefer to keep it utilitarian to avoid temptation?
Healthy food I enjoy? I think I tapped that category out in the first week. Kefir/fruit/nuts, apple & PB, Eggs & breakfast potatoes. That is essentially the end of the story.
I dislike the taste of literally all veggies. Though some are more tolerable than others.
It just so happens that the best-tasting foods (to me) are all unhealthy and eaten in gigantic proportions!
The big question I am trying to answer is: What can fill the fun void, now that I don't get any real enjoyment from food?
My diabetes diagnosis last year knocked the pins out from under a couple of long-time personal interests (eating and cooking). Sure, I still eat, and I still cook. I'll still try new foods and recipes -- if I can. But the palette of potential ingredients has thinned (sic) considerably so I find myself repeatedly making essentially the same meals because they're easy and quick and it's what I can eat. The "food as fuel" thing isn't too far off. I think I'm still grieving the loss of those activities a little. It's come back from what it was before, but it took a surprisingly long time.
As for what to do, that harkens back to previous posts of yours: you need a hobby. Or more of what already are your hobbies. If you're so into whatever else you're doing that you have to stop and think about cooking/eating, you're probably in the right place.
I love this recipe, and depending on the sauce you use it tastes like BBQ chicken wings: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/251316/sriracha-buffalo-cauliflower-bites/
Eating good food is one of the grand earthly pleasures. I suggest delving into cooking a bit farther than you have. Gluten free is not a death sentence; it just makes food prep a little more complicated. Cauliflower makes an excellent substitute for a lot of other foods, like rice and noodles. Cauli-fried rice and cauliflower "mac" and cheese are two recipes that come to mind. (Speaking of rice and noodles--depending on your regime, rice noodles and bean threads may be allowed.) But if you prefer giving up tasty food in your quest for health--which, after all, has long been the mark of a true ascetic--I wish you good luck and hope you find an acceptable alternative.
You may find that after eating clean for awhile, the other foods won't taste good anymore. It may take awhile. I found that is true for me. I used to love cream filled, chocolate frosted donuts. Now the thought of eating one makes me gag. Pizza used to be one of my favorites but I'm no longer interested. It tastes like greasy, salted cardboard now.
ApatheticNoMore
6-22-18, 12:39pm
Eating bland food probably does work as a weight loss strategy (for instance for a demo some have done an all potato diet with plain potatoes etc. - not that I would endorse that as a balanced menu, but it's been done, the sheer blandness and you eat less). So blandness for weight loss, I guess if one wants to try that strategy, but if blandness is not even working for weight loss over a significant period of time for one then it might not be a strategy that works for one.
I'm not sure if the issue here is just that dieting is annoying period, it's annoying to have to entirely avoid whole types of food. Yea it mostly is, I wouldn't recommend it unless one had health conditions that require it, if not 80-20 or 90-10 is probably a good compromise, but if one does have such health conditions then one has to adapt I suppose.
Healthy food can be tasty but it may just be that no foods will work in the perimeter set here which is just too limiting. Like if the idea was just "eat more vegetables" then I'd just say look into food traditions that do so. Mediterranean diet is probably the easiest - lots of veggies (see something like this blog for ideas: https://www.olivetomato.com/), Asian and Indian can incorporate a lot of veggies, it's just that Indian is complex and one is never going to equal the taste of the restaurants. Salad is a high mileage food for me, I could eat it daily and did at work. But the annoying part is I'm lazy and they are a pain to make, the washing the lettuce etc..
Yes, as a lazy person i agree about the preparation. Maybe that's why intermittent fasting has so much appeal for me--one meal a day makes it all so much easier. Also, it allows for more food variety than, say, strict keto. My n=1 experiment continues. (i buy prewashed salad greens and take my life in my hands by not washing them again...) :~)
Ultralight
6-22-18, 4:35pm
As for what to do, that harkens back to previous posts of yours: you need a hobby. Or more of what already are your hobbies. If you're so into whatever else you're doing that you have to stop and think about cooking/eating, you're probably in the right place.
So hobbies take work. I enjoy hobbies. This art project is great fun, and engaging.
But food is easy mouth-pleasure. No real work.
So hobbies take work. I enjoy hobbies. This art project is great fun, and engaging.
But food is easy mouth-pleasure. No real work.
So maybe the answer is to make cooking your hobby. It certainly can take as much time (and money and space and...) as you give it. For years (decades) I enjoyed hunting down recipes and evaluating flavor combinations, learning new techniques and perfecting old ones, and eating the results (well, most of the time, anyway). Perhaps the limitations of what you can eat can be the impetus. Since changing my way of eating, I've been haunting keto-diet Web sites and have found some really good recipes on some of them. Mind you, I'm still working myself on getting back to the status cooking had for me. But if I get really tired of eggs for breakfast and salads for lunch, that's one way to get out of that rut.
(i buy prewashed salad greens and take my life in my hands by not washing them again...) :~)
I figure I'm building up my resistance by doing that... Besides, it's unlikely a swish or two around my sink is going to get rid of whatever their prewashing didn't catch.
Ultralight
6-22-18, 9:27pm
So maybe the answer is to make cooking your hobby.
I did this a few times for a few months at a time. And I would make copious amounts of unhealthy food and take it to pound-town! No self-control. haha
I'm a lazy cook so I'd like to share one of my healthy go to recipes - chili. There are many ways to add variety. First, I start with a basic package of McCormick chili spices. It calls for 1 lb of ground meat, a can of tomatoes and a can of beans.
I use a different meat each time I make it. I've used ground beef, bison, turkey, or lamb. I've also used pulled pork or smoked sausage.
In addition to the tomatoes and beans, I also add frozen chopped kale, corn and a can of pumpkin. The pumpkin thickens the chili and is a good source of vitamins and fiber. Plus it has almost no calories.
You can also add onions and green, yellow or red peppers.
So this is an easy, healthy and low calorie meal that you can make a little differently each time to add variety.
What I love is that you can dump all the ingredients in one pot and it cooks up in about ten minutes. And there are plenty of leftovers.
Another idea - Have your chili on a large bed of lettuce.
I'm a big fan of bagged salads. I've mentioned I'm a lazy cook and have lost patience with chopping up my own veggies. I like to buy salad kits where there is a variety of veggies in the bag and blend them with dark greens (also from a bag).
I got bored with my olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressings, so now I use 1 part creamy ranch/1 part olive oil/1 part apple cider vinegar. I still get the flavor of the creamy ranch along with the benefits of the other two ingredients.
catherine
6-23-18, 11:34am
I'm a lazy cook so I'd like to share one of my healthy go to recipes - chili. There are many ways to add variety. First, I start with a basic package of McCormick chili spices. It calls for 1 lb of ground meat, a can of tomatoes and a can of beans.
I use a different meat each time I make it. I've used ground beef, bison, turkey, or lamb. I've also used pulled pork or smoked sausage.
In addition to the tomatoes and beans, I also add frozen chopped kale, corn and a can of pumpkin. The pumpkin thickens the chili and is a good source of vitamins and fiber. Plus it has almost no calories.
You can also add onions and green, yellow or red peppers.
So this is an easy, healthy and low calorie meal that you can make a little differently each time to add variety.
What I love is that you can dump all the ingredients in one pot and it cooks up in about ten minutes. And there are plenty of leftovers.
I like this idea, and it can be modified in many ways! I like the idea of adding pumpkin and other vegetables. McCormick's spices are a good "cheat" but sometimes I find it's not too hard to use your own spices.
You can ditch the bread and make salads out of traditional sandwich or taco fillings--tuna and egg salad are obvious, but Reuben and other deli standards are also good. Concoct mustard/horseradish or bacon/mayo/ketchup dressings for them.
You can ditch the bread and make salads out of traditional sandwich or taco fillings--tuna and egg salad are obvious, but Reuben and other deli standards are also good. Concoct mustard/horseradish or bacon/mayo/ketchup dressings for them.
So right. Almost anything you can put between two slices of bread can go on a salad.
I have a friend who makes lettuce wraps. I tried but 1) I could never get the lettuce leaf to wrap neatly and 2) it's slimy to hold (ok, maybe not slimy, but slippery). I'd rather just put my sandwich filling on a bed of lettuce.
I've had some luck with Asian-inspired chicken-filled lettuce wraps, but in the end, I just served the little meat-wads over lettuce for the same reason.
iris lilies
6-24-18, 10:35am
I am not a picky eater, but once years ago I bought a bag of greens, and it all tasted like the plastic wrap. I havent been able to bring myself to buy bagged greens since then.
I suppose it helps that I have large containers of greens show up on my kitchen counter. Once in a while they are even washed!
We just finished a great spinach year.
iris lilies
6-24-18, 10:36am
I've had some luck with Asian-inspired chicken-filled lettuce wraps, but in the end, I just served the little meat-wads over lettuce for the same reason.
this is so true. I once teied to make lettuce wraps, too fussy, just endd up with the magled wraps in a salad and it was great!
I prefer to use nappa cabbage leaves for rollups and wraps instead of lettuce leaves -- sturdier, more uniform size, and a tad more nutrition than (shudder!) iceberg lettuce.
Ultralight
7-25-18, 5:42pm
Today I cooked some spinach. I just used some olive oil and sauteed it in my cast iron skillet. I put a tiny bit of salt on it and some freshly ground black pepper.
It was palatable. I think I could do that a couple times a week.
Gardenarian
7-25-18, 7:33pm
I find spinach gets that weird bitter taste when cooked in cast iron - it's the oxalic acid. I boil it in stainless or stir fry in a carbon steel skillet.
Today I cooked some spinach. I just used some olive oil and sauteed it in my cast iron skillet. I put a tiny bit of salt on it and some freshly ground black pepper.
If you like and can eat garlic, a little minced garlic, cooked to soft but not burned, would go great. Or try sprinkling a little garlic powder on the cooked spinach. Might be even better! :)
I like spinach raw in salads, and cooked in Joe's Special: https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Classic-Joes-Special
You can sneak it into other dishes, too, like soups--though I like heartier greens like kale for that.
Onion sauteed first, then wilt in spinach...finish off with two cracked eggs and you have a simple scramble for breakfast that's very healthy
ApatheticNoMore
7-26-18, 1:03pm
I have made a few spanokoriza in the last month or two, but it is getting boring (spinach and rice - and it's more spinach than rice, no matter the herbs, allums and lemon, is only so exciting) so going to give that one a rest for awhile because getting bored. I've made the same thing with chickpeas instead of rice, it's somewhat better, but it's always fresh chickpeas and involves soaking them etc.. The best thing I make with spinach is a casserole with spinach and salmon topped with a few breadcrumbs, that one is pretty good to have from time to time.
But if I was cooking a green in olive oil, garlic etc. I definitely prefer chard over spinach.
I did a quick google on the salt issue. The most interesting thing I ran across is that most of our salt intake comes from processed food, not table salt. I checked my mustard and ketchup and it's there. Plus in canned beans, tomato sauces, and soups. It's good evidence to do our own food preparation. And indeed may not have iodine. My choice is to depend on other dietary sources for iodine as I'd like to keep my salt intake low, but it's one of those things that is not perfectly obvious.
I use salt substitute - potassium chloride. I get plenty of sodium chloride table salt hidden in any processed or restaurant foods that I eat,
and my point of view is that folks usually don't get enough potassium anyway. I realize there are folks who may feel passionately
that potassium chloride is just another nasty chemical, and I respect those feelings.
My doctor likes the stuff though, and it makes my life more pleasant.
I actually do happen to eat iodine-rich powdered dried kelp in cooking anyway; I live about an hour away from salt water
and all I have to do is gather the stuff and dry it. :-)
2436 2437 2438
Because I have some health issues of the chronic variety (not getting into any details) I have been on an anti-inflammatory diet.
No gluten. No deep fried food. No refined grains. I use only olive oil and coconut oil. I don't eat desserts or candy anyway. I eat fresh fruits and veggies, though I steam, roast, or saute the veggies. I also eat beans and lentils.
All my foods are whole, unprocessed, and rather fresh. Though I do eat organic, local saurkraut and kefir (no other dairy products though).
And for the hell of it I also stopped adding salt to foods.I have not shaken the shaker since March.
So here I am 23 days into this...
I feel a little better. And I am somewhat accustomed to eating these flavorless foods.
Anyone else on this diet?
I haven't gone a specific diet. But I also suffer from a lot of inflammation. The last couple of months I've kind of sorta given up wheat and therefore gluten I suppose. I use corn tortillas mostly and rice and rice noodles
. I don't mind adding salt. I eat because it adds so much flavor and since I don't eat much processed foods I don't worry about it. I eat some cheese but not much and no other dairy other than the occasional bit of sour cream or cream cheese . Mostly it's veggies with some chicken. I actually do eat quite a bit of eggs. Some days I have really awful pain days but in general there has been some improvement. I can't specifically pinpoint it any one thing. I like veggies...so it's lots of salads and stirfries and cooked veggies. Lately I've been having some terrible sugar cravings which isn't typical.
We were just talking about this issue of inflammation. A friend has cut out all sugar and most simple carbs. Still uses whole wheat and brown rice. Been on the plan for over a year. Finds her sugar cravings are gone until she mistakenly gets something with sugar in it and then they come back for awhile. She says her hands and other joints are much better and she is not on the OTC pain relievers anymore.
She thinks the reaction to sugar has a genetic connection. Her whole family (in their 50s/60s) are sugar sensitive.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.