Everyday Meals

[MJ]

I don't get why "not eating any fast food" is a good thing. I can understand
not eating every meal there. Otherwise, I think SOME fast food venues
give great value for the price.

JG

As a rule, I think of fast food places as being fatty, greasy, and having unhealth foods. The last time I went to one about 20 years ago, I had a salad which was awful.

As far as value, unless you have coupon, I think in my area, the last time I looked, they seemed to be overpriced for what you get.

 

[Dawg52]

I don't get why "not eating any fast food" is a good thing.  I can understand
not eating every meal there.  Otherwise, I think SOME fast food venues
give great value for the price.

JG

In general, fast food is low in nutritional value. One of the main reasons why we have so many obese people in our country. But as I said above, I do endulge every now and then. 

 

[Mr._johngalt]

As a rule, I think of fast food places as being fatty, greasy, and having unhealth foods. The last time I went to one about 20 years ago, I had a salad which was awful.

As far as value, unless you have coupon, I think in my area, the last time I looked, they seemed to be overpriced for what you get.

A double cheeseburger and 2% milk for $2.00 "overpriced". Surely you jest.
(I do agree about avoiding the salads)

JG

 

[Dawg52]

Wendys has a a 1$ menu which is a pretty good value. You can buy a small hamburger, small chilli,  or a small caesar salad for a dollar each. Of course you have to sort through the chilli for extra body parts. 

 

[REWahoo]

Wendys has a a 1$ menu which is a pretty good value. You can buy a small hamburger, small chilli, or a small caesar salad for a dollar each. Of course you have to sort through the chilli for extra body parts.

Even fast food has gone digital...

 

[Danny]

Even fast food has gone digital...

REW - you have really put your finger in it! Thanks for giving us that to chew on.

 

[MJ]

A double cheeseburger and 2% milk for $2.00 "overpriced". Surely you jest.
(I do agree about avoiding the salads)

JG

I did say "I think in my area" they are overpriced but my dislike for fast food establishments is not because of their value but the general unhealthy food they serve. Of course, I know a lot of people on this planet would disagree with me.

 

[FlowGirl]

Its ridiculously hot here so I try not to fire up the oven unless I must.
I've also been lazy lately, so the past month's menu has been:

Turkey or Boca Burgers and salad
Spaghetti made with jarred sauce (Classico or Newman's own)
Dal (Indian lentil dish) with rice and yogurt
Salmon or Ahi Tuna steaks with cous-cous and vegetables
Chicken stir fry with rice
Grilled chicken breast and vegetables.

In cooler weather the menu includes more soup, homemade pizza, and things like roast chicken.

We almost never eat beef at home and rarely pork. I usually try a new dish about once a week.

 

[wabmester]

In general, fast food is low in nutritional value. One of the main reasons why we have so many obese people in our country. But as I said above, I do endulge every now and then. 

No offense, but that's nonsense. People are obese because they consume more calories than they burn. It doesn't really matter what form those calories take. However, there is a link between high-carb diets and insulin resistence (pre-diabetes). You can probably live to be 100 eating from McD as long as you avoid the fries, cokes, and buns.

Everybody here believes that low-fat and high-fiber is good for you, right? Well, there's no evidence of any benefits as far as cancer goes:

NY Times article

 

[MJ]

Its ridiculously hot here so I try not to fire up the oven unless I must.
I've also been lazy lately, so the past month's menu has been:

Turkey or Boca Burgers and salad
Spaghetti made with jarred sauce (Classico or Newman's own)
Dal (Indian lentil dish) with rice and yogurt
Salmon or Ahi Tuna steaks with cous-cous and vegetables
Chicken stir fry with rice
Grilled chicken breast and vegetables.

In cooler weather the menu includes more soup, homemade pizza, and things like roast chicken.

We almost never eat beef at home and rarely pork. I usually try a new dish about once a week.

Yammy. What time can I drop over? Should I bring wine or would you prefer fruit juice.

MJ

 

[MJ]

No offense, but that's nonsense. People are obese because they consume more calories than they burn.

You are correct, but isn't that the problem with fast food joints.
If you eat the popular foods offered by these places versus a nutritious well balanced meal, ounce for ounce, you will consume more calories at McD, BK, TalcoBell etc.

 

[wabmester]

You are correct, but isn't that the problem with fast food joints.
If you eat the popular foods offered by these places versus a nutritious well balanced meal, ounce for ounce, you will consume more calories at McD, BK, TalcoBell etc.

Eh, the reality is that food is food. As a human, you are adapted to eat quite a variety of different foods. Ounce-for-ounce, fast food is generally higher calorie, which as far as your body is concerned, means that it is more nutritious. A calorie is a calorie. Sure, there are some vitamins and trace minerals you need too, but believe me, you'll get enough from fast food.

As the NY Times article above points out, most of the "goodness" of "health foods" is unfounded.

Even the connection between heart disease and dietary fat is pretty weak. The real evil is LDL (which is thought to damage your arteries when it crystalizes), but that is produced by your liver as part of normal metabolism. LDL can really get out of control if you develop insulin resistance, which can come from your cells being constantly bathed in insulin, which is what can happen if you eat too many carbs.

Of course, if you eat too many calories, you will get fat, and being fat is bad for you too.

I do eat at McD on occasion (maybe 2-3 times per week), and I do it without guilt. But I avoid colas, fries, and other high-carb stuff. I also eat lots of nuts for snacks, and 72%-coco chocolate. Life is good (and so is my blood chemistry).

 

[Dawg52]

\

No offense, but that's nonsense.    People are obese because they consume more calories than they burn.   It doesn't really matter what form those calories take.    However, there is a link between high-carb diets and insulin resistence (pre-diabetes).    You can probably live to be 100 eating from McD as long as you avoid the fries, cokes, and buns.   

Everybody here believes that low-fat and high-fiber is good for you, right?    Well, there's no evidence of any benefits as far as cancer goes:

No I take no offense. Everybody is entitled to an opinion. The problem is most people won't eliminate the fries, cokes or buns. Here at work, I see most people bringing back the "upsize" version of a combo from Wendy's. As far as the NY Times article is concerned, I'll take my chances with what the Prostate Cancer Foundation had to say about a healthy diet. I guess it all boils down to who you want to listen too.

 

[unclemick]

I love fast food - ate it all the time in New Orleans.

Here in MO - need to scope out the area - fast food wise.

McD and Wendy's were not my usual stops - only in a pinch.

The mix of good and bad stuff(for you the individual) is still your responsibility.

Do have a weakness for good fries with ketchup - myself.

Heh heh heh.

 

[MJ]

Ounce-for-ounce, fast food is generally higher calorie, which as far as your body is concerned, means that it is more nutritious. A calorie is a calorie.

Wab, so based on your statement alone, eating a pound of fries saturated with grease with lots of ketchup is more "nutritious" than eating a 1/4 lb baked potato (nothing added) 1/2 lb steamed spinach and 1/4 lb broiled salmon.

In my previous posts, I was just expressed MHO.
I would never discourage people from eating FF, smoking cigs, and taking lots OTC/ prescription drugs. I can't afford to have people draining the SS trough by living way past 70.

 

[MJ]

Do have a weakness for good fries with ketchup - myself.
Heh heh heh.

Sheesh, I do too, but I don't indulge.

 

[LovesLife]

I notice a huge difference in how I feel after eating fast food vs. healthy food. It really shows up when I am at the gym. I have a whole lot less energy when I have consumed fast food within the last 24 hours. Maybe I am just food sensitive. I could not survive on what my oldest DD eats. Very unbalanced.

Great thread, btw.

LL

 

[wabmester]

Wab, so based on your statement alone, eating a pound of fries saturated with grease with lots of ketchup is more "nutritious" than eating a 1/4 lb baked potato (nothing added) 1/2 lb steamed spinach and 1/4 lb broiled salmon. 

There are qualitative differences. For example, you can burn paper, cardboard, cedar, and kiln-dried hickory in your fireplace. They'll all burn, but some burn faster than others. The quality of the ash will be different. The aroma will be different. But they'll all heat your home if you pile enough of them up.

Potatos are pretty much potatos. They have a high glycemic load, which means they burn like paper and there's a lot of paper there. They will produce an insulin spike, which may make you feel lethargic.

The fiber from spinach and omega-3 fatty acids are "good" but overplayed. The mechanism of action of these things isn't well known, but it's thought that soluble fiber simple changes the speed of digestion, and the omega-3 goodies have interesting electrical properties which may reduce heart arythmias (short-term).

Both meals will serve your fuel needs about the same, but with different "aromas" and "ash."

 

[greg]

Both meals will serve your fuel needs about the same, but with different "aromas" and "ash."

I suspect I haven't missed too much while I've been mostly gone.

--Greg

 

[OldAgePensioner]

I just ate a Johnsville brat on poppy seed bun with spicy brown mustard. I feel closer to death than I was before it.

But, it did taste good.

The alternative was going to be alfalfa sprouts with salmon flavored tofu.

 

[Danny]

I just ate a Johnsville brat on poppy seed bun with spicy brown mustard. I feel closer to death than I was before it.

But, it did taste good.

The alternative was going to be alfalfa sprouts with salmon flavored tofu.

Salmon tofu? That actually sounds interesting - I might get hooked on something like that.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

No offense, but that's nonsense. People are obese because they consume more calories than they burn. It doesn't really matter what form those calories take. However, there is a link between high-carb diets and insulin resistence (pre-diabetes). You can probably live to be 100 eating from McD as long as you avoid the fries, cokes, and buns.

Everybody here believes that low-fat and high-fiber is good for you, right? Well, there's no evidence of any benefits as far as cancer goes:

NY Times article

No offense, but cherry picking one of the handful of articles that agrees with your personal diet philosophy and then claiming the others are nonsense is...nonsense!

There are hundreds of studies that show that low fat/high complex carb diets like the Ornish diet not only help you lose weight but are heart healthy. There are also dozens that show a high protein low carb diet as being a very bad idea over the long term. I'm unaware of any unaffilliated physician that recommends the latter diet for more than a short term.

Wasnt that you a few months ago that expressed a little jealousy over the high HDL's my wife and I got back on our cholesterol tests?

Wow...regular meals...thats a tough one...lemme see...

- Baby back ribs rubbed and braised, then grilled
- Wild king salmon marinated in homemade teriyaki sauce and planked on the grill
- Sausages, peppers and onions on a big toasted grinder roll
- Smoked oyster po'boys with mustard greens and lemon/olive oil/hot sauce vinaigrette
- "Polish Stew" made with beef, poish sausage, sauerkraut, tomato and white wine
- Morroccan tagines made with either beef and dried fruit or chicken and green olives
- Linguini with white clam sauce and extra clams
- Italian peppered beef stew
- Jerk seasoned turkey meatloaf
- Thai turkey meatball stew

We have at least one or two of these a week, with mostly low fat vegetarian meals in between. Actually I make most of these fairly low fat/high complex carb excepting the sausages/peppers/onions and the polish stew. Tough to low-fat a sausage, although I do know that sausage is accepted as a vegetable in some areas of the world.

Geez Louise OAP, can you slow that thing down a little? I never get to read your posts...that soccer ball flying around is too eye catching...

 

[wabmester]

I just ate a Johnsville brat on poppy seed bun with spicy brown mustard.  I feel closer to death than I was before it.

Heh. The latest research shows that the same sodium nitrite used as a preservative in hot dogs also preserves you!

Article

 

[wabmester]

Wasnt that you a few months ago that expressed a little jealousy over the high HDL's my wife and I got back on our cholesterol tests?

Yes, until I read that pregnancy throws your lipids way off. High HDL is good for you. The mechanism of action is fairly well understood. The same can't be said for many dietary claims. I'm not saying that all claims are bogus -- just that I give more weight to things that are proven to be beneficial and for which the mechanism is known.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Pregnancy only affects your lipids during and for a month afterwards...I wasnt pregnant and my kid was 5 months old when we took those readings

I also give more weight to proven benefits. When the guy pushing the high fat/protein, low carb diets dies of a heart attack and his family refuses an autopsy, I take that proof very seriously.