Jun 08 |
Problems with MyPlate |
We love Michele Simon’s considered response to the USDA’s MyPlate nutrition guidelines. We apologize for being a bit sound-bite-y here, and we encourage you to go read the full article.
…Allow me to get a few things about the new version off my chest. First of all, the website url tells us a lot: “ChooseMyPlate.gov“. The word choose or choice, where have I heard that before? Oh yes, it’s a favorite of the food industry, to remind us that really, it’s all up to individuals to choose to eat a healthy diet, and that companies provide a wide range of choices for us each to choose from….
As Marion Nestle pointed out, protein is not a food, it’s a nutrient, so the meat industry must be very happy to see it represented so prominently, as they have brainwashed the American public for decades into equating “meat” with “protein.” Most Americans eat way too much protein and certainly need no reminders….
They recommend “protein” but then why is “dairy” and not “calcium” recommended? Ah the politics of inconsistent messaging….
It’s going to take way more than a measly $2 million educational campaign to get Americans to fill up half their plate with fruits and vegetables. It’s going to take a massive overhaul of our agricultural policies…. It’s also going to take addressing the billions of dollars in marketing the food industry spends each year to keep us from eating off of plates at all. (Perhaps a better image might have been a pizza box or a take-out carton?) It’s especially going to take massive political will to stop the food industry’s predatory marketing of junk food to children.
~ Michele Simon, Why we need MyPolicy instead of MyPlate
Michele Simon is a public health lawyer who researches and writes about the food industry and food politics. She specializes in legal strategies to counter corporate tactics that harm the public’s health. She wrote Appetite for Profit: How the food industry undermines our health and how to fight back
Jun 03 |
Is MyPlate the right template for your plate? |
So here’s the new MyPlate from the USDA (graphic shown below with PCRM’s Power Plate for comparison). It comes with some written guidelines, most of which are linked through the navigation on the left side of their screen. While the basics are easy to see in the graphic, the details take a little more time to suss out.
Here are the views of some experts *
The protein portion of the USDA’s MyPlate is unnecessary, because beans, whole grains, and vegetables are loaded with it. And it is a shame that MyPlate reserves a special place for dairy products, which are packed with fat and cholesterol and may increase the risk of health problems ranging from asthma to some types of cancer. There are many more healthful sources of calcium.
~ Dr. Neal Barnard, Blog
While nutrition researcher Walter Willett, chair of the nutrition department at Harvard School of Public Health, said the new plate is a “step in the right direction” with “reasonable proportions,” it doesn’t provide enough information to really guide Americans. “They need simple information but not so simple that most important information is lost.”
He said he’d like to see some mention of dietary fats — which ones to choose like olive oil — and which to avoid like the trans fats in margarine and deep fried foods. And he thinks that protein choices shouldn’t all be listed equally since nuts, fish, and skinless chicken breast are more healthful overall than red meat, even cuts that are lean.
The emphasis on a dairy serving at every meal, he added, is also “misguided” since the latest research indicates that increasing our calcium intake won’t do much to prevent bone fractures later in life.
~ Boston Globe, New food plate icon: will it change how you eat?
Here at Marilu.com, we prefer PCRM’s Power Plate. The obvious reason is that it leaves out dairy, which Marilu has said is meant to “turn a 50-pound calf into a 300-pound cow in 6 months.” Calcium is more readily available from plant sources, without the added fat and cholesterol (not to mention the other ugly things that come from factory-farmed cows). We also like the emphasis on a plant-based diet, which can provide plenty of protein, although people who choose to eat some lean animal protein could adapt the Power Plate for that.
We do think that MyPlate is a vast improvement over the pyramid, and if we need baby steps to eat healthier, then MyPlate is at least a couple of baby steps in the right direction.
Jun 02 |
Today the plate will be revealed |
The government is replacing its food guide pyramid with a simpler everyday symbol: a plate. And many nutritionists are applauding the change….
Robert Post, deputy director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, says the symbol will be part of a healthy-eating initiative that will convey seven key messages from the dietary guidelines, including: enjoy food but eat less; make half your plate fruits and vegetables; drink water instead of sugary drinks; and switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
The pyramid, which has always been confusing for consumers, was introduced in 1992 and revised in 2005. The plate seems to be bringing us back – at least in its simplicity – to the Basic Four (and if you remember that, you also may have seen The Beatles live on The Ed Sullivan show – it’s been awhile).
We’re looking forward to seeing the big reveal.
And how it compares to PCRM’s Power Plate.
May 27 |
How about a movie? |
FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the so-called “diseases of affluence” that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering yet under-appreciated researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. (Hey, we know those guys! They’ve written some of our favorite books – The China Study
The filmmakers travel with Drs. Campbell and Esselstyn on their separate but similar paths, from their childhood farms where they both produced “nature’s perfect food”; to China and Cleveland, where they explored ideas that challenged the established thinking and shook their own core beliefs.
The idea of food as medicine is put to the test. Throughout the film, cameras follow “reality patients” who have chronic conditions from heart disease to diabetes. Doctors teach these patients how to adopt a whole foods plant-based diet as the primary approach to treat their ailments—while the challenges and triumphs of their journeys are revealed.
Check here for theaters showing Forks Over Knives in the USA.
Check here for theaters showing Forks Over Knives in Canada.
Apr 14 |
Featured recipe from Marilu’s table * Spicy cold soba noodles |
Spicy Cold Soba Noodles are a favorite recipe from Marilu’s book Healthy Life Kitchen
Some of the ingredients may be new to you, but don’t panic. They can be used in other meals, and they have a pretty good shelf life (or fridge life) so you don’t have to worry about wasting food.
- Sesame oil * We love toasted sesame oil, and we add a few drops to all our stir fries and Asian meals. Find it with the Asian foods, usually in your local grocery store.
- Tahini * A puree of toasted sesame seeds, this is usually found in the health food store or natural foods section of your grocery store. Sometimes it’s in the refrigerated section. It’s also used to make hummus.
- Barley malt * This grain-based sweetener is usually found in the health food store. Barley malt is a syrup, and it has a rather strong flavor (and the smell might remind you a bit of beer, but don’t worry, you’re not using much). Keep it in the fridge after you open it, and it will last a long, long time (years).
- Chili oil * It comes in small bottles, usually in the Asian foods section. Some brands are hotter than others, and some brands come in different heat “strengths.” Use just a little, and then add more to taste if you want.
- Soba noodles * Just pasta, Asian style – and made from buckwheat.
This meal is great for a brown bag lunch. If it will be out of the fridge for longer than 4 hours, or it will be in the heat, pack along a blue ice pack to keep it cool.
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Spicy Cold Soba Noodles
Green * Serves 6
1/3 cup soy sauce (or tamari)
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/4 cup sesame oil (we use 1/2 Tablespoon)
1/4 cup tahini
1 Tablespoon barley malt
1/4 cup chili oil (we use 1 teaspoon)
3 Tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
1/2 bunch scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
salt to taste
1/2 pound soba noodles
Optional: Add shredded carrots for extra color and a vegetable! We’ve also added julienned red pepper, julienned cucumber, edamame, and chopped cilantro. (But we like to play.)
Place soy sauce in a pan over high heat and reduce by half. Turn heat to low, stir in molasses, and warm briefly. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add sesame oil, tahini, barley malt, chili oil, vinegar, and scallions, and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt, if desired.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add noodles, bring back to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to soften, about 3 minutes. (Soba noodles can overcook very quickly, so stay nearby and pay attention).
Have ready a large bowl of ice water. Drain noodles, plunge in ice water, adn drain again. Place in a colander and rinse well under cold running water. Combine noodles and sauce, toss well, and chill.
Apr 12 |
From the mouths of babes… |
Eleven-year-old Birke Baehr talks about “What’s Wrong With Our Food System? And How Can We Make A Difference?” at the TEDx Next Generation Asheville conference in August 2010.
Apr 07 |
Marilu’s report from the Natural Foods Expo |
Marilu attended the Natural Foods Expo in Los Angeles in mid-March. The Expo is a place to see and taste new products from established vendors, like Hain, Amy’s, and Burt’s Bees, as well as newer and smaller vendors.
One of the new products last year was Daiya, a cheese substitute made from tapioca flour, that melts well, and tastes like dairy cheese. This year, Teese was introduced as another tapioca-based cheese substitute. Marilu reports that it’s lighter than Daiya and “doesn’t have that stinky cheese smell.” It also comes in different flavors (cheddar, mozzarella, etc.). Look for it, or ask for it at your local store.
One of the favorite products at the Expo was Kim’s Magic Pop – a sort of rice cake (made of wheat, brown rice, and corn) that was put into a machine that puffed it full of air, so it grew to the size of a dessert plate. They come in different flavors, and are very low in calories and fat. They require the machine, so they sound like fair food, or something available at a food stand. Marilu’s son Joey and his friends especially enjoyed this. Let us know if you see Kim’s Magic Pop for sale anywhere!
Finally, a couple of impressions. Marilu’s report is that “the brats and the businessmen have taken over.” It seems that health food has made the ranks of Big Business. There were far more business people in attendance than in previous years. Many of these business people did not look healthy, and there were a lot more people smoking and drinking than usual. Getting health food into your local mainstream grocery store means a greater emphasis on the bottom line. Just something to be aware of.
The “brats” show up in the trends Marilu experienced in the new products – lots of baby foods, coconut-based products (coconut water is everywhere), and lots of bars – snack bars and meal-replacement bars and too-busy-to-cook bars. Vendors (or maybe it’s business people) seem to think we don’t want to cook anymore (because it’s too hard to cook some carrots or apples and mash them up for the baby?), or that we aren’t interested in whole foods, or real food. All the superfood substitutes, and processed chemical versions of actual food probably appeal to someone – but that’s not what we’re about here.
Real food is cheaper, of course. And it doesn’t need to be manufactured, just grown and shipped (unless you buy local, and then even the shipping is minimal). Support your local farmers, your local farmer’s market, and buy whole foods from your local health food or grocery store. It’s not hard to cook. We can help, if you need that (that’s what our forums are for). In fact, here’s a great recipe for making your own bars. Enjoy!
Mar 24 |
Featured recipe from Marilu’s table * Apple and pomegranate crisp |
Are you ready to tackle a pomegranate? Chef Ryan has a great method for getting the pips (fruity seeds) out of the shell without making too big a mess.
Look for firm, red fruit, that’s not bruised or soft. Cut pomegranate in half along the equator (like a grapefruit) then hold it cut side down in the palm of your nondominant hand over a bowl. Smack it with a heavy spoon until most of the pips are out. The smacks should be firm; if you were hitting yourself on the thigh with the smacks it would smart but not bruise/welt.
That will get a good 80% of the pipping done, the rest is by hand. The fruit will still spatter a bit, so you might want to do this with the bowl in the sink, to help contain the spatters. There may be a few pieces of white membrane among the pips, but you can just pick those out.
This recipe is adapted from The Dana Farber Report.
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Apple and Pomegranate Crisp
Yellow * Serves 12
4 medium apples, peeled cored and sliced
1/2 pomegranate, skin and light colored membrane removed
1 cup Sucanat®
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine
Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
In a large bowl, toss together the apples, pomegranate seeds, 1/2 cup Sucanat®, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
In the same bowl stir together the oats, flour, and remaining Sucanat®. Rub in the margarine between your fingers until the mixture resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the fruit.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the apples are soft and the topping browns. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Mar 19 |
An apple a day… |
“We’ve all heard the old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But did you know current research actually supports it? Apples are a good source of soluble and insoluble fiber, as well as a wide variety of antioxidants and phytonutrients like phenolics and flavonoids. These nutrients act together to provide strong protection against different types of cancer. In the Nurses Health Study of more than 77,000 women, daily apple consumption was linked to a 37 percent lower risk of lung cancer after controlling for risk factors like smoking.
A delicious hint: Add pomegranates to the mix, and you’ll end up with more than just a welcome burst of ruby-red color. Pomegranates also pack even more vitamin C, polyphenols, and flavonoids.
~ The Dana Farber Report, The Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Bonus for all the members of Marilu.com – next week in the Mix It Up March class, Chef Ryan will teach us how to “deal” with pomegranates.
If you’re not a member, join now to get in on the fun. Chef Ryan is teaching us all kinds of incredibly easy things to do with food. And Lyrical has great insight into working with our Inner Brat to make positive changes.
