More Dangers of MSG - Weight Gain

I've been leery of MSG since The Mind and Metabolism, a psychology class at Santa Monica College, where I first learned how it acts in the nervous system. People often say that once they eat whole foods for a time, edible products make them feel sick, even the ones they used to eat every day. Now that I actively avoid it, I can detect the jitters if I ingest some.

Thanks again to our government for protecting us. Food labeling hides MSG, but you can find some other names for it here.

Now there is new information about MSG that links it to weight gain.

Do You Go Organic?

Many bloggers and chat rooms are talking about the nutritional differences between conventional and organic produce. I'm not the only one to think that study is extremely limited when it comes to choosing how to spend your food dollar.

I am concerned about pesticide load on the food I eat, so I try to follow these guidelines. For the dirty dozen list, they suggest you buy organic. I am also willing to buy from farmers' markets if the farmer doesn't spray. Some small farmers can't afford to get certified organic.

The dirty dozen:

Peaches
Apples
Sweet bell peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Lettuce
Grapes (imported)
Pears
Spinach
Potatoes

Mmmm. Lists. The next one is stuff that you don't need to worry about so much. Thick skins on some of these. Natural compounds in broccoli cabbage and onions fight pests.

Eggplant
Broccoli
Cabbage
Bananas
Asparagus
Sweet peas (frozen)
Mango
Pineapples
Sweet corn (frozen)
Avocado
Onions

I got this from www.foodnews.org and they have a handy wallet guide and Ipod app.

Asparagus is Still Good

I love asparagus, but only if fresh and skinny. When the stalks get thick, it tastes like green sticks to me. Asparagus is great because it is so fast and easy in the pan, steamed or roasted. I like it with eggs anytime. This one was cooked in Organic Valley pasture butter, black pepper and altogether it is a very fresh spring-like taste.

Eat your asparagus soon after you buy it. The tips go bad if I forget they're in the drawer.

Why No Protein Powder or Energy Bars?

Most protein powders, almost anything "isolated," are processed with the toxic chemical hexane.
Some of the hemp protein products do not use hexane, but I still prefer real whole food as much as possible.

Food Wednesday July 29

Breakfast - two eggs, Genoa onion, asparagus, 1 small filet Copper River Salmon all in extra virgin olive oil
snack - 1 cup whole milk Voskos, cinnamon, 6 walnut halves
lunch - Lindner bison ribeye with garlic, cucumber, celery, broccoli, daikon
snack - 2 HB eggs, cucumber
dinner - mustard chicken thigh baked in butter, broccoli

Organic Chicken at Whole Foods - Rosie vs. Mary

Normally I buy Mary's Air Chilled Organic jumbo packs of chicken pieces. This time, I grabbed Rosie's Organic chicken leg packs, and unfortunately I was disappointed. The texture of the Rosie's was rubbery, even though I baked it using the same oil, the same tempurature. The taste was also slightly less "chicken-y" than Mary's.

Food Tuesday July 28

breakfast: torpedo onion, squash, broccoli and eggs in olive oil and coconut oil, salad, coffee
snack: whole milk Voskos yogurt, cinnamon, 6 walnut halves
lunch: mustard chicken thigh baked in butter, salad and broccoli
snack: red cabbage slaw, cucumbers, tomatillo egg salad
dinner: mustard chicken leg baked in butter, mad veggies