Homemade Food is Great!

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Here are my ideas on why I think it’s better to make your own food.  Now, as a warning, I’m not saying that everything is backed by evidence,  but I believe for the most part everything I say is reasonable.  I’m planning on taking some classes and may eventually become a registered dietician, so these things interest me.  I think food is awesome.  I also think that cooking for yourself or others is going to allow for you to make better decisions about food.  

I strive to eat only food that I make, however, I admit that sometimes it is just easier to buy pre-made food items.  But, why do I strive to make all of my food?  I mean, many foods today are fortified with vitamins and minerals that we need.  That, supposedly, means that when we eat frozen foods, like...(I can’t think of many)... Hungry Man, we’re eating a large portion of our recommended daily intake of nutrients.  But, look at the salt content, or the sugar content, or look at all the chemicals that you don’t know of and have never heard of before on the ingredients list.  Sometimes there is close to a gram or more of salt in some of these foods.  And this is for 15 oz of food!  That’s a bit disproportionate.  Salt is a taste intensifier, it is almost indispensable when making food.  But, like everything else, too much is not good.  And, since you bought a pre-made food item, you can’t control how much salt you put in your entree.  

Next, there are about 60 grams of sugar in the 15 oz package, about the same amount of sugar as there is in a 20 oz can of pop! That’s just ridiculous.  The reason why it doesn’t taste overly sweet is mainly due to some of those chemicals.  A few of them are acids that help dissolve the sugar and give the food a tangy taste.  Sugar is not good for you!!  And we’re bombarded by it.  

Just imagine if you’re drinking pop:

Look at how much sugar that is!!!

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Or another way of thinking about it, is about three Cadbury Bunny Eggs have the same amount of sugar that’s in a 20 oz. can of pop.  I remember when I was younger and my sweet tooth was in full effect, I could barely finish two of those things.  So, if you’re actively trying to lose weight, stop drinking those pops, even the diet ones.  Here is a list of problems that can be caused or exacerbated by sugar: http://rheumatic.org/sugar.htm
Also, check the label of food you buy regularly, you may be a bit surprised by how much sugar is hiding behind it’s exterior.

And, the chemicals, what exactly are they?  Some are fine, just the scientific name for a common ingredient.  But, others are preservatives, or additives.  The worrying thing here is that many additives or preservatives, like anything else, can be detrimental to your health and not just your waistline.  In those diet sodas, the sweeteners have been shown to cause cancer, or even to promote weight gain.  “Sucralose is marketed under the name Splenda. Some studies have suggested that although it is used as a sugar substitute it may actually promote weight gain. There is also some evidence that sucralose could have a harmful effect on the digestive system.” (http://www.notjustthekitchen.com/health-beauty/what-is-sweetening-your-diet-soda/)  

Now, I hope you understand why I strive to make all of my food.

1. I know what goes in, and how much
2. I don’t add barely researched chemicals to my food
3. I can monitor what goes in my food
4. It’s fun, especially if you have somebody helping you
5. Finally, I can make it taste good!!!

That’s got to be one of the most important things there is about making food for yourself.  You can make it taste good.  And, if you can’t, experiment with it until you do; that’s what I did.  I can look in my fridge and take anything out, season it with something familiar or try some brand new combination of herbs/spices and it’ll taste good.  (In fact, I may just write down a few of my spice combos for you to try later.)

To bring this back full circle about the fortified nutrients in pre-made food.  Why would they have to be fortified?  Are the foods stripped of those nutrients, then added back in later; and why would they do this?  I don’t know.  I like to remind myself of a simple quote, “Quality in, quality out.”  Quality foods, like spinach, don’t need to be fortified because, naturally, they already are.  
So, eat food you make.  You’ll be healthier, you’ll know exactly what you’re eating, and you’re setting a good example for those that may be watching and looking for inspiration.  A good recipe was my last post :) mmm... beans.

Tell me in the comment section if dieting, or losing weight is on your New Year's resolution.  Or, if you have a different resolution, you can post that, too.

In my next post I’m going to go over how I believe we can lose weight.  It may not be as exciting as saying you’re on the newest fad diet.  But, at least, if you stick to a simple enough routine, you can say after one year that you have probably kept off much more weight.