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<p>Just curious, honey is a natural anti-bacterial, doesn’t it kill the beneficial bacteria in yogurt when added to it ? </p>
<p>I don’t eat yogurt but grow my own kefir. Honey will just kill my kefir grains.</p>
<p>I use a lot of Splenda and my joints are arching worse. I just chalk it up to old age but now I wonder if I should cut it out. I am diabetic so I need a source of sweetener. I tried Stevia but I found the taste weird. It has a bitter after taste.</p>
<p>A news report stated that just last week Florida became the first state to fully regulate commericial honey. And a few months back I read a very good piece in the Seattle Times (or was it the late great Seattle Post-Intelligencer?) about misdeeds in the commercial honey business. As an earlier poster said, much imported honey is suspect and poor oversight or lack thereof in China has a hand in it. It is getting to where that you can’t put any faith in the quality and safety of food products from China.</p>
<p>Munchkin,
I have no idea about killing bacteria by honey. That would be an interesting research on internet or asking your doc. You got me wondering, but I will continue with honey, just love it too much. I have no problem with stomack. The reason I eat yougurt is that I love taste of it mixed with powder chocolate and honey. Anyway, I also have read that we need to listen to our body and avoid foods that we do not like, there is a reason for it. I follow that advice, it makes sense, makes eating more enjoyable too.</p>
<p>Speaking of China, and off topic here…I was in Walmart the other day and I passed by freezer advertising Wild Alaskan Salmon… a whole filet for 6 bucks! I promptly picked one up turned it over to learn more from the label, and where is it from?? China! NO THANKS!
Then again, at The Great Walmart of China, I’m not sure what else to expect. They do have cheap Stoneyfield Yogurt though…the greek kind that I like. Now THATS not from China.
Anway, I read that you should by natural raw honey…that the regular clear and pretty stuff is processed just like everything else.</p>
<p>I have been using “real” maple syrup as a sweetener - one tablespoon. I like it better than honey.</p>
<p>Wild Alaskan salmon from China? Is there an Alaska in China?</p>
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<p>No one absolutely needs anything that has no nutritional value. It is all about wanting it.</p>
<p>“Is there an Alaska in China?”
Maybe Sarah Palin thinks so…lol.
Anyway, I can’t believe the labeling either. Crazy…</p>
<p>OK, so Sarah is responsible for food labeling also? I will be laughing whole day long, thanks for uplifting comment!</p>
<p>I’m surprised no one has mentioned cancer.</p>
<p>And no, it does not cause it.</p>
<p>Slightly off-topic, but did anyone read Michael Pollan’s article in the NY Times Magazine on Sunday. One of his points: you’ll lose weight if you cook/prepare all your meals from scratch (basically–no processed foods). It’s an excellent article and I’d recommend it to anyone interested food/cooking/health.</p>
<p>Haven’t read the NY Times article and I do not want to turn this thread into a ‘weight loss’ mantra, but we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that limited pre-prepared and restaurant meals helps us lose weight. The “secret” is that such meals typically have excessive amounts of carbohydrates [including sugar], fats and salt. Limit those elements and with a dose of exercise, you’ll drop some pounds.</p>
<p>OK…I did read the Micheal Pollan article. And his books, (In Defense of Food and Omnivores Dilemma).
I agree with most of what he says.
I have been staying away from processed food for months…and I haven’t lost an ounce. I just need to eat less…and that’s hard to do. Or start running which I can’t because of my bum knee. Excuses, excuses. (My friend down the street eats plenty of junk and is SKINNY…oh how I wish I had those genes).
Really though, I don’t care exclusively about losing weight…although I’d love to. I just want to know what I am eating. It’s pretty simple.<br>
I have more time on my hands…business is slow…so I’m cooking more too. I like it. One of the benefits of the downturn…</p>
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<p>That’s what people say to me. They think it’s all in my genes. It ain’t the genes. Genes play a role, but there is still a lot of work and careful attention involved (see post #32). My five siblings and I come from the same gene pool, and we were all skinny when young. But the only one besides me who hasn’t got a significant weight problem in middle age is one of my sisters who also constantly trims her calories and exercises a lot.</p>
<p>Here’s the secret formula:
Calories eaten < calories used = skinny
Calories eaten > calories used = weight problem</p>
<p>It ain’t the genes.</p>
<p>coureur…I don’t want to derail this thread but science disagrees with you.
some of us have to work harder to keep weight off. It’s just the way it is.
I was skinny when I was young too. All of us siblings have struggled as we got older.
Most folks do. But I know of a few who don’t exercise, eat and drink whatever they want, and never get fat. Rare but it happens. It IS the genes.<br>
[Genetics</a> effect causing weight problems](<a href=“http://www.weightlossforall.com/genetics-predisposition-weight-problems.htm]Genetics”>http://www.weightlossforall.com/genetics-predisposition-weight-problems.htm)</p>
<p>As I said, genes play a role. But if you follow the secret formula and expend more calories than you take in you will lose weight no matter what your genes.</p>
<p>People sometimes comment to me “If I had your genes I’d be skinny too.” But I look at all the high-calorie food piled on their plates and their constant snacking and think “If I ate your diet I’d be fat too.”</p>
<p>^^^
Agreed.
A bit sensitive I guess since I’m a very careful and healthy eater, and exercise regularly but still struggle. And I’ve gained 10 pounds in the last year with no change in eating or exericse habits. Yikes. It’s just getting harder…and I will just need to try harder.<br>
I KNOW most people who are slim and trim are working hard to be there. But I know a few who don’t (for sure) and it’s annoying!</p>
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<p>You may want to take a look at some of the gestational diabetes (pregnancy diabetes) diets out there. Pregnant women are generally prohibited by their obstreticians from consuming any kind of artificial sweeteners, and then again prohibited by their diabetes counselors from eating any kind of sugar. The answer, generally, is a very healthy one – eat fruit (and then, even, some fruits are much more suited to a diabetic diet than others – for example, apples and plums over bananas), honey and real maple syrup when in need of something sweet, each in moderation. Eat brown rice instead of white, yams instead of white potatoes (all in moderation) and always, always, always eat your carbs/sugars in combination with proteins.</p>