Health
Habits
Food
Weight 
Ask Darya
Want to ask me a question?
I absolutely love helping people find answers to their food and health questions. The only problem is that there are so many of you I can’t keep up.
If your question can be answered with Google or using the search bar at the top of the page, please try those options first.
If you have a quick question about your own healthstyle that I can answer easily in a few sentences, feel free to ask in the comments to the right and I’ll try to get to it in the next few weeks.
Thank you for helping keep my inbox manageable.
Cheers,
Darya
1,842 responses so far
You deserve to feel great, look great and LOVE your body
Let me show you how with my FREE starter kit for getting healthyand losing weight without dieting.
Where should I send your free information?
So i’ve been taking your website to heart. i’ve shifted from a spring/summer breakfast of cheerios with vanilla yogurt to homemade muesli- just wanted to point out its even easier than cheerios for a time pressed morning. I put my 1/4 cup of homemade muesli (my batch will last me about a month and includes rolled oats, rolled barley, slivered almonds, shredded coconut, craisins- next time i’ll try dried apricots) in a plastic container and stir in 1/2 cup of lowfat plain yogurt (just got Wallaby and am loving it) and put it in the fridge overnight. In the morning I can eat it at home if I’m on time or bring it with me if I’m not. I’m still adjusting to the less sugar, but I do like it.
So what we’re still struggling to integrate easily is the other whole grains for dinner starches. We do brown rice about 1/2 the time. Potatoes (roasted or mashed w/ skins) about 1/4 the time. Before I found your site we’d started really enjoying a no-knead homemade whole wheat bread. (yummy). Is homemade whole wheat bread really only marginally better than white bread? It seems like even if its milled its still less processed and not the same stuff they put in ‘whole grain’ froot loops. In the next few weeks I’ll try quinoa and barley.
Great questions! A sprinkle of cinnamon on your muesli will help make it taste sweeter. I also recommend dates and pecans as a nice way to mix it up.
I occasionally make the no knead bread with wheat I grind myself at home. I think that is fine to do occasionally (1-2x mo), but if you’re trying to lose weight and still struggling this may be a reason. You’ll like the quinoa, and I recommend trying farro over barley. It isn’t as sticky, though the grains have a similar texture, so it is easier to mix into stir fries, salads, etc. It is seriously my favorite grain ever. If you can’t find it in the supermarket try a natural food store or Italian deli.
Honestly though, lentils and beans are my go-to starches in the evening. They are filling, taste great and support weight loss better than grains.
Also, I skip starches with dinner a lot of the time, and just make a bigger batch of veggies. If you haven’t tried my cauliflower recipe yet, you may never eat a potato again 😉
http://summertomato.com/roasted-curried-cauliflower-to-die-for/
I live in Berkeley, CA and am wondering what kind of tomatoes would do well here.
I’m more of an eater than a gardener. Sorry I can’t be much help on this one.
Ok I am curious about foods with vitamins or supplements that would supply me with healthier skin.
I have had sun poisoning four or more times. I have been swollen and purple coming back home, mostly from MLB games. Now even a day in the sun, I get skin like beef jerky. Dry, brittle and sometimes bleeding. I don’t eat bleeding beef jerky. I don’t think I’d like that much.
Is there a consistent diet I can eat to keep healthier skin, and go outside in the summer?
You should check with a dermatologist and read up yourself. My initial thoughts would be to try reducing inflammation by cutting out sugar, grains and dairy, and see if it makes a difference. I’ve also heard vitamin C, E and a variety of fatty acids can help with collagen formation and skin regeneration.
Thanks Darya,
The swelling, drying, cracking did go down in a few days.
I did use, a lotion. Not medical but still felt girly to apply 3 times daily. Seems to work though.
I recently stumbled upon your website and I love it! It’s really difficult to discern between nutrition fact and fiction in our current consumer culture, so it’s awesome to have a trusted source. 🙂 I just watched the “Dairy: Friend or Foe?” episode. You mentioned that you are lactose intolerant and therefore don’t drink milk. If I may, I’d like to ask what (if anything) you substitute for milk in your diet (like soy milk, rice milk. etc.). I stay away from dairy milk because of the hormones; I drink soy milk instead. I’ve heard a lot of people talking about connections between soy and breast cancer, though, so I’m wondering if I shouldn’t drink that either. Can you offer any insight?
I don’t use a lot of milk type products, but when I do I usually pick almond or coconut milk, always unsweetened. I stopped drinking soy milk because of GMOs and because it is hard to tell when beans come from China, which I won’t touch due to potential contamination. Soy contains chemicals called phytoestrogens, which can supposedly mimic estrogen in the body. High estrogen levels can lead to breast cancer, which is why obesity (fat contains an enzyme that produces estrogen) and alcohol (increases the activity of that enzyme) increase breast cancer risk. However, despite they phytoestrogens, soy consumption is linked to lower breast cancer risk. So there’s clearly something else going on. It’s hard to tell the exact impact, since many of the studies are sponsored by the soy industry, but I think it is safe to say that moderate amounts of soy are fine. The bigger issue seems to be its potential impact on thyroid, so I’d certainly limit soy to a handful of servings per week. But I don’t think there’s any reason to avoid it completely.
Hi, Darya!
I loved your Balsamic Asparagus and Carrots recipe, but I’m wondering if you could please suggest another easy, delicious way to prepare asparagus. I never really cooked asparagus until recently, and I’m still developing my appreciation for the vegetable.
Thanks so much!
Honestly, I really love asparagus raw, and chop it up and put it in salads all the time. It also pairs beautifully with eggs (brown some leeks then add small chopped asparagus until bright green, then add eggs and scramble), seafood (especially crab), mushrooms (try with morels if you can find them) or lentils. Honestly you can add it to almost anything, but I always recommend adding a splash of acid, either lemon or sherry vinegar, etc.
I’ve decided to mostly eat asparagus with eggs…I have now found my appreciation of asparagus!
The NY Times just did a great article on asparagus and eggs. It’s a favorite of mine too! Here’s the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/dining/asparagus-and-eggs-take-center-stage-a-good-appetite.html?_r=1&smid=fb-nytimes&WT.mc_id=DI-SM-E-FB-SM-LIN-AET-060911-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click
Hey Darya!
Just a quick question today: how often should you eat meat (and how much)? That’s it! Thank you!
Hi Julianne,
The answer to that question will vary for everyone. I assume you’re talking about red meat (mammals)? In my experience, people who need to lose a lot of weight (20+ lbs) do better at first on a low-carb, high protein diet. Those people can eat more meat and vastly improve their health and drop weight. People who want to lose less weight will probably lose more by keeping meat in smaller portions and less often. However if you’re not very fit and are also beginning a workout routine and trying to build muscle, more meat can help with this. For myself, I am already very fit and muscular, and if I eat more meat I get a little bigger than I prefer to be. I am happiest at 1-2 times per week, but I also eat a lot of fish and other animal products, like eggs. Sorry for the convoluted answer, but it’s a complicated topic.
I also want to emphasize that the quality of meat is very important. Look for grass-fed, pastured beef. This will cut down on food poisoning risk, and be more nutritious.
Does this help?
dp
Yeah this does help! I am definitely adding more fish to my healthstyle lately, on the subject of protein and building muscle though, is it possible to change the way your muscles look? I mean, I am extremely self-conscious about my legs because I have really big leg muscles, but I’ve heard it said that this can just be genetics. Is that true? Or can I change that through diet and workout? I’m just getting started with my healthsyle 🙂 and am still figuring out how to implement these things. And I do probably need to lose about 10 pounds (of fat).
Sooo… I used to think I had really big leg muscles and I hated it. I’m happy to report I solved it with a couple tactics. The main thing is that I started balancing my workouts. I used to do a ton of cardio thinking it would burn fat. Mostly that just made my legs big. Now I focus more on strength training (I do about 30 min cardio now, I used to do hours). I built up my upper body so I look more even, it didn’t bulk me up, just made my arms look as toned as my legs. Then I realized I was neglecting my hamstrings in order to avoid working out my quads. Adding lunges and squats was the best thing I ever did for my legs to change their shape and make them lean, which for me was a key factor. To shrink them, I’ve found that limiting protein and working out less often can help a lot (but don’t be sedentary – walk more to compensate). I know these things are counterintuitive, but it worked for me.
Hi Darya,
I found your response to Julianne’s question helpful.
I, too, am concerned about my body shape. I have a BMI of about 20, but have a small frame and most of the meat on me is on my thighs and rear (and it’s not all firm muscle). While I’m not particularly concerned about losing weight, I’m wondering how much protein I should be ingesting on a daily basis to look more lean.
Similar to what you mentioned, I had been doing cardio (running), but found that it was making my legs larger, so I will try your suggestion to moderate that and do lunges and squats. Weight training to even out my muscles on the upper part of my body is a good idea, too.
I’m 30, female, have never had a weight issue, but am making a conscious effort to eat more veggies, intact grains, and to reduce my (already low) intake of sugars and (currently moderate) intake of breads/pasta. (And I love your blog!)
Sorry if that was a lot of specific personal info, but I wanted to give you the best picture– I eat a lot of eggs, beans, and low-fat yogurt. How much protein do I really need to function and be healthy?
Thank you!
Honestly you don’t need much protein at all, just enough to feel satisfied after each meal. Sounds like you and me have identical body types, so yes I strongly recommend keeping up the things you’ve been recently started (weights, eating well, etc.). You’ll never look back. I’ve also been playing around with kettlebells lately and have found it to do wonders for the posterior region 😉
Now I’m off to the gym!
Hi Darya,
Your recent link to a Serious Eats recipe for bean salad reminded me how much I love bean salads but can’t eat them because of unfortunate side effects like bloating, and sometimes acid reflux. You mentioned you eat Bean/lentil/grain salads regularly. Is it unusual that I can’t digest beans well? Or are there tricks one can use to make them more easily digestible. I already take daily Omeprazole and an occasional Zantac. So I was only wondering if there are more natural ways to make beans easy to digest.
Thanks,
TD.
Hi TD,
A lot of people have trouble digesting canned beans, but have you tried buying dry beans, soaking them overnight then cooking them the old fashioned way? For most people this will totally eliminate the bloating problems.
Cheers,
Darya
TD, I eat a lot of beans and I have found that adding fat helps me digest them easily. I cook them with a little oil in the water and I add olive oil or cheese if I am eating them cold, or re-fry in butter or oil. I make variations on this recipe weekly:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/panfried-corona-beans-kale-recipe.html
Thanks Darya and Samantha for your input. I have only eaten chickpeas and red kidney beans from cans, the rest of the beans I have cooked were all from scratch. I soaked them overnight then used a pressure cooker to cook the beans. Now I am wondering whether pressure cooking doesn’t break the beans down enough to be digestible. I mostly add canola or olive oil when eating beans, but that hasn’t made much of a difference.
Thanks for your help.
Hmmm. Have you experimented with things like Bean-O or probiotics? http://summertomato.com/probiotics-fermented-foods-video/
Hi Darya, I have never tried Bean-o or a regular probiotics routine. I eat plain yogurt occasionally, but after listening to your podcast on probiotics I realized that amount may never be enough. I might try kefir next month and see if that makes a difference. I am also really inspired by your love for kimchi and might finally give it a try. I don’t even know where to find it!
Thanks for your input.
-TD.
Try getting rid of the water few times when you cook the beans. After soaking rinse and cook in new water. After an hour of cooking change the water again and continue cooking. Then before eating rinse the beans well. I know this might get rid of some nutrients, but this has prevented me from having gas. Sometimes I only rinse after soaking and just before eating. Also adding cumin to it will definitely reduce the gas problem.
Darya,
I’ve been following along now for awhile and really enjoy the nutrition discussions. I’ve been trying to eliminate sugar and processed foods from my diet – a la Taubes to a degree because I’m know I’m insulin resistant (on Synthroid as well) and may have issues with gluten (I love breads but seem to get sick after eating it sometimes- mainly it gives me hiatal hernia symptoms).
I was wondering if you had ever posted what you eat during the course of a week? I’m just curious as to what your daily meals look like. That and when I am pressed for time, I’d like to have it in my head that there are other options than a Wendy’s (or other) chix salad. I’m not looking for recipes or a diet plan, just a good example of a heathstyle that’s all put together. You probably eat more carbs than I do (diet plan is low carb) but any info is helpful. I’ve searched around but not found it. Thanks!!
Susan
Yeah, I’ve been meaning to do this for a long time but I always fail after a couple days. I just forget to take pics. I’ll try to start again next week – I’m out of town this weekend 🙂
Of course, AFTER writing the above I started going back through the comments and found your healthstyle podcast. Will be listening to that over lunch today!
I do need to lose quite a bit of weight, but Atkins makes me crazy for veggies. I’m trying more Taubes with slow carb added in. I know I’m carb sensitive, so I’m still trying to work it all out, but I’m trying to lose weight first, then add more carbs in (it’s a trade off I know).
While I hate to ask about a specific product, what do you think about Trader Joe’s frozen steelcut oatmeal? http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/trader-joes/steel-cut-oatmeal-individually-frozen-servings/
It has 7g of sugar, but I completely suck at making & freezing my own oatmeal (and it never microwaves properly). Is this whole-grain and low enough sugar to be a good substitute for home-made?
THANKS!!!
Hi Susan,
I’m not sure if you’re a Tomato Slice subscriber, but the next episode (on Tuesday) is about Weight Loss Tips and Tricks. I’ll be answering a lot of those questions then. Also, I’m was planning on sending out a newsletter either today or tomorrow about how to judge the quality of packaged foods (hint: I can’t tell anything from the link you sent me). This will be a blog post eventually as well, but that will likely take a little longer.
Stay tuned 🙂
dp
Hi Darya –
Can you make any recommendations on diet choices for folks suffering from OCD? What sort of relationship is there between diet and mental illness? Can a bad diet exacerbate mental illness like OCD or depression? Can better diet choices alleviate or help manage symptoms from such conditions?
Thanks for the awesome website. My wife and I are big fans.
Jon
I have no idea what the research says on this & am interested to see the reply to this question – one place I did read some suggestions on this topic was in Dr. Daniel Amen’s “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life” – if I remember correctly he said that eating more carbohydrates – I think grains and potatoes – was helpful for people with OCD and anxiety.
Again, I have no idea if this has been proven anywhere else – I know for myself it seems to be sort of true, but my physical health seems to thrive on a lower carbohydrate diet, so it’s a bit of a balancing act.
http://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Brain-Life-Obsessiveness/dp/0812929985/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1306208799&sr=8-3
Hi Jon,
I don’t know about OCD specifically, but I do know that sugar can exacerbate many attentional disorders. Processed grains may as well.
Regarding the role of diet in metal illness, there is some evidence that omega-3 fatty acids having benefit in reducing risk of schizophrenia, and Mediterranean diet patterns (lots of fish and oils, few sugars, whole grains, etc.) seem to be beneficial in protecting against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
I think there is a lot of potential for diet to impact cognition, but the science is still very young. Generally I would advise that the brain is mostly made of fat, so ensuring healthy ratios of good fats (unprocessed vegetable oils and fish) are likely beneficial. Also, B vitamins and potentially fat soluble vitamins (D, E, etc.) may be helpful. However I would warn that high doses of anything can be dangerous, so stick to recommended doses, and preferably get them from food instead of supplements.
My question is about donating blood. Every few months I head down to Carter Bloodcare and donate some blood. After each visit I am presented with a choice of fruit drinks (most of them are “100% fruit juice”) and a pile of various cookies to choose from.
Are these the best choices for a post-donation “rejuve”? Wouldn’t a piece (or a couple pieces) of fruit be a better choice, or is there something in processed cookies that is better than real fruit for this situation?
Thanks!
You’re right to be suspicious Tully. I think those are generally bad choices. When I donate blood I skip the treats and bring my own healthy snacks. Whole fruit is great.
Hey Darya,
I just StumbledUpon your website the other day at work when I was recipe browsing. I love it! My sister is moving in with me in a couple weeks and the farmers markets just started up again- I live in the Midwest so it’s not year-round 🙁 I can’t wait to make some of your recipes for her!
Anyway, so I’ve been watching some of your past live episodes, and you recommend a lot of interesting sounding books. Can you post of list of some of the best books you’ve read about different aspects of eating habits that you talk about in your live sessions?
Thanks!
…like maybe an extra tab at the top for just a bank of “external links” 🙂
Hi Nicole,
If you look under the Goodies tab there is a section for books with little mini-reviews from me. It’s pretty up to date. You can also browse my Shelfari page http://www.shelfari.com/daryapino
🙂
Thank you!
Hi Darya,
Thanks for a great website and your time and dedication to it. I have a question if you don’t mind. I’ve been diagnosed with a fairly rare eye disease called Keratoconus. There seems to be a lot of research and many different treatments but no real idea of an underlying cause.
A Dr. Cristina Kenney, Professor and Director of Laboratory Research at UC Irvine’s Department of Ophthalmology, recommended in a video: http://www.optometry.co.uk/multimedia/view-video?id=691267026001 I watched that eating a diet or taking supplements that would promote healthy collagen (production/growth?) and also anti-oxidants may be beneficial. I wanted to know if you had any ideas on healthy additions to a diet that would promote said collagen and/or anti-oxidants. I’m more aware of anti-oxidant type foods as people do talk about them for other reasons but this is a bit more specific.
I don’t even know if simply eating foods can somehow filter through to your eye, so I’m not sure if it would even help but like I said, it couldn’t hurt to try!
Thanks if you can help!
Hi Jim,
Unfortunately I don’t have much to add to the doctor’s recommendations. The only other thing would be to watch for inflammation, which might makes things worse. Monica Reinagel wrote a book on an anti-inflammation diet that may be useful.
Good luck,
Darya
No worries Darya, thanks for taking the time to reply!
Hi, Darya! I’m a graduate student about to take a two-day exam tomorrow(!). Any advice on eating habits during extended periods of intense thinking and writing?
Sorry I just got to this! I was gonna say that of all times, during exams I tended to eat more carbs (even sweets… shhhh) and drop weight like crazy. Your brain is a huge source of your calorie burning and it needs food to function!
No worries, it was a last minute question! Eating during the two day exam didn’t quite go as planned. The exam on the first day was so busy/difficult/crazy that most people, including myself, didn’t even eat lunch. =[ I did manage to snack on almonds and drink lots of water.
On the second day, I ate a mostly high protein lunch with vegetables and snacked on mixed nuts. But it all turned out okay, because my body was in a completely different state and didn’t seem to care about food as much. I did (unintentionally) end up losing some weight!
Hi Darya, I was wondering, because I’m a little worried that my mom is still smiking; Are there certain foods that can curb the nagging urge to smoke? I’m not going to be living with her much longer, but I want to make sure she’s on her way to better health before I move out.
Hi Lauren,
I get that question a lot but I haven’t read anything about and breaking a smoking habit. However exercise is supposed to help, and eating well makes exercise easier. Sorry I’m not more helpful on this one 🙁
xo
dp
Hey Darya! Just wanted to say thanks for all your enthusiastic praise of Bar Jules because I got the burger (with cheese and bacon) there when I visited 2 weeks ago and it was amazing! My favorite meal of the trip (and my 2nd favorite burger ever next to the one at Lazy Ox in LA) also had a chocolate eclair at Tartine that was perfect, kimchi pancake at Namu, tons of stuff at forageSF’s underground market (if you haven’t been you have to! def recommend the bim bim bop vendor and the pork belly banh mi), heart wine (loved it), Oliveto in Rockridge- all so good! Want to go back already 🙂
Wow, sounds like an amazing trip! Glad you had a good time 🙂
What do you think of erythritol versus xylitol? I am metabolically sensitive to high glycemic foods and generally follow a paleo diet. But I will do some cooking with coconut and almond flour and like to sweeten it with a low glycemic sugar. Thanks 🙂
I don’t know about any big differences between these. I’d choose based on taste and just understand that it isn’t the healthiest thing in your diet.
Hi! I’m Molly, I’m 13, and I live in the northeastern United States. I live with my parents and my two brothers, who are 19 and 22. We are not a particularly wealthy family, so we cannot afford much organic, natural food, and my parents grew up in the Midwest, so they are meat-and-potatoes people. I feel that we have meaty, unnatural foods a lot, and I would like some more fruit-and-vegetable-based meals, but recipes that my parents are willing to try often have exotic, expensive ingredients that we do not have in our kitchen. I would also like to replace some of our foods, like replacing our generic-brand peanut butter with organic, more healthy peanut butter, and getting more fresh fruit and vegetables. I have become extremely conscious of the food that we eat and would like to change things, but doing so is very expensive and is something that we cannot afford. What do you suggest?
Hi Molly,
Thanks for writing, you are not alone with this problem. The good news is that you don’t have to rely just on organic ingredients to eat better, and regular vegetables like broccoli, kale, cauliflower are a great addition and you can find them anyway. There’s nothing wrong with meat, so long as you are still getting your vegetables. If you find a recipe with ingredients you can’t find, feel free to search for substitutes or just leave them out. Don’t let limitations like that stop you from eating healthy.
My last recommendation is to work hard in school, get good grades and in a few years pick a college in a place that has values closer to your own. I went to Berkeley for college and the food choices there blew me away compared to what I could get at home, and I even grew up in Southern California (which isn’t that bad). Keep educating yourself about food and be creative about solving your problems, and be confident that one day it will be easier for you.
And of course feel free to shoot me emails if you have specific questions 🙂
Darya
Thanks, Darya! My parents are buying more fruits and veggies. I do plan on doing well in school and going to a good college. I love your site 🙂
I have a slightly underactive thyroid, but according to my doctor it is slight enough to where I don’t have to take medication right away. Is there anything supplementally, with food, etc. that I should do/avoid in order to naturally help it out so it doesn’t turn into something more severe? Any help or guidance would be appreciated!
Hi Laura,
I don’t know a lot about thyroid specific issues, but it seems staying away from soy is a good idea. You can read more about it here:
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/soyinfo/a/soy.htm
Also, hypothyroid is associated with low iodine intake. Be sure you’re getting enough iodine from iodized salt.
What brands of canned fish do you like? I eat meat rarely but as I run more I crave more protein, and I’d like to eat more fish. However, every kind purchased so far I have opened and then (sorry) thrown away because I was so icked out. I’ve tried smoked herring and canned sardines from Trader Joe’s.
Look for boneless and skinless, it helps a lot. Unfortunately the best ones tend to be expensive. The $5 cans of salmon from Whole Foods are my fave.
A couple of questions since I’m new to this:
I love my morning iced latte (1 cup lowfat organic milk, 2 shots espresso, 1.5 tsp sugar). I could have it with equal instead of sugar, but I am not big on ingesting chemicals. Would it be better to do that or to slowly scale back the sugar in my latte? (aka a couple of weeks at a tsp, then cut it in half, etc) I feel like it’s harder to cut back on artificial sweeteners for some reason.
I was looking at the list of things with surprisingly high sugar, and was suprised that milk was on that list. By this rationale, wouldn’t a fruit salad that had banana, peach, blueberries, strawberries and grapes be much worse sugar-wise than the crispy cream doughnut? Obviously the fruit salad would be a better choice health-wise, but especially with all this hubbub about fructose, what do you make of that? It just confuses me. By that same token, shouldn’t the sugar in milk be less harmful than that in the doughnut since it’s natural (though milk is still somewhat processed?)
And finally, with all these veggies and beans, how do you keep from being, well, crazily gassy? I hate the idea of having to take a pill like beano or something all the time.
Finally, I used your recipe for the perfectly steamed artichoke last night and it was absolutely heavenly.
Thanks!
Rachel
Hi Rachel,
Lots of questions! For the sugar in your latte, you’re right that real sugar is better than fake sugar and scaling it back slowly is your best bet. That’s what I did and now I usually drink coffee black and if I do add cream it tastes almost as sweet as ice cream, without any sugar at all.
The sugar in milk (lactose) is different from the sugar in a doughnut (sucrose) and unless you’re intolerant it is fine. Also, natural fructose in fruits is not nearly as bad for you as fructose that has been processed. I posted an article about this a few weeks ago during a Friday link post if you want to check it out. So yes, the doughnut is still worse.
Regarding gas, I’m happy to say I’ve totally solved this problem. First, make sure when you cook beans you start with the dry ones and soak them first. This will solve most of your problems. For additional benefit, start eating probiotic foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, etc. These have completely solved all my digestive problems, which I had since childhood.
Hope this helps!
Rachel, I’m a relative newbie here too- (a couple months) and I used to have about 4 desserts a day. Coffee w/ 3 sugars and cream, vanilla yogurt w/ fruit and granola afternoon cookie/ or candy at work and then ‘dessert’ after dinner. (the only one I thought of as dessert.) I switched to tea for a couple weeks on a sugar fast and have now added coffee back a few times a week with the cream but without the sugar. Most days I have green or black tea.
I think the sugar in yogurt needs an asterisk because the label doesn’t differentiate between lactose and fructose.
I will say that I’ve definitely found that if I have beans regularly I don’t get as gassy- but it has to be several times a week. Dairy is similar for me- I don’t have problems having small amounts of dairy regularly, but I get gassy and have a stomach ache if I suddenly dramatically increase my intake- I used to occasionally have a “Steamer” and that was always a bad idea.
good luck’
Becky
Hi,
I just found your site, and love it. I am also a biology undergrad, love food and exercise. I am currently 30 lbs overweight, 5′ 4″ 150 lbs. I know that my eating habits have been pretty bad over the last few years. I did lose 25 lbs in a couple of month fasting, which I loved, but is not something I can do long term. I just started hiking 5 days a week for an hour and 15 mins on a pretty tough mountain in Phoenix. In addition to that i am eating about 1500 calories a day, mostly raw veggies and a little bit of lean protein and fruits.
What do you suggest I eat while exercising this strenuously to drop this next 30 lb? Thank you so much
Hi Debrorah D,
Beans are my favorite source of energy for workouts. I feel great eating them and they don’t make you gain weight. But as I mentioned above, I recommend getting dried beans and soaking them before cooking them. It will prevent you from having digestive problems. Intact grains like oats and brown rice are great for energy as well. Also, don’t fell like you have to eat raw vegetables. They are great, but you do get additional nutrients from cooking vegetables too. A healthy diet includes both. Good luck and let me know if you need more help.
Cheers,
Darya
Hey Darya,
I’m a relative new comer to the site. I’m glad I’m an avid Diggnation fan or I probably would have never found this awesome site.
Here goes my question.
I’ve been going to gym 3-5 times a week for a couple a months now. I’ve noticed significant gains in strength, but not much change in my appearance. I’m 23 years old, im not overweight, I just seem to lack muscle definition. I was wondering if using powdered protein supplements would be a good idea to gain some muscle, but im worried about the amount of sugar some of these products have.
Would you happen to have any suggestion as to what I can take in order to gain muscle? Thanks 🙂
Hi Noks415,
I’m always glad to help Diggnation fans! If you are gaining strength you are gaining muscle. For more definition you’ll need to continue strength training and also work to lose body fat. I don’t recommend protein supplements for a regular person just trying to get toned. Focus on natural sources of protein instead. To lose fat, eat the way I suggest here, focus on cutting out sugar and processed grains (processed foods in general). Eat mostly natural, whole foods, eat slowly and do not overeat. Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re satisfied. It sounds simple, but it works wonders.
Let me know if you need more help.
dp
I wouldn’t recommend protein powders, either. They are usually heat processed which can destroy the proteins and create toxins. And, like you said, they usually have a lot of sugar. There is a product that I take that doesn’t have anything artificial in it–it’s all whole foods carefull dehydrated and ground into a powder to be mixed up as a smoothie–and it contains low-heat processed whey protein. It’s designed specifically for people who work out a lot because it gives our bodies the nutrients it needs in a form that is wholly usable by our bodies because there are no isolates or anything synthetic. I would highly recommend it. I know a lot people who have gotten some really good results from it. You can check out my website to learn more about it: [link removed]. There are also some really great workouts there that will give you the muscle tone you want.
Hi Darya,
What do you think of wheat puffs (not the sugared kind, just plain wheat puffs)? Would you consider them an intact grain, or does the puffing process negatively impact nutrition?
Thanks,
Christine
I have wondered the same thing about puffed rice!
Everything that goes through a process, like being “puffed”? They could be altered. You have to watch labels. Determine for your needs. Sugar or salt.
Darya knows better though.
@Frank: The ingredients list just says “whole wheat, water.” I’m not concerned about sugar or salt here, but rather whether the puffed cereal has as many nutrients as, say, rolled oats. Thanks.
There was a study published several years ago and reported in the popular press (ie. new york times, NPR) about how much pretty minimal processing – as in puffing rice or corn or wheat- changes the the caloric impact of food. As I remember they fed some sort of food pellet to one set of mice or rats, and then a puffed version of the same pellets. Theoretically, both were the same caloric content, but those fed the puffed version gained (*i think*) 30% more wt. maybe Darya knows this study? Obviously, most of us aren’t going to eat only raw food, but most kinds of processing (cooking, puffing, refining) will make it so that our bodies are more efficient at extracting calories. My sense was that it was scientifically sound study, but I didn’t read the original article.
Hi guys,
Unfortunately puffing is a form of processing and makes the food much more digestible. I remember the study Becky mentioned, though I’m having trouble locating it. Certainly there are worse things to eat (e.g. cheesecake), but I wouldn’t consider puffed rice, corn or wheat a good source of intact grains.
hello!
i joined a new program called the Green Bean Deliver, and i get fresh local produce delivered to my door! Now i had green beans delivered a week ago and i forgot about them, they still feel crisp but have some brown on them, are they still safe to cook and eat?
Also do you know where i can find how to eat different kinds of veggies or fruits (like plums?)
Personally I would pick through the beans, throw out any that look super questionable and eat the rest, so long as it isn’t actual growth.
Not sure what you mean by “how to eat”… I always just eat plums raw with my hand. Can you clarify?
Hi Darya,
I notice on your “Farmers Market” posts that you buy eggplant pretty regularly so I was wondering how you cook it. I’ve been experimenting and the only thing that seems to work is using A LOT of olive oil in the cooking. There must be a better recipe!
Cheers,
Sarah
Though I have nothing against oil, it can make eggplant soggy if you use too much. I like to roast eggplant, just toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs if you like. Also, I use this Thai-inspired recipe sometimes and it won over my bf who hated eggplant.
http://daryapino.com/home/2010/12/15/how-i-got-kevin-rose-to-like-eggplant.html
So I have a question for you that may, or may not be a challenge. Are there any tasty salad recipes that don’t include greens like lettuce, spinach, kale, etc.?
I ask this question because my sister isn’t a huge fan of the “lettuce” part of a salad, and neither am I, but I will make a fresh spinach salad once in a while. Instead of regular salad she has been making taco salad with taco meat, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and any other various veggies. Although it’s quite delicious (I mean who doesn’t like tacos?), I would like to cut out the meat part since I already get plenty of meat in my other meals, and it would be nice to bring something easy like that to work.
Thanks for your help!
I actually did this by accident last week, as I cut my thumb badly while chopping the kale for my salad, so was left with everything but the greens. Basically any veggie that you like can be used. Sometimes I do a salad that uses haricots verts (those thin french green beans) which have been blanched. Basically a salad is just something cold with a few ingredients, if you ask me. Here is my favorite lettuce free salad:
Red and yellow peppers
Cucumber
Shredded carrots
Pea pods
Grape Tomatoes
1/4 avocado
Red onion
Chop all of the above really well so that the flavor will be uniform.
Handful of chick peas – for protein
Approx 1 tbsp blue cheese
Since it’s already creamy from the cheese and the avocado, I just tend to use lemon or balsamic vinegar, because otherwise it would be too rich for me personally, and I found that the oil dulls the flavor. You seem to like southwestern flavor, so you could substitute black beans for the chickpeas and cheddar for the blue cheese and maybe add a little lime, cilantro and jicama, or even jalapeno if you like it. It seems like a lot of veggies and chopping, but I can generally pull it together in fifteen minutes.
For the green bean salad, just blanch green beans (Throw them in boiling water then iced water) and add red onion, red pepper, and slice a boiled egg up in an egg slicer, if you have one. I like this with balsamic as well.
Amazing! Thank you!
I know it seems like a simple question to answer, but I just felt like without lettuce there wouldn’t be much to the salad. I had a hard time of thinking of other things I could have so it wouldn’t just feel like a plate of vegetables. I didn’t even think of half of the things you listed. It seems so easy now. Thanks so much!
Thanks Rachel!
I also love to make bean or grain salads. If you’re going to do this, I highly recommend getting good dried beans, soaking them and cooking them yourself rather than going with cans.
What I’ll do is add veggies to about a cup of beans, lentils or grains. I love French radishes, carrots, tomatoes, herbs (especially parsley or cilantro), etc. Then toss it with a vinaigrette (olive oil, red wine or rice vinegar, mustard or miso, salt, pepper and green onion or shallot). Soooo good and very filling.
Sounds great Darya! Thanks for your reply 🙂
I have followed your videos and you say that you are not a big fan of supplements, but what do you mean by supplements? These kind of mix carb, protein and vitamins powder can do any bad for you? Once you work out a lot, although you are not a body builder?
Tks
Roberto
I think all those nutrients are best when they come from food. Why not just eat something healthy?
I am not a fan of supplements, either. Most of them are isolated vitamins and minerals that your body cannot effectively utilize. The best way to get nutrients is from whole foods. However, if you feel like you want to take something to supplement what you eat, I take a supplement that is actually all whole foods that have been very carefully dehydrated (so as not to damage the nutrients) and then ground into a powder that can be made into a delicious smoothie (and it is good). This is not a diet drink–it’s whole foods and it has no caffeine, it’s gluten-free and lactose-free, and it has no artificial anything, and it’s only 130 calories. If you are interested in learning more about it, you can go to my website [link removed – sorry, too spammy]
Hi Darya,
Saw your article on diet soda. I already have type 2 diabetes which is well managed with diet and medication (A1C ranges from 5.7 to 6.1). I don’t drink soda regularly but when I want a gin & tonic, I buy diet tonic water. Would I be better with regular?
Thanks,
–Mike
Great question, Mike. Regular sugar, which has decades of studies showing it to be bad, is still worse than diet. Just be aware that your diet option isn’t ideal and if you can one day switch over to vodka & soda with real lime or lemon you might be better off (also check out my post from Weds, there’s other benefits to vodka soda as well).
Hi Mike,
I also switched over from vodka tonic as my go to drink and the vodka soda with lime is very doable so long as you add a LOT of lime. However, something that helped me a lot was infusing vodka myself. It’s ridiculously easy.
My favorite recipe was one from a Martha Stewart recipe of grapefruit zest and toasted coriander. You use 2 strips of grapefruit zest, (just use a peeler) 1 tablespoon coriander that has been toasted in a pan (heat a pan on medium high and swirl them around for about five minutes) and then crack them roughly. I did this by putting them in a ziplock and rolling a mug over them a few times. Close the mason jar and leave it alone for 3 days. It’s spicy, fruity and smokey and you won’t even miss the tonic! There are a bunch of great infused vodka ideas on the Martha Stewart Living website. The woman scares the bejeezus out of me, but man she knows her vodka! And if any other guy gives you guff for using a Martha recipe, just make him do shots til he regrets it.
If you prefer a straight fruit flavor, you can just google how to infuse vodka or how to make [pineapple, etc] infused vodka.
While these things aren’t SWEET per se, they have a fruity flavor that helps the transition and is just really good. The other thing that helped when I really needed a sweet drink was just to mash up one or two strawberries or blueberries with a fork and throw it into a vodka soda and drink it SLOWLY. I’d go with the infused over this, but it’s better than the corn syrup in tonic to be sure.
Just my 2 cents about what’s been helpful to me.
Cheers,
Rachel
Hi Darya-
I was wondering that is your opinion of Masa Harina as a “whole Grain?”
I am kind go obsessed with making my own corn tortillas right now, but I cant help but think I should go back to my brown rice and quinoa :-/
thoughts?
Thanks!
Helaina
Hi Helaina,
Making your own tortillas is awesome! While I wouldn’t exactly consider it a whole grain, you can certainly find a place for it in your healthy diet. Mix it up and enjoy yourself. If you find you start gaining unwanted weight, maybe cut back a little. Otherwise don’t worry about it 🙂
Darya
Hi, I am wondering if sauteed charred vegetables are a concern? Lately I’ve been sauteing different combinations of vegetables over medium heat for lunch and/or dinner. I usually heat a little bit (about 1 tsp) of olive oil, add onions first, and then add other vegetables like green beans, red bell peppers, and mushrooms after the onions soften up. By the time it’s all done some of the vegetables (especially the onions) are a bit charred. This tastes fantastic but it just occurred to me that maybe I should be worried about the charring. Thank you in advance for your help. I love your website, I have learned so much from it!
Hi Lynne,
While burning can certainly create some carcinogenic chemicals, small amounts of browning are not a big concern and the value of eating and enjoying your vegetables outweighs the risk. Just be sure to avoid foods that are so burnt you can taste the bitterness of over-charring.
dp
Hi Darya,
I like your site very much, both for the all around “healthstyle” tips and for the higher-level scientific analysis/discussions. My question is this ~ up till now I have been doing mostly cardio (running) for my exercise, and I want to shift towards more weight training, but I can’t afford a personal trainer. Can you recommend any resources to get a good introduction to weight training, to get started? It’s hard to figure out how to get started – there is so much information out there that it is a bit overwhelming.
Thanks!
Hi Cecily, you might like to check out The New Rules of Lifting for Women. At $15.95, it’s a lot cheaper than a personal trainer 🙂 I particularly like the combination of exercises geared towards women and the nutrition tips – and recipes! Enjoy, and good luck. 🙂 Liz
Hi Cecily,
I actually learned to lift from a friend/workout partner who used to be a trainer. I haven’t looked into Liz’s suggestion, but it sounds like a good place to start. Personally when I see the trainers at the gym these days they have their clients doing all sorts of crazy movements that often require a partner. I’m sure there’s value in this, activating more muscles, etc. But part of me wonders if they aren’t just trying to make themselves indispensable since the movements are difficult to do and hard to remember without help. I’ve had great luck with good ol’fashioned lifting without all the fancy stuff. Here’s what I do:
http://summertomato.com/my-weekly-workout/
Good luck and let me know if you still need more guidance.
Cheers,
Darya
Thanks to both of you, this is great! I’ll give it a try 🙂
I do an amazing DVD workout led by a personal trainer and am, myself, an independent health coach for the Beachbody company. Beachbody has over 20 workout programs to fit the needs and preferences of anyone, whether you want short workouts or cardio or strength training, muscle confusion, yoga, area-specific–everything. When you buy a program you get multiple DVDs so you aren’t doing the same boring routine everyday. And they are full-service workouts that come with all the equipment you need. And they work–I was amazed when I started it–you get better results than going to a gym. If you’re interested, check out my website: [link removed]
Hi Darya,
According to US and Canadian Dietary Reference Intake guidelines, the daily recommended amount of protein a non-active person should consume is .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. An active person is supposed to consume about twice this amount (found the above info on Wikipedia). Do you agree? If not, how much daily protein do you think is healthiest for a person to consume?
I‘m asking because I think protein consumption is great for weight loss and overall health, but I don’t want to risk long term damage to my kidneys if I eat too much protein.
I am a huge fan of your site, and your incredibly intelligent approach to nutrition. Thanks for your time!
Max S.
Hi Max,
I’ve looked hard for data that too much protein is bad for you (bones, kidneys, etc.), particularly when low-carb diets were very trendy, and I’ve never found any evidence that too much protein is bad for you. That being said, you don’t “need” a lot of it. It’s great for building muscles and increasing satiety while trying to lose weight, but personally I don’t count protein grams. Besides, it’s difficult to calculate how much of the protein you eat is actually bioavailable, since not all proteins are complete. Since you don’t have to worry much about health risk, how much protein you eat is one of those healthstyle trial-and-error things you need to figure out for yourself. I’ve found I’m happier (and thinner) with a little less protein, but others are just the opposite. Just don’t feel like you need to supplement with protein powders, etc. You should be able to get everything you need from food.
Cheers,
Darya
Are there foods and/or eating habits that can help maintain mood and energy levels? As wonderful as Adderall can be, I don’t really qualify for the magic of amphetamine salts according to the DSM, but would love to improve my psychological health and energy levels regardless. In short, I have stuff to do and want to feel good doing it!
Hey Tim,
You might want to try doing selective elimination for awhile. Besides eating a wide variety of whole, seasonal and unprocessed foods, you might look into cutting out sugar, gluten, refined carbohydrates, dairy, etc. for 2 weeks at a time and see if anything helps. Also, fish and omega-3 fatty acids (+ other healthy fats) can sometimes help with mood.
Darya
Thanks Darya. I suppose the lunch I had at Berkeley Dog–Bockworst, onion rings and a Barq’s root beer–don’t help keep my mood and energy up.
Tim
I agree with Darya–we cut out sugar, gluten, and refined carbs and we have a LOT more energy and more stable moods. It’s amazing how foods can have such an impact on us. If you have a hard time eating healthier foods, there’s a whole-foods smoothie that you can get that is made with all the nutrient-packed foods that your body needs and no artificial ingredients or preservatives and it’s gluten-free, lactose-free, and caffeine free. Putting the right whole foods into your diet gets your body back on track and working the way it should and, as a result, you’ll have a lot more energy! If you want to know more about it, here’s a link to where you can learn more and buy some if you want: [link removed]
I live in Arizona, where it is currently 117*F outside. It’s been hovering around that temperature (within 5-10 degrees) for the past month. It’s very hard to find locally grown produce, as very few things grow well in this extreme heat … not to mention my running routine has died out because there is still a lot of heat rising from the streets, sidewalks, and trails in my area even before the sun comes up. What would you recommend I look for in produce if it can’t be local? And what would you recommend I do for my running/exercise fix if I can’t afford the gym and don’t have a treadmill? Moving to a different state is on the list of things to do, I just need to save up the money first 😉 Thanks!
Hi Ciera,
Your produce doesn’t have to be 100% local, but I would look for stuff from nearby states like CA as opposed to stuff flown in from Chile or anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere.
Regarding exercise, have you tried a kettlebell? I’ve been following the kettlebell swings I saw on Tim Ferriss’ blog and love them. I like it because it combines both cardio and strength training in a short workout. He also has a cheap way to make your own on there, so you don’t have to dish up a lot of money on something you aren’t sure about. I do recommend wearing workout gloves if you try it.
Hi–
I found your website very interesting. I saw your 10 Ways to raise HDL. The one that I have questions about is drinking 1-2 alcohol drinks per day. Since alcohol has sugar, doesn’t that create problems?
Thanks, John
Hi John,
I don’t worry about naturally occurring sugars, just added sugars. Besides, the amount in wine is relatively low. Research shows the benefits are worth it 🙂
Darya
Hi Darya,
I’ve been gradually changing my eating habits for 4 weeks now after reading Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Dr. Will Clower’s The Fat Fallacy among other books. I’ve stopped eating processed foods, started making all my meals at home– including dinner for my entire family–as well as incorporating green leafy veggies in every meal. I’ve also cut back sugar intake and now drink my coffee with some cream.
I have lost 65 pounds in the course of 5 years, initially with Weight Watchers and simply controlling my portions. The last 3 during the first 3 weeks of eating all natural food. This week however, the scale has climbed up by 6 pounds and has scared me enough to think about going back to Weight Watchers.
I have two questions: 1) do you think it’s possible to lose weight while being on Weight Watchers , but still eat naturally? 2) I’ve added lots of whole fat cheese back into my diet , but am afraid that this has contributed to my weight gain. How much cheese, if any, is too much?
Thank You
Erika
Hi Erika,
I can understand your concern. Yes, I do think it is possible to do WW and eat naturally, if that works for you. Regarding body weight, it is important to remember that you can gain weight eating anything, even “natural foods.” You still have to watch your portions and moderate your indulgences. I find it easier to do this when I’m eating higher quality foods, but it’s not like I can eat unlimited quantities of food without worrying about the consequences. Calories are still important, though you have nature on your side when eating fewer processed foods. I don’t worry about fat specifically, but there are a lot of calories in cheese for sure. If you’re gaining weight, I’d say that’s too much. When you aren’t gaining weight, it’s fine. Does that make sense? Work on mindful eating, chewing slowly and stopping when you’re no longer hungry. Personally I wouldn’t want to rely on WW for portion control, but that is why it works.
I’m wondering what your stance on using honey as a sweetener is. I know some people say its better than regular old sugar, but it is still obviously a very concentrated sweet source. Am I ok putting some in my yogurt or on toast with almond butter?
Honey is fine, but as you point out it is a sugar. So if you’re trying to lose weight and aren’t having success, it’s an obvious target to modify.
Honey is good but in my house we use agave nectar. It’s similar to honey but not as thick so we don’t use as much. It’s also not as sweet as honey can be. Plus unlike honey it does not crystallize so it lasts much longer. Every super market I have seen carries it either next to honey or in the baking aisle.
Agave nectar is very, very high in fructose. Sometimes much higher than HFCS. I personally don’t recommend it.
I would agree it can be, depending on the brand. Since I also never use it (had the same bottle for almost a year and it’s still half full) I find it suits us well. Honey crystallizes before I use it but I do think if it’s not a problem for you, honey can be just fine. If your goal is to get the least amount of processing, honey is usually the winner.
Hi, In my family of 5 we would love to eat more vegetables, but having spent the first 10 years of our family life eating pastas, we’re not sure what it looks like to eat vegetables as a main dish every day. And, should we eliminate grains from our plates most of the time (we’ve been eating rice and potatoes and corn)? It would be incredibly helpful to us if you could post a sample menu of what your meals consist of over the course of a week or two. That would help us be able to picture our own new veggie-ful menu and encourage us that it can be done!
Sure, I’ve been meaning to do a post like that.
And I apologize but I had to remove all the links from your other posts. This isn’t a forum for self-promotion and other readers complained.
Hi Darya, Thanks for the editing job. I’ve only just read the posts from the above contributor (it’s 6.30 am in my part of Europe), and I would have complained too had I seen it earlier. How annoying!
you missed a link (July 14, 2011 at 4:40 pm)
what are your thoughts on Meatless Ground Crumbles (Boca, Moningstar)? as in are they healthy
I actually think those are less healthy than meat. Processed soy and gluten aren’t the healthiest of foods.
I was sent to a neurologist at age 55, he said I had a mild case of polio as a child and now suffer from post polio syndrome. Walking is becoming more difficult, five years later. My mother doesn’t believe this, “you were always healthy.” She did take me to doctors because I didn’t walk until age 2 1/2. Any suggestions where I might find more info on this subject?
I would find another neurologist and get a second opinion. Good luck 🙂
Hi Darya,
I would appreciate your evaluation of coconut oil and coconut milk. Ever since the fall of 2010, in countercurrent to the recommendations of the various agencies listed in the relevant Wikipedia article, I have been using coconut oil for cooking almost exclusively, and especially when high heat is involved. As a fall-back fat, I would use unsalted butter or olive oil; but never processed vegetable oils like canola oil or corn oil. Coconut milk serves for me the same purpose as almond or rice milk: as a replacement for cow’s milk.
I wonder what would be your opinion of this, and what is the scientific consensus on it from the point of view of health benefits, considering that coconut oil is a saturated fat. Towards summer’s end I am due for blood tests and am looking forward to that, as I will then find out what this approach of mine will have done over the past 12 months for my LDL cholesterol levels. Many thanks!
Hi Roman,
Cultures that rely heavily on coconut oil are very, very healthy. From what I can tell the nutrition community doesn’t consider coconut oil bad, even though it is very high in saturated fat—this is one of the reasons I think saturated fat isn’t really very bad at all. So to answer your question, I think it’s great and so does everyone else 🙂
Darya
HI Darya!!
I hope you are well and I promise not to leave the worlds most epic post this time :). I am also aware that you are a food blog and not a doggie blog, but I can also see from your twitter that the almost-disturbingly-cute Toaster is well and truly a member of the family! 🙂
We are looking to get a pup in the next few weeks and I am having serious moral dilemmas about what to feed him. Given that I TRY to be moderate in our grain consumption, and only eat them properly prepared, Im feeling bad about feeding our clearly carniverous dog, food with grains.
However, feeding all natural meat only diet looks wildly expensive, not to mention a humungous pain. ALTHOUGH I have heard dogs who eat BARF (as its apparently called!?!) smell less, live longer and tend to get sick loads less. Do you have any opinion or advice??
Emmy xox
Hi Emmy,
I recommend reading Marion Nestle’s Feed Your Pet Right. She explains that domestic dogs are omnivores, not carnivores like cats.
We actually chose to go grain-free with Toaster, mainly because we thought the companies who made it made higher quality food, and also because we don’t have a yard and thought it would cut down on necessary potty trips outside. But just a few weeks ago we switched back to grain food (we found a few good brands and are experimenting with what he likes) and we’re much happier. The problem was he was so grain-deprived it was a nightmare keeping him away from bread, crackers or whatever people drop at the park. And because his digestive system wasn’t used to it, it always made him sick. Since we switched back he mostly ignores the food on the ground at the park and after a week or so his digestive system has acclimated. We still don’t let him eat vomit though 😉
Oh wow – I love Marion Nestle – didnt realise she had a pet book – will def check it out! Thanks for the super speedy reply!
Hey Darya!
I was wondering if you could shed some light on charcoal vs. gas BBQs from a health perspective. I’ve been doing some reading and finding all kinds of info regarding chemicals and carcinogens but looking to separate the wheat from the chaff.
That’s a big question, can’t promise when I’ll get to it. It might one day appear in a blog post or Summer Tomato Live show (or newsletter), but I can’t do much to answer it here.
Hi Darya,
Hope things are going well.
I’ve read your stance on bread and flour but I was curious what your thoughts were on sprouted bread, since it doesn’t contain ‘flour’? The one I’ve been eating has this for ingredients: Organic whole sprouted wheat*, raisin nectar (raisins, water), sesame seeds, water, sunflower seeds, vital wheat gluten, barley malt, yeast, sea salt.
*Certified Organic
May contain tree nuts and soy.
Anyway, thanks! Have a good day!
Looks good to me, just be sure there isn’t too much sugar in there.
Hey Darya, I have two questions:
1) Have you been to Cafe Gratitude? One just opened in LA and I was wondering if you eat there/what you think of their food?
2) Would you consider doing a post on strength training? I understand if you’d rather not mess with talking about exercise technique as it’s not nutrition-related, but I have no idea where to begin! I’m young (24) and not overweight (5’5″, around 115 lbs) and do yoga/run short distances regularly but know how important strength training is and would like to start…I don’t belong to a gym at the moment, anything you can recommend that doesn’t require one, or if I did join do you recommend starting with free weights?
As always, thanks,
Gina
Hi Gina,
1. I love Cafe Gratitude. Their philosophy stuff is a bit annoying, but I think the food is fantastic.
2. I wrote about my strength training regimen a while back. If you don’t want to join a gym look into Tim Ferriss’ method for building your own kettlebell. I’ve been using them and it’s awesome.
Your website is seriously *the* go-to place for real information on real foods. My question today is, I know milk contains its own versions of sugar. Do you know if drinking a glass of milk can lead to a blood sugar/insulin spike? Is it as concentrated in sugar as fruit juices are?
Hi Allie,
Milk causes a rise in blood sugar, but I wouldn’t call it a spike. It is not as bad as fruit juice, in terms of glycemic index.
🙂
dp
Can I use a can of organic tin tomatoes that are a year over the date on the can off course not opened
Seriously?
Hi Darya-
I’ve been a vegetarian for about 6 years and while I do eat pretty healthily, I’m starting to become concerned that it’s just not cutting it. So instead of going down the supplement road, I am thinking of converting back, do you have any suggestions on how to ease meat back into my diet?
Thanks!
Hi Allie,
Just start slow and experiment. If you like it, fish is probably the best place to start. It’s certainly the healthiest. For everything else, remember that you don’t need a lot, so I’d spring for grass-fed, non-hormone treated cattle if you can find it. Let me know if you have any more questions or issues.
dp
Hi, Darya! I am in East Africa this summer for work, and I have a food safety question. I’m aware of the general advice to avoid food-borne illnesses: wash your hands, make sure that food is fully cooked, drink bottled water, etc. (For purposes of this discussion, I won’t include Hepatitis A and or typhoid. I’m mostly talking about traveler’s diarrhea.) But I am curious: do you know anything about the differences in baking, cooking, boiling, and steaming in regards to these methods’ effectiveness in killing bacteria? Are they all equally successful in getting the job done?
Thanks so much, hope all is well back in the U.S.!
Great question. The issues are temperature and time. Boiling is great, baking should work so long as the temp is above 300 for awhile. Steaming should technically work, but you don’t get same penetration you get with boiling so I’d be extra careful. I’d say pan cooking is the riskiest, but can also work if things are cooked through. Probiotics are proven to help with travelers diarrhea, so if you can find any be sure to use them 🙂