Fruits at Union Square Greenmarket
The probability that we may fall in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just. ~Abraham Lincoln
Today's gift is a Free Pass Card to eat whatever you like -- as long as its unprocessed and preferably prepared at home.
I came across an inspirational Mark Bittman talk called "What's Wrong with What We Eat" at a 2007 TED conference. It's wise, funny and informative. I rarely watch videos over two minutes long but I watched all 20 minutes. In short, it's fabulous and worth your time.
Then a few days later I received two comments that would be directly addressed by Mr. Bittman's video: one from a reader who wanted to buy organic, but found it expensive and felt guilty for buying conventional food and the second from a man who was anti-tofu because he gets too much soy in his regular diet.
STOP THE MADNESS! At MindfulEats, we are totally flexible about the kind of diets and foods you choose to eat. In terms of food, we have only two rules: 1) eat non-processed foods, and 2) be moderate in how much of each food you eat. That's it. To expound a little on #2 - if you eat animal products, you should probably eat less of it. The average American eats 1/2 pound a day (3.5 lbs a week), and the generous FDA recommendation is 1/2 pound a week.
If you're eating non-processed foods, you're not getting soy in your diet unless you are consciously choosing it. The only place it's sneaking in is in animal products, since animals are often fed soy. If you're preparing your own non-processed foods (and mostly plants), you are doing fabulous. Even if it's conventional. If you washed all the residue off an organic tomato and a conventional tomato, a lab would not be able to tell the difference between them (unless the conventional tomato was genetically modified). You are doing better preparing your own conventional meals than buying a really expensive live organic food in a bag. Because that bagged food is processed. And don't complain about preparing food -- you can just steam it which is fast, easy, and what I often do.
Mark Bittman says it much more eloquently in his video.
What to do - Eat more fresh unprocessed food
Mr. Bittman's video reminded me that old stuff is classic. So here are a few posts to review to help you eat less processed food:
- What is processed food?
- What is conventionally grown, industrial food?
- How to prepare your own food
- The low down on organic food
What I ate: strawberries, cherries, blueberries, 6 squares dark chocolate, almonds, grilled portobello and radicchio salad, swordfish, eggplant, root mash, strawberry shortcake, 32 oz. pomegranate white tea, parmesan cheese, steamed tofu + baby bok choy, soofoo (grain and lentil blend)
Exercise: 2 mile jog, 75 minutes yoga
