So aside from the obvious, like meat and dairy, here are 10 things I don’t really eat. It’s not that I would NEVER eat these (I am vegan, not crazy), but I try to strongly limit them in my diet for good reasons, which I will explain.
1. Packaged/canned foods. If it comes out of a package from a factory, then it is not really food. Sorry. Even raw, organic, natural foods that come out of a box or bag are highly questionable. How long have they been sitting in this package? What unknown longterm effects are caused by the preservatives? Do I really know what potassium sorbate is? Packaging itself contains a number of glues, chemicals, lining, dyes and other miscellaneous additives that are too close for comfort. Of course, I will make a few exceptions. Eden Organics canned foods uses a BPA-free lining, so I will keep a can or two of beans around for quick hummus or dip. Also, if I happen to be traveling for a length of time I will bring some packaged chips, crackers or cookies, especially if I know I am headed to a not-so-vegan-friendly area. As general rules of thumb, if it has less than 5 ingredients and/or I know what each ingredient actually is, go ahead and enjoy it.
2. Tofu. Another packaged food, and a highly processed one at that. I feel it is best to eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, and tofu is about as far as you can get from that. I still eat plenty of soy products, such as edamame, roasted soynuts and tempeh. They are closer to their natural state and much more nutritious than their more processed counterparts.
3. Pasteurized foods. Many bottled “fresh” juices contain some small lettering somewhere on the back that says something to the effect of “pasteurized for your protection.” Huh? This basically means that whatever is in that packaged was blasted with heat/steam at extremely high temperatures in order to kill any harmful bacteria that may have gotten in during the packaging process. In doing so, many of the living enzymes and nutritional value of this once delicious fresh squeezed Florida orange juice (for example) have also been destroyed. What you are left with is essentially an orange drink, and this is before it is even bottled or packaged (see 1 above). What are they really protecting? Probably their asses from a law suit, because its definitely not your health.
4. Vegan “buttery” spread. WTF is that? If you have questions, read number one above. Consider replacing with some real food item, like any kind of oil. Coconut is great for baking, olive for stir frys. Use cold pressed, extra virgin and organic whenever possible. Toxins are stored in fats so this is especially important for high fat foods like oils.
5. Peanuts. This one may come as a surprise. Peanuts are actually not that good for you. They cause inflammation in the body, they are highly susceptible to cancer causing molds, and they are also known to cause arterial damage. Try some organic almond butter or tahini instead. You will feel better.
6. Nightshade foods: eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, tobacco. I am not a smoker, so that last one is not difficult for me, but the others are found in abundance in some of my favorite foods (like, all Thai food!). A few years back, I was experiencing a lot of joint pain and itchy skin. My physical therapist mentioned that I should stay away from foods that cause inflammation and incorporate more foods that are soothing an reduce inflammation. After doing some research, I found out that the same foods that were irritating my joints were the same ones irritating my skin. I have pretty much cut these all out completely (with the exception of the occasional tomato) and have noticed a significant difference both inside my body and out. There are other common foods in the nightshade family, but these contain higher levels of toxic alkaloids than others.
7. Alcohol. Most people do not know that many alcohols contain some derivative of milk, blood, bone, or some other part of an animal. Besides that, it will make you fat, ugly and dumb, and it will also kill you. But, if you like to enjoy a drink, have some organic wine or beer, preferably from a small, local brewery or vintner, not a giant corporate whore, and make sure it contains no animal by-products.
8. Leftovers. What?!?!? I know. Spaghetti tastes the best the next day. But the older food gets, the more bacteria and unwelcome visitors grow in the food. Notice if you get a runny or stuffy nose after eating leftovers. You probably do. In general, food more than three hours old has started to decay, and therefore lose nutritional value. Of course, for the sake of practicality sometimes leftovers are necessary (and friggin’ delicious), but try to limit them as much as possible, and when cooking or preparing meals, try to make only as much food as you are going to eat at that sitting.
9. Refined sugar, salt, flour, rice. Use the whole, brown, natural stuff. In their natural states, these foods contain lots of essential vitamins and minerals. Once upon a time, not that long ago, someone or a few someones discovered that food was fluffier and looked more appealing when it was whiter in color, and also that by refining it they could reduce spoilage and thereby increase the shelf life of these foods and their profit margins. The funny thing is, is that after the refining process is complete, manufacturers add synthetic versions of the essential nutrients they just stripped away to the refined foods, now making them “enriched” (or in the case of salt, iodized). Manufacturers have gotten tricky though, and if you pay attention you will notice things like “sugar in the raw” (not raw at all!!) and “enriched wheat flour” (still refined!). Use things instead like turbinado sugar, sea salt, whole wheat flour and brown rice.
10. Overcooked or microwaved foods. I’ve said it a million times already, but in case you missed it, too much heat is not good for your food. Cooking or steaming vegetables should not take more than about 2 to 3 minutes. Watch your broccoli next time you cook it. It will start to turn a very bright green, and then if you keep cooking it, the brightness of the green will begin to fade. That moment when it is bright green and delicious looking, that is when it is ready to eat. If the bright green has faded, you went too far. As for microwaves, I know the subject is controversial, but I just don’t trust them. Besides, anything that needs to be microwaved is probably packaged (see number 1) or leftovers (see number 8), and you already know how I feel about that.
Sources:
Mostly my brain and my experiences, but if you need verification of these things, here are some online resources.
1. http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/03/your-bpa-questions-answered.html
2. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/10-things-to-know-about-tofu/
3. http://www.energydrinktruth.com/pasteurization.html
4. http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/processedfoods.htm
5. http://www.herbalist.com/wiki.details/458/category/12/start/0/
6. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=62
7. http://beeradvocate.com/articles/279
8. http://vegancampus.com/2007/09/17/the-ayurvedic-view-on-energy-foods-grains-vegetables-and-fruits/
