What's Good For People To Eat - Rough Draft

Throughout my life, every since I can remember, all the way to when I was still a young boy, I was told to eat a certain kind of food everyday and to always limit the number amount of servings and portions on others. I guess through all the panics and the worrisome, have caused people to change their diet drastically. Food was never a life threatening issue. People in France cooked their meals with loads of oil and cook huge servings. Meat was never feared of giving people diseases and people did not look at their weight as an issue. However as time changes, people change as well. What use to be just a needle in a haystack has blown up world wide. People now a day are starting to notice their waistline get bigger and bigger by the day. People have stopped eating beef for the fear of mad cow disease, yet the majority of the people in the U.S. and in France can’t stop eating at McDonald’s and Burger King and Wendy’s and all the fast food chains. They want to cut their waistline and unplug their arteries yet they go to these fast food chains for a “quick fix.” Some even eat these for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner!!! With such a huge issue now on food, nutritionists came up with different diets that people can follow to steer them away from food that can increase that waist line. Such diets for example, include the famous Atkins Diet, a vegan diet, the Mediterranean Diet, and then just the Normal US Diet. (just to name a few) I feel that all these diets, such as the Atkins Diet, Mediterranean Diet, etc. are all a big joke. Americans and people around the world do not need a guide to tell them what is ok to eat and what is not. People now a day are always on a rush and simply do not have the time to sit down and eat a healthy meal so instead they grab for the closest and most convenient food, fast food. People simply need to do is to watch how much they are eating and if what they are eating is going to hurt them in the long run. It’s okay for people to splurge every now and then and grab something like a Big Mac with Large Fries and a Large Coke, but they simply should not have that every single day, as shown in the movie “Super Size Me” the drastic results of eating only McDonald’s for a whole month, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
With the Atkins Diet the dieter will try to erase carbs from their body completely. Just like with any other diet out there, there are certain foods that one can and cannot eat. With the Atkins Diet, the people have to try to eat as little or no carbs at all. The Atkins Diet consists of 4 phases. Phase number one is Induction. “Induction is a brief, jump-start phase that triggers your body to predominantly burn fats. As you reduce carbs, your body will be prompted to use fat for fuel, resulting in weight loss from this fat-burning metabolism.” (http://www.atkins.com/articles/atkins-phases/phase-one/phase-1-induction) It states that induction lasts for 14 days and that after that period of time one is to see significant results. Beginning with induction is a choice, but if chosen, it will jump start a person’s weight loss as the person starts cutting back on carbs consumption. What happens during induction is when you start cutting back on carbs consumption the body starts burning fat instead. It takes about 48 hours for the body to happen and one might feel hungry and light headed for a few days until the process happens. Foods that are acceptable are:
tuna chicken oysters* beef scrambled
salmon turkey mussels* pork fried
sole duck duck lamb poached
trout goose clams bacon** soft-boiled
flounder Cornish hen squid veal hard-boiled
sardines quail shrimp ham** deviled
herring pheasant crabmeat venison omelets
• cheddar
• cow, sheep and goat cheese
• cream cheese
• Gouda
• mozzarella
• Roquefort and other blue cheeses
• Swiss
• alfalfa sprouts
• daikon
• mushrooms
• arugula
• endive
• parsley
• bok choy
• escarole
• peppers
• celery
• fennel
• radicchio
• chicory
• jicama
• radishes
• chives
• lettuce
• romaine lettuce
• cucumber
• mâche
• sorrel
• artichoke
• celery root
• pumpkin
• artichoke hearts
• rhubarb
• asparagus
• chard
• sauerkraut
• bamboo shoots
• collard greens
• scallions
• dandelion
• snow peas
• bean sprouts
• dandelion greens
• spaghetti squash
• beet greens
• eggplant
• spinach
• broccoli
• hearts of palm
• string or wax beans
• broccoli rabe
• kale
• summer squash
• Brussels sprouts
• kohlrabi
• tomato
• bean sprouts
• leeks
• turnips
• cabbage
• okra
• water chestnuts
• cauliflower
• onion
• zucchini
• crumbled crisp bacon
• grated cheese
• minced hard-boiled egg
• sautéed mushrooms
• sour cream
• Spices
• All spices to taste but make sure none contain added sugar.
• Herbs
• basil
• garlic
• rosemary
• cayenne pepper
• ginger
• sage
• cilantro
• oregano
• tarragon
• dill
• pepper
• thyme (http://www.atkins.com/articles/atkins-phases/phase-one/acceptable-foods/)
The next phase of the Atkins Diet is the Ongoing Weight Loss. During this time the dieter will boost their body’s ability to burn fat. Also they have to “Make better carbohydrate choices as you expand your taste for nutritious food” (http://www.atkins.com/articles/atkins-phases/phase-two/phase-2-ongoing-weight-loss) and what’s important is for the person to understand their own body better meaning recognizing how much carbs they are consuming and still have the ability to lose weight. During the on going weight loss, the person have the choice to experiment with their process to lose weight. The third and last phase is maintenance. In order for the Atkins Diet to succeed one have to really commit to it. It is not just something you do to lose 10 pounds and then go back to the way you were eating before. For someone to have complete success, they have to stick with it throughout, basically like a life time commitment, and only then will the results really show and “soar.
All throughout I feel that dieting is important for one to stay healthy. However to go through each step and experimenting with different diets are completely unnecessary. They only and perfect diet that I think people should try and commit to it is the “Healthy” US Diet where people just have to watch how much they are putting into their body. Consume more fruits and vegetables and balance out the dairy and poultry intake and the body should be fine. I feel that it is also for someone to splurge now and then also just to satisfy their crave as long as they don’t do it on a daily basis and they should end up fine. Also with their eating habits I feel that exercise should always be included daily. At least running for a short period or doing some sort of exercise in the morning or at night can help speed up the process.

Associate Supermarket

As I stepped inside Associate immediately I remembered all the times I went grocery shopping with my mom and always asking her if I could have this and have that. Now I realized that all of the food that I always loved and wanted was not always healthy for you. Right away when I stepped inside the one thing that caught my eye was the hot food section. I could smell what was cooking from a mile away. Since it was still around breakfast, they had smoked sausages cooking, scrambled eggs with ham and onions, almost like an omelet to say. I was also shocked when I saw French fries but I guess there are people who like to eat that for breakfast. Right across from the hot food section they had varieties of cold sandwiches, ranging from turkey and cheese ham and cheese, sushi, and then even a 1 course meal, with rice, chicken veggies, etc. I picked one up that was turkey with Swiss cheese, lettuce tomatoes and a touch of mayo in between a poppy seed bagel. I picked another one up and it was the very same thing, turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo, however this time it was on a roll instead. Right away I was surprised at the different prices between them. The one on a poppy seed bagel was $3.99; meanwhile the one on the roll was $4.99. I thought to my self, is the difference between a roll and a bagel really a dollar. To me I would prefer the bagel instead based on the looks of it. The sandwich with the bagel was more appealing and more “stacked” while the one on the roll looked kind of “flat” and not that appealing. I took a look at the ingredients between these two sandwiches and also the other ones surrounding me and right away I noticed that the ingredients were very simple. All it stated was the obvious, like the meat and the vegetables. I wondered how come it doesn’t state like the oil, and all the chemicals that are in it being that most if not all sandwiches were processed meat. I thought that maybe if it was stated and people knew the truth then they wouldn’t buy it at all and then the supermarket would loose a percent of their profits. However isn’t it better for people to know the food they are eating especially the “fast” food. For who knows, one day one of those sandwiches can be their life…

Other questions:
1. How are processed sandwiches made?
2. How come processed food is not healthy for you, what’s in it that causes that?
3. How do supermarkets determine the prices set on sandwiches such as these?
4. Do these sandwiches cause an increase on calories, cholesterol, sugar and salt intake, etc.?
5. Do supermarkets place these “processed” sandwiches right by the door instead of all the in the back where the detergent is held, to get customers to automatically see it when they come in, and purchase it right away?

Fast Food

After school I was feeling very hungry due to the fact that I had skipped lunch. However, I didn’t want something like McDonald’s or Burger King, or any of those fast food restaurants because of what I learned about their food and they way it is prepared. I also have experienced working in a fast food restaurant. Working in Dunkin’ Donuts, I noticed day after day when making the sandwiches for the customers, that these sandwiches are exactly the same as the ones in McDonald’s. In order to prepare it, all I have to do is put it in the microwave to heat up and then just serve it up. When looking at the nutritional chart, I noticed that each one of the meat and cheese sandwiches had outrageous number of calories, sugar, etc.
I also didn’t want something like Chinese food because since I’m Chinese I basically eat it every night. Instead I decided to go to a Subway’s that was near my house. I figured that, that was fast food, but also healthier than say McDonald’s. I walked in and immediately all the pictures of sandwiches and the prices caught my eye. $1.99 sandwiches here, a foot long sub special here it was hard for me to choose. Just to make it easier on myself I just ordered what I always ordered when coming to Subway’s, a foot long turkey sub on hearty Italian bread. I also noticed right away that the prices on most subs had not changed that much, but what have changed was the serving size of the sandwiches. I noticed that it had gotten bigger almost.
On my turkey sub, I had lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, and a little mayo. The cashier asked me if I wanted chips and soda, and I choose 2 cookies and a drink instead.
Some people might argue that Subway’s is not fast food and that if you eat it on a consistent basis it can be healthy for you. However I don’t agree with that. I feel that Subway’s is a fast food chain. Although it’s not deep fried or injected with different hormones, it is not clear where the turkey and the chicken, or even the lettuce and tomatoes originally came from. For all we know it could’ve been injected with different chemicals to heighten the taste. Also that Subway’s commercial where the guy only ate Subway’s and lost a ton of weight is complete BS.

In Class Questions

When I see food in front of me that looks very delicious I start getting very hungry. For some reason my brain just kick starts the part of my body that recognizes food and all of a sudden I start craving for what’s in front of me, it’s almost like I have a second stomach. Whenever I see food that is in front of me, I immediately start thinking about what I am going to eat later tonight, or later in the day. If I ate already, and I see someone else eating something that looks very good I immediately get hungry once again. I do not know why this happens to me but my brain and my stomach acts as one and sends all kind of mixed signals to make me want to eat once again.
I feel that whenever I eat a plate of pasta I get more full than when I eat a bowl of rice. In addition, I feel that cooking pasta is easier for me and I can experience with the flavors more than I can with cooking rice. Since I have an automatic rice cooker, I do not have to do much work but to add the rice and water and just hit the button down and just let it cook by itself. However, with pasta, I can change it up. I can add this, that, and all sorts of herbs and flavoring to change its flavor and make it more succulent. In addition, whenever I eat mashed potatoes I always tend to fall asleep right after. Right after I finish eating I tend to just lie on the couch, watch some T.V. and just doze off. It is the best feeling to me.
For certain people, only certain foods are healthy to them and others are fatal to them. It all depends on the kind of diet they are on or need. In general they should have a 3-course meal a day with the kind of food required in their diet. For me if I had an infinite amount of money, for my 3-day meal, it would be
• Eggs and steak, with a side of home fries, and a big bowl of mixed fruit, with a glass of milk and OJ, for breakfast.
• For lunch, I would have a nice plate of spaghetti and meatballs, with lots and lots of pasta sauce covering the entire plate and also a nice glass of frosty root beer to wash everything down.
• In addition, to finish my day, I would have a plate of smoked salmon with a touch of lemon to spice it up. I would also have a plate of assorted veggies just to balance out the nutritional meal. To finish off the night, maybe a bowl of ice cream, or fruit would be nice.

Cooking Directions?

For dinner I decided to cook pasta along with some pasta sauce I have on hand. First I took a big pot and filled it up with about 3 cups of water. I let it come up to a boil first where I put in about a pinch or so of salt in it to give it a greater flavor. I then added long spaghetti noodles to it. The pasta was too long for the pot so what I did was I broke up the top where it wasn’t submerged in the boiling water and then just throw in the broken pieces. About 10 minutes or so I went back to my pot to check on my pasta and was just about done, so I turned off the fire but I left the pasta in the hot water to let it cook just for a little while longer. When the pasta was just about done for me I took a big strainer placed it over the sink and began pouring the boiling water out of the pot slowly so that I would not burn myself. As I was pouring the water out I noticed one other thing that could be a dangerous hazard to people. Although the water was poured out slowly, the steam rose up quickly. So a note to people is for them to pour the water slowly and also avoid the face from the pot.

When all the water and pasta was strained out I shook the strainer a few times just to get the excess water out. I poured it out onto a plate put some of the pasta sauce I had on hand and grated some cheese right on top and enjoyed it!

Project

Introduction to Locally Available Grass Fed Pastured Organically Raised Ground Beef

Organically raised Ground Beef are from cows that are raised in grass rather than in barns. Also organically raised ground beef from cows are fed grains instead. With organically raised ground beef the cows live in an open grass field where they are free to roam around and not concentrated in one area like cows rose in barns. Unlike cows that are raised in barns, cows that are raised in the open grass field that is their natural habitat, which leads to a richer diet. Also absolutely no hormones are introduced into their diet. However the ground beef that you find in the supermarkets are injected with a great deal of hormones. It is a threat to the human body to consume a great deal of hormones because it can lead to different diseases in a human body stomach. Therefore it is better to eat organically raised ground beef rather than the beef found at your local supermarket because first of all of the amount of hormones found in each, and second of all, organically raised ground beef is healthier and richer to consume. Organically raised beef is available in the Farmer’s Market on 14^th street Union Square in Manhattan. For further information contact, the Hawthorne Valley Farm at (518) 672-7500. Organically raised ground beef is produced by Biodynamic Farming, which states that fertilizers, pesticides and hormones, are avoided.

http://www.organicprairie.com/beef.html (other links available, leading to different sources to organically raised ground beef)

http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow/organic-beef.cfm

http://extension.osu.edu/~news/story.php?id=183

What I had for dinner

With so much food in front of me I had no idea what to eat first. What grabbed my attention right away was the beef with veggies that my mom had made. Its aroma attracted my attention right away when I sat down to have dinner. As the beef slid into my mouth, the juices that were cooked with the beef and veggies immediately started dripping down my mouth, and I could feel its flavors just bursting in my mouth. To accompany the beef I added some rice which doubled its taste. The rice along with the beef and its juices was perfect. It was like the perfect combination, almost like Oreo cookies with milk right before bed. I tried some of the veggies that my mom cooked along with the beef, and at first when I put it in my mouth, the taste was kind of rough, almost a slight bitterness to it. But as I worked it in with some more rice, and a piece of beef here and there, it started to cooperate. I began to notice that it was a good combination to include the veggies with the beef. As I started to make my way to the second dish my mom made, scrambled eggs stir fried with cucumbers – thinly sliced. It might sound weird at first but the taste is incredible. As I slid the first piece in I could feel the saltiness that was added right before the eggs were fully cooked. I could feel the salt particles just melt on my tongue and make its way down my throat. The cucumbers gave it a nice crunch and a new texture to it. It was kind of a good balance overall. The saltiness from the eggs and also its fluffiness, and the crunch the cucumbers give when you take that bite to it. When the rice was incorporated along with the eggs and cucumbers, it was easier to wash it down. The third dish was kind of my parent’s dish. It was eggplants. I’m not a huge fan of eggplants based on its taste and the texture you get when you first take a bite. When you take a bite you taste the skin right away and it’s very rough and bitter at times. I saved that for my parents and ate everything else. To wash everything down, I drank a glass of orange juice, which was very satisfying. As I eat, I tend to gobble everything up and don’t chew as much as I should, but the sweetness from the orange juice just washes everything down. As soon as the juice hits my lips and tongue it send my taste buds into overdrive. That should be enough for the Phenomenological Descriptions. Its time to finish up dinner.