All of you have brought up great points on the apple/peanut butter debate. One thing I’ll add is that nut butters not only add protein, but also serve to lower the glycemic impact of the snack. An apple alone makes blood sugar rise more dramatically (and exacerbate the resulting crash). The protein and fat of the nut butter helps slow down the reaction and allow the body to draw out the energy for longer, thus helping to head off hunger and cravings before the next meal. I’m talking about natural nut butters only, of course. High-sugar processed trans-fat laden Jifs and Skippys and such pretty much elminate the benefits of eating the stuff to begin with.
I hasten to add that apples, and all fruits, alone are still great foods, and nut butters must be portioned in small amounts. But there is a good reason for the combination, especially for those watching their glycemic index.
The high sugar content is the main reason I don’t eat bananas at all any more. Tropical fruits (bananas, mangoes, pineapples) have the highest sugar levels. Poor Guinastasia, thwarted at every step!
Usually my fruit choices are limited to berries. My other fruit indulgence is half a grapefruit nearly every morning (unsweetened, of course - grapefruit + sugar is a crime!). I never looked up the natural sugar levels of grapefruit but I’d never give it up, so I don’t care.
A friend of mine has dropped ten pounds followng the “plate method”: Each meal should be 50% vegetables, 25% protein, 25% whole grains. Of course you need to watch the size of your plate, but this is a pretty easy way to aim for proper portioning.
The best cereal I’ve ever found is Uncle Sam. No sugar whatsoever, and the highest fiber of any I’ve seen. It’s the only cold cereal I’ll eat any more. Add a handful of berries, and I’m good for hours. I’ve noticed some grocery stores don’t stock it, unfortunately, but I think it is becoming more widely available.
Yep. I’ve lost 22 pounds in as many weeks doing just that. But I also limit the protein to 3 ounces (OK, 4. Much easier to do that way. I justify it by claiming my manhood.) and the grains to half a cup. (OK, 3/4. Same reason.) The veggies may only account for 25% of the plate (and air as the rest), but I usually try to pile 'em on pretty high.
There are a lot of methods for “eat less”, but this is the one that works for me.
I worked at KFC as a high school student, from roughly 1981-83, and oddly enough, the only reconstituted item on the menu at that point was the mashed potatoes. They came in a can, and the grains were similar to table salt. We made the biscuits, cole slaw and gravy in the store (I’ve noticed that the cole slaw dressing is now shipped pre-mixed; we used to make it from scratch) (first ingredient was 7 lbs of sugar/90 lb batch).
The chicken was delivered to the store frozen and cut, in individual bags. One of our tasks was to “break” the thighs, before marinating the Extra Crispy.
No idea what it’s like now, things have no doubt changed since I escaped fast food. That job was a lot of fun, though, mostly b/c our store had a great manager.
Yes, I suck at measuring, counting calories and all that. Seeing things in space is easier for me. So things like 1 serving = size of my palm works. So, a ‘plate’ is about 4 palms around.
And one must be cautious about what counts as a “vegetable.” A mound of french fries? Candied yams drowning in butter? Ceasar salad globbed with high-fat dressing? Dried apple pieces coated in sugar? No. It’s really a shame what people will do to perfectly fine foods to turn them into heart-stopping horrors.
