A Thorough Examination with Drs Chris and Xand

[ReformedCharacter]

A series about Ultra Processed Food which mentions its effect on the epigenome which I find very interesting. Here's the 3 minute introduction:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0c8nphf

RC

[Mike4]

I too have been intending to post about this. A fascinating programme and I intend to buy the book.

Ultra processed food - UPF seems to be a really bad thing and as a busy single bloke I find it hard to feed myself without it.

ISTR their definition of UPF is a food that comes wrapped in plastic and contains at least one ingredient you don't recognise and won't find in the cupboards of yer average kitchen.

[Fluke]

I too have been intending to post about this. A fascinating programme and I intend to buy the book.

Don't buy the book. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Michael Pollen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiPVT_0 ... %20YouTube

[Mike4]

I too have been intending to post about this. A fascinating programme and I intend to buy the book.

Don't buy the book. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Michael Pollen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiPVT_0 ... %20YouTube

Which is exactly my problem. Eating 'mostly plants' takes AGES. Well not so much eating, but cooking and preparing. While UPF takes minutes to get it out of the fridge or open the packet.

And I suspect this is the case for most of us who rely on UPF.

[Fluke]

Don't buy the book. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Michael Pollen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiPVT_0 ... %20YouTube

Which is exactly my problem. Eating 'mostly plants' takes AGES. Well not so much eating, but cooking and preparing. While UPF takes minutes to get it out of the fridge or open the packet.

And I suspect this is the case for most of us who rely on UPF.

Ever thought about getting a slow cooker Mike? It would certainly help with cutting down if not completely eliminating UPF. An easy, cheap and nutritious way of getting 'real' food into your diet. Here's a few ideas to be going on with:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide ... er-recipes

[Dod101]

If I am allowed to I recommend people try one of the companies which supplies food boxes with recipes. Great selection of mostly fresh food and no waste. Many recipes take only 20/30 minutes prep time and if you like them many recipes with pulses etc. Very little UPF included.

Also of course plenty of fresh fruit and veg is available at this time of year. I have almost given up on UPF and never by prepared meals from any supermarket.

Dod

[servodude]

Which is exactly my problem. Eating 'mostly plants' takes AGES. Well not so much eating, but cooking and preparing. While UPF takes minutes to get it out of the fridge or open the packet.

And I suspect this is the case for most of us who rely on UPF.

Ever thought about getting a slow cooker Mike? It would certainly help with cutting down if not completely eliminating UPF. An easy, cheap and nutritious way of getting 'real' food into your diet. Here's a few ideas to be going on with:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide ... er-recipes

Love a slow cooker - it's not really "quick" though.

I've got a bottle of stout earmarked for a beef stew this weekend

[stevensfo]

Don't buy the book. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Michael Pollen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiPVT_0 ... %20YouTube

Which is exactly my problem. Eating 'mostly plants' takes AGES. Well not so much eating, but cooking and preparing. While UPF takes minutes to get it out of the fridge or open the packet.

And I suspect this is the case for most of us who rely on UPF.

I feel your pain.
My wife insists on very healthy eating but she's often away visiting her mother or at conferences, meetings etc. I can never be bothered to spend time cooking, so I know the attraction of UPF. There's nothing quite as enjoyable as getting home from work, sticking something in the microwave and finding something on Netflix while it's heating up.

However, on the rare occasion that I do cook for myself, I always prepare large amounts. A ginormous vegetable curry lasted me three days. Likewise, a large chicken and leek casserole.

One of the best soups I ever tasted was onion soup I left in a slow cooker for a day. So simple.

Of course, having the same dinner for three days isn't for everyone, but I've never been very fussy in this way.

Steve

[Mike4]

Which is exactly my problem. Eating 'mostly plants' takes AGES. Well not so much eating, but cooking and preparing. While UPF takes minutes to get it out of the fridge or open the packet.

And I suspect this is the case for most of us who rely on UPF.

I feel your pain.
My wife insists on very healthy eating but she's often away visiting her mother or at conferences, meetings etc. I can never be bothered to spend time cooking, so I know the attraction of UPF. There's nothing quite as enjoyable as getting home from work, sticking something in the microwave and finding something on Netflix while it's heating up.

However, on the rare occasion that I do cook for myself, I always prepare large amounts. A ginormous vegetable curry lasted me three days. Likewise, a large chicken and leek casserole.

One of the best soups I ever tasted was onion soup I left in a slow cooker for a day. So simple.

Of course, having the same dinner for three days isn't for everyone, but I've never been very fussy in this way.

Steve

Yep, agree with all that. Home made onion soup with grated cheese and home made white crusty bread? Fantastic! Same supper three days in a row? No problem with that either, provided I enjoyed the first one. In fact one of life's minor adult pleasures. As brat, mum would often ask us what we wanted to eat tomorrow and we would always say <whatever we'd just had today> but mum would say no we can't have the same thing on two consecutive days. Well now I can!

But slow cookers? That's going backwards. I get home hungry, need to eat something quickly before going out to bell ringing practice and dammit, the slow cooker is always EMPTY! So its beans on toast, cheese on toast, pilchards on toast, just toast, or a UPF meal when I get in afterwards. You get the picture.

BUT "UPF" isn't just meals in a plastic tray from M&S. So many staple foods fit the definition. Breakfast cereals, bread, bacon, loads of others.

[redsturgeon]

Living alone and trying to cook healthy food can be difficult but batch cooking and freezing gets over many of the issues that might otherwise be "solved" by buying UPF and there's money to be saved too.

It would be very easy to cook say a pasta sauce or a chilli or a curry or a chunky soup, using whatever fresh ingredients you wish, in quantities sufficient for four or more portions to be eaten over the next month. Batch cooking like this twice a week would enable you to eat healthier and less expensively than using UPF and would hardly take any more time.

Also don't forget that eating "unhealthily" a few times a month is not going to do that much harm. It's all about gradually cutting down on the UPF and the sugar and the red meat rather than a sudden change.

[Tedx]

If your hungry, then you're always going to go for the easiest quickest option first.

Mix up some porridge oats in water (or milk if you must) and add in a couple of spoons of flaxseed. This should take 2 minutes tops. Pop it in the fridge over night. Loads of good vitamins etc in there.

When you get in, eat this first. It will kill the hunger for not many calories and let you take your time cooking up some veggies (which I find best done in the microwave). At the same time, bung something in the oven like chicken breasts or fish and go and sort yourself out. By the time you come back, it'll be done. I dont tend to eat potatoes. I just pile on the veg and the big bags of microwavable veg are great with salt and a touch of pepper.

Alternatively, a protein shake is a good hunger killer and only 100 calories. Again, make it up the night before. Putting your protein shake scoop into the porridge also works well.

And banannas are always good too.

[Fluke]

Oddly enough I got given a slow cooker yesterday, an unwanted present. I've never bothered before as I enjoy cooking and unlike Mike4 do have the time, but I'm going to give it a go and see how I get on.

Just found this video, I don't eat meat so not much good for me but it gives 30 days of meals and they look pretty good. It's a speeded up vid, no filler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M97ZKxAkERk