Are Ethnic Foods Good For You
Posted: May 27th, 2011 | Author: Dr. Bill Stillwell | No Comments »Almost everybody has heard the joke, "I went out for
Italian food a week ago and today, I’m actually hungry
again." The whole atmosphere of the quintessential
Italian joint is conducive to eating a lot more than you
really should, at least on a regular basis.
Today, many food critics are singling out places we
all know and love as places you really shouldn’t go.
They are followed by dim witted journalists, who take
everything they say as the Sermon on the Mount.
Then, there are nutritionists who are rewriting recipes
and squeezing all the taste out of what we eat. The
journalists proffer all their theories on eating as what
everybody should do and the result is that people
end up being totally confused.
Are restaurant portions too big? Yes…and no.
The portions are too big, but this was something the
public demanded. The journalists, who now criticize,
led a charge for value twenty years ago. They didn’t
realize the expense of running a restaurant and when
owners raised prices, they wanted something in return.
So owners put more food on the plate, to justify the cost.
The public responded enthusiastically to this and
restaurants have been doing it ever since. To make
plates smaller would be the same as taking away Medicare
and Social Security.
Today, there are Chinese and Indian buffets on every corner.
These were an ethnic response to beloved Southern All-You-
Can-Eat places. I was in an Indian place, early in the week,
and the food was pretty darn good.
But you have to be careful. Many ethnic foods have a
number of diet killers. Indian places offer 3 or 4 types
of bread, many rice dishes and desserts. Chinese places
have fried foods up the wazoo, in addition to lots of rice
and noodles.Many now also have cake, pie and ice cream.
In the Indian buffet, they had 3 different sized plates. I took
the smallest, which was 9 inches. I passed on the bread,
even though it smelled delicious. I took only half a cup of
rice and then, took two different vegetables: cabbage and
cauliflower. I then took a little lamb and a little chicken. I
also took about 3 tablespoons of a dessert, some kind of
carrot concoction, which was very good.
That was enough for me. But it certainly wasn’t for others.
I saw 80% of the people there make at least two trips and
some, more. They weren’t using the smaller plate, either. They
were also loading up on bread and rice, which really stick
to the ribs (and everywhere else).
I tend to shy away from Chinese buffets. Growing up in New
York, I learned what real Chinese food is supposed to look
and taste like and I’ve never found it at any buffets. These
big operations also to tend to use way too much oil. The
cooking is usually haphazard, emphasizing quantity over
quality. You can use the smaller plate here, too, if you have
to go, but it’s harder to stay on the path, because of all the
grease.
That’s my opinion only. Feel free to make up your own mind
about this.
What has to be done is this:
You have to police yourself. Where and what you eat is up to
you and nobody else. You can use the "eat only half of what’s
on your plate" rule, or my small plate approach, it’s up to you.
If you’re in Philadelphia and want a cheesesteak, split it with
a friend, or give half to someone on the street. Believe me,
there are plenty of hungry folks around, if you look.
The main thing about weight loss, fat loss and changing
habits is that no one can do it, but you. You can’t blame it
on someone else, or hire someone to lose weight for you.
Feel free to eat whatever you want…just eat less of it.
Even Popeye’s sells just two pieces of chicken. Which
ain’t bad, if you’ve been eating half a bucket, half a dozen
biscuits and red beans and rice, by the quart. (By the way,
Popeye’s red beans and rice is one of the fattiest foods
ever. What makes it so good is butter and lots of it.)
Years ago, in a nice Southern restaurant, a five year
old girl said to her mother, "these biscuits are the best
ever."
"What makes them so good?" said her mother.
"The butter," she said. "The meltier they are, the
better they are."
http://www.favoriteformulas.com
Even five year olds know what makes us fat.
And I’m not saying never eat a good Southern biscuit,
which is a real treat. Just don’t eat it very often.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more.
With my best wishes for your optimum health,
Dr. Bill
Italian food a week ago and today, I’m actually hungry
again." The whole atmosphere of the quintessential
Italian joint is conducive to eating a lot more than you
really should, at least on a regular basis.
Today, many food critics are singling out places we
all know and love as places you really shouldn’t go.
They are followed by dim witted journalists, who take
everything they say as the Sermon on the Mount.
Then, there are nutritionists who are rewriting recipes
and squeezing all the taste out of what we eat. The
journalists proffer all their theories on eating as what
everybody should do and the result is that people
end up being totally confused.
Are restaurant portions too big? Yes…and no.
The portions are too big, but this was something the
public demanded. The journalists, who now criticize,
led a charge for value twenty years ago. They didn’t
realize the expense of running a restaurant and when
owners raised prices, they wanted something in return.
So owners put more food on the plate, to justify the cost.
The public responded enthusiastically to this and
restaurants have been doing it ever since. To make
plates smaller would be the same as taking away Medicare
and Social Security.
Today, there are Chinese and Indian buffets on every corner.
These were an ethnic response to beloved Southern All-You-
Can-Eat places. I was in an Indian place, early in the week,
and the food was pretty darn good.
But you have to be careful. Many ethnic foods have a
number of diet killers. Indian places offer 3 or 4 types
of bread, many rice dishes and desserts. Chinese places
have fried foods up the wazoo, in addition to lots of rice
and noodles.Many now also have cake, pie and ice cream.
In the Indian buffet, they had 3 different sized plates. I took
the smallest, which was 9 inches. I passed on the bread,
even though it smelled delicious. I took only half a cup of
rice and then, took two different vegetables: cabbage and
cauliflower. I then took a little lamb and a little chicken. I
also took about 3 tablespoons of a dessert, some kind of
carrot concoction, which was very good.
That was enough for me. But it certainly wasn’t for others.
I saw 80% of the people there make at least two trips and
some, more. They weren’t using the smaller plate, either. They
were also loading up on bread and rice, which really stick
to the ribs (and everywhere else).
I tend to shy away from Chinese buffets. Growing up in New
York, I learned what real Chinese food is supposed to look
and taste like and I’ve never found it at any buffets. These
big operations also to tend to use way too much oil. The
cooking is usually haphazard, emphasizing quantity over
quality. You can use the smaller plate here, too, if you have
to go, but it’s harder to stay on the path, because of all the
grease.
That’s my opinion only. Feel free to make up your own mind
about this.
What has to be done is this:
You have to police yourself. Where and what you eat is up to
you and nobody else. You can use the "eat only half of what’s
on your plate" rule, or my small plate approach, it’s up to you.
If you’re in Philadelphia and want a cheesesteak, split it with
a friend, or give half to someone on the street. Believe me,
there are plenty of hungry folks around, if you look.
The main thing about weight loss, fat loss and changing
habits is that no one can do it, but you. You can’t blame it
on someone else, or hire someone to lose weight for you.
Feel free to eat whatever you want…just eat less of it.
Even Popeye’s sells just two pieces of chicken. Which
ain’t bad, if you’ve been eating half a bucket, half a dozen
biscuits and red beans and rice, by the quart. (By the way,
Popeye’s red beans and rice is one of the fattiest foods
ever. What makes it so good is butter and lots of it.)
Years ago, in a nice Southern restaurant, a five year
old girl said to her mother, "these biscuits are the best
ever."
"What makes them so good?" said her mother.
"The butter," she said. "The meltier they are, the
better they are."
http://www.favoriteformulas.com
Even five year olds know what makes us fat.
And I’m not saying never eat a good Southern biscuit,
which is a real treat. Just don’t eat it very often.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more.
With my best wishes for your optimum health,
Dr. Bill
Favorite Formulas
816 Turtle River Court
Plant City, FL 33567
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