Are carbs healthy? What foods have them? How can I eat carbs in a way that makes me feel good?
If there is one common denominator between nearly every new client I work with, it is a fear of carbohydrates. Most people are trying their best to minimize this macronutrient in their diet, either by cutting it out entirely, limiting it to specific meals, or downplaying it to the greatest extent possible throughout the day. When they do eat carbs, they express guilt explicitly or implicitly.
This is understandable given our cultural narrative which has demonized carbs for the last two decades. This narrative has been fuels by countless diets like Atkins, Paleo, and Keto.
So, what’s the deal? Should we be concerned about carbohydrates? When measured alongside its buddies, fat and protein, is it the least essential macronutrient?
Let me answer right up front that my response is an emphatic NO. All three macronutrients – carbohydrates, fat and protein – are equally essential. When we prioritize one (or two) over the others, our nutrition begins to get…funky.
Get ready…this dietitian is a (proud) feminist. We need to explode the idea of “health” having cultural capital. Let me elaborate.
In my work I know acutely that challenging feelings about one’s body are not the exclusive experience of any gender identity. And yet, impossible societal standards for women’s bodies are especially suffocating.
Explicitly and implicitly, our culture teaches women that beauty is our commodity. In the 21st century “health” has become a code word for beauty and both are defined by thinness.Beauty sounds superficial; “health” does not.
Guest post by Caroline Markowitz – MS candidate in nutrition and exercise physiology at Columbia University
Whether from the film Game Changers (I won’t even go into this) or the environmental movement, the term “plant-based diet” has been frequently thrown around. And it is often used inaccurately. The term “plant-based” is vague and can lead to confusion. However, its meaning is simple: a diet based on plants.
Guest post by Caroline Markowitz – MS candidate in nutrition and exercise physiology at Columbia University
Grocery stores and farmers markets display signs touting “organic” and “local” above their produce. But so many of us feel fraught with confusion. Is eating organic always better? What if something is local but not organic, what should I choose? What does it all mean? The questions feel never ending. In a recent NYTimes “Climate Fwd” newsletter, Eduardo Garcia and Lisa Friedman explain that organic farming can have an equal (if not greater) carbon footprint than conventional farming; however, organic farming is likely better for the planet overall because it does not use synthetic herbicides and pesticides that conventional farming relies on.
Conventional agriculture: “a broad term that has a number of definitions, but a crop can be classified as conventional if synthetic chemicals are used to maintain the plants. A significant amount of chemical and energy input is required in conventional agriculture to produce the highest possible yield of crops.”
Organic agriculture: “Organic farmers, ranchers, and food processors use agricultural methods intended to preserve the environment. USDA organic regulations restrict the use of certain conventional tools such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.”
Local farming: “Local farming means short distribution channels – channels involving no more than one intermediary between farm and consumer. Local farming is aimed at, among other things, reducing the distances travelled by fruits and at reestablishing the relationship between consumer and farmer.”
The environment, sustainability, climate change and conservation have become more central topics as of recent. It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by all of the data; you want to make a difference, but feel helpless as to how you alone can make a dent. In his book “We are the Weather,” Jonathan Safran Foer writes, “Although it may be a neoliberal myth that individual decisions have ultimate power, it is a defeatist myth that individual decisions have no power at all.” You alone may not save our planet by eating less meat, recycling better and reducing your waste, but your actions will encourage your neighbors to do the same and your dedication will inspire your friends and family to follow suit. The small actions you take will lead to bigger steps. Every change you make will help to make a difference.
Red Meat
One of the biggest, and easiest, changes we can make is
reducing our red meat (and dairy) consumption. Cows are bred for us to eat. And
upon burping and farting, cows produce methane, one of the most potent
greenhouse gases. Cows also require food, which is often corn – the majority of
corn grown in the US goes towards feeding livestock. Not only are cows
themselves greenhouse gas producers, but this is magnified by the fact that
trees are often cut down to clear land for these cows to graze (and to grow
more corn). Trees are our best mechanism for absorbing carbon dioxide and
cleaning the air we breathe. Lastly, processing, packaging and shipping meat,
milk and cheese comes with a plethora of its own waste and greenhouse gas
production.
This is not to say you have to go cold-turkey (more like cold-cow) and abstain from red meat forever. But try to start small. Do yourself, and our Earth, a favor. Cut back on cows! The less red meat and dairy products we purchase and demand, the fewer cows will be bred for our consumption and the more land left for trees.
Avoid eating meat before 6pm during the week.
Not only will our environment benefit, but so too will your health!
Find a butcher you trust and buy your meat there
Incorporate soy foods, like tofu, which are high
in protein and serve as a great meat replacement
Moo
Food Waste
Americans waste 20% of the food they buy. This isn’t just a
waste of money, but also wasted energy and resources that went into producing
the food. While it may seem that only the food itself goes to waste, we often
forget that the zucchini you had to throw out required water to grow and traveled
on a truck to get to the market. All of these steps add up.
It can be hard to gauge how much food to buy at the store. Especially if you’re cooking for 1 or 2 people. Herbs/plants like cilantro and parsley are often called for in recipes, yet you only need so much. Perhaps you make a big batch of soup or quinoa dish on Sunday and intend to eat it for the week, but yet get sick of it after a day or two. You’re not alone, and we have some ideas that may help.
Tips to reduce food waste:
Try to purchase seasonal fruits and vegetables
at your local farmers marked
When it seems as though you have vegetables on
the brink of going bad, use them to make a stir-fry or vegetable broth
Only buy what you absolutely need at the grocery
store
Rather than doing a huge grocery shop once a
week, try to do a few smaller shops throughout the week
By OpenIDUser2 – http://trashwiki.org/en/File:Luxembourg_dumpster.jpeg, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26747239
Recycling
Recycling is very misunderstood. People often think products
can be recycled that in fact cannot (i.e. greasy pizza boxes, plastic bags, coffee
cups…). Recycling also holds an aura of sustainability and doing good, yet
sometimes the process of recycling certain products produces more waste. This
is not to say don’t recycle, but it is to say that the more we reduce our waste
in general, the better off our Earth. Food-contaminated plastics cannot be
recycled – they taint the recycling plant. Because of this, it’s important that
you sufficiently wash the food from your plastic, but don’t use too much water
as this negates the benefits of recycling.
The to-go coffee cup at your favorite shop cannot be recycled because it’s often lined in a thin plastic or wax coating. This is a great excuse to treat yourself to a nice reusable mug. Do you love hummus? Perhaps make your own, which means one less plastic container to wash out and recycle. Rather than buy single serving yogurt containers, buy the larger containers. Think twice when grabbing a plastic bag for your fruits and veggies at the farmers market. And if you do, keep these bags to bring with you on your next shopping trip.
* In NYC, all rigid plastics can be recycled. Pay greater attention to whether the plastic is relatively inflexible and maintains its shape or form when bent, rather than the number on the bottom of the plastic product.
Stasher bag lunch!
Author: Caroline Markowitz – MS candidate in nutrition and exercise physiology at Columbia University, but more importantly granola lover.
