This morning, my sister (25yr old) emailed me to ask for some dietary help. She asked if I could give her any ideas on "what are some good low calorie/low carb alternatives for potatoes and pasta etc?"
Well, of course this is a simple one for me, as I research nutrition everyday, surround myself with like-minded foodies and I have some of the best Personal Trainers at my fingertips if I ever need help on nutritional needs. But it got me thinking, I am probably in the minority of people who are interested in this way about the food on our plates, and our kids plates.
When I grew up, 'meat and two veg' was a staple diet for us, pasta was a 'foreign' food, rice was something you eat with curry and everything was cooked in lard. What I have learned about nutrients and superfoods, I have had to research and find the information for myself. It's not usually taught from your parents in this way. Therefore, my sister is really at the same disadvantage as I was when I was piling rubbish onto my plate, getting overweight and unhealthy, and going on silly faddy diets that were boring, hard to maintain and just didn't work as a lifestyle change.
So, I wrote her a reply, rather longer than I had originally intended, and probably gave her more than she bargained for, but it really is something I feel passionate about. Why are we brainwashed into thinking of everything in 'calories'. Why on earth is is best for our children to drink milk from a cow? Who thought of the phrase '5 a day', when some recent research suggests you need at least 20 a day to get your daily nutrients? Why are the majority of people on a MAD diet (Meat and Dairy) when it costs so much more to raise livestock for slaughter, than to grow a field of plant based foods? So many questions, and more, I first asked myself when I embarked on my Cambridge Bootcamp Journey, and had to find the answers for myself.
Well, I gave her a long list of foods, including quinoa, pearl barley, buckwheat, corn or rice pasta, brown rice, and buckwheat spaghetti as 'carb replacements'. But I also tried to get over to her that a meal doesn't have to consist of 'carb-meat-veg' to be a satisfying meal. I suggested lentils, beans, pulses, made into salads or spreads. I suggested using sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, squash and pumpkin in the same way as potato for a subtle potato replacement. I also told her to Google vegan, vegetarian and specialist diets for ideas on how to change her way of thinking about how her meals are constructed.
I hope I helped and didn't drown her with information. Tonight, I have concluded to myself that at least my children have the benefit of a knowledgable mum who makes them try different foods and ideas. I hope they can pass it on to their friend's mums aswell, when they go for dinner at their houses!!
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