The Trans-fat Conspiracy

Originally Posted by Topsi1208

I Agree! It just does not take long to throw a healthy meal together using fresh whole ingredients. I even enjoy the prep time, (chopping, mincing, slicing & dicing)!

This year, I planted a garden for the first time. I got tired of bland tasting tomatoes from the store that started to rot right away. Now I'm picking my own tomatoes that were grown without pesticides & they are delicious! Every night we eat a fresh cucumber & fresh tomato. I've even picked a few cantaloupes. At least this way, I know for sure what is in my food!

Originally Posted by Topsi1208

I Agree! It just does not take long to throw a healthy meal together using fresh whole ingredients. I even enjoy the prep time, (chopping, mincing, slicing & dicing)!

This year, I planted a garden for the first time. I got tired of bland tasting tomatoes from the store that started to rot right away. Now I'm picking my own tomatoes that were grown without pesticides & they are delicious! Every night we eat a fresh cucumber & fresh tomato. I've even picked a few cantaloupes. At least this way, I know for sure what is in my food!

Originally Posted by Pendejo

Nobody need apologize for badmouthing the U.S. government. Rather than being "of and for the people," it is nothing more now than a lobbyist for Big Business. Any U.S. citizen who still trusts our government to "protect" them from anything is just plain ignorant, which unfortunately includes the majority of our population.

Originally Posted by Felt_Rider

I tried my hand at "organic" gardening last year and I wasn't too good at it.

Insects had a feast on my tomatoes and squash

I suppose the Whole Foods Market or Harry's Farmer's Market will have to be my place for shopping.


Whole Foods Market Locations

Originally Posted by Pendejo

As most of you already know, partially hydrogenized oils contain trans-fat, a completely artificial plastic-like substance that substitutes for butter here in the U.S. It's extremely bad stuff, clogs arteries, blocks the absorption of healthy fats, etc. A recent medical study concluded that the safe level of consumption is ZERO. (The American Medical Association, wimps that they are, recently claimed that it's safe to consume 1% of your fats as trans-fats.)

For years, I have stayed away from products whose ingredient labels indicated partially hydrogenized oils. Because of this, I though my diet was healthy. I was very wrong. The corporate whores in the U.S. can legally use other names on the ingredient label, such as modifed food starch, vegetable ghee, margarine, etc. When I recently learned this, and studied the labels again, I found I was eating plenty of stuff with that crap: breads, frozen yogurt, popcorn, jams, cookies from a "health store," some oil-based salad dressings, etc.

So what we have here in the good old U.S. is this: the exact same stuff (for example, margarine) that for so many years has been touted as healthier than dairy-based products is actually deadly in the long-run; when you go to the doctor with high-cholesterol, right away they put you on expensive drugs for life and don't even mention trans-fats. I've checked this with several people who have heart disease and go to cardiologists. Not one has been warned about trans-fats being in so many things we buy. If it's mentioned at all, it's incidental to a general discussion about "eating healthy." Well, that's what I thought I was doing.

I'm wondering - those of you in other countries - what's the story with trans-fats in the food you buy there? I have a feeling that other countries would be better protected by their governments. I might be wrong. But I can say without reservation that the U.S. political system is one of the most corrupt in the world. (Obviously not just because of the above. It's just another good example.)

Originally Posted by Topsi1208

I Agree! It just does not take long to throw a healthy meal together using fresh whole ingredients. I even enjoy the prep time, (chopping, mincing, slicing & dicing)!

This year, I planted a garden for the first time. I got tired of bland tasting tomatoes from the store that started to rot right away. Now I'm picking my own tomatoes that were grown without pesticides & they are delicious! Every night we eat a fresh cucumber & fresh tomato. I've even picked a few cantaloupes. At least this way, I know for sure what is in my food!

Originally Posted by Topsi1208

I Agree! It just does not take long to throw a healthy meal together using fresh whole ingredients. I even enjoy the prep time, (chopping, mincing, slicing & dicing)!

Originally Posted by NickDavid

+1 MAN! I started cooking al my own meals a few months ago. I'm hooked! I love it so much, I've though about getting into cooking as a trade.

It's a ton of fun, especially when you start messing around with ingredients. Last week I mashed a banana, mixed with olive oil, garlic and some other goodies, then marinated the chicken in it and cooked. It was so tasty!

Originally Posted by Pendejo

My wife and I have almost "lost our taste" for eating out, unfortunately. You can almost be sure you'll be eating trans-fats with a restaurant meal, unless it's an organic or health-oriented place. There's a neat outdoor cafe that we walk to for brunch. Great omelletes, pancakes, French toast (or is that Freedom toast?). We went yesterday and I asked what type of oil they use to fry their stuff in. The manager checked and told me it was a liquid butter substitute. Hydrogenated. But he offered that they could make our eggs using olive oil instead. They tasted fine, so now I've learned something. Sadly, they can't use the olive oil for pancakes, etc., so it's probably adios to them.

Originally Posted by aacliment

My breakfast consists of yogurt, fruit juice, bran flakes, a high fibre fruit (pineapple or an orange) and the part that i really look forward to is a slice of whole wheat bread with peanut butter and unsweetened strawberry preserves. Sadly, i know that peanut butter is loaded with partially hydrogenated oil and i will have to give that up! I just have not found anything that i will look forward to eating, as much as the peanut butter. I have tried organic peanut butter with out PHO, but its not even close. Any ideas?

Originally Posted by Pendejo

Have you checked the ingredients on the yogurt and bran flakes? I've been eating plain yogurt for years, only to be shocked when I checked the label recently and found hydrogenated oil in it (which can also be listed under its As for the peanut butter, what is PHO? I've bought pure peanut butter in stores and it tastes fine to me. Also, I'm sure you could make your own.

Originally Posted by Pendejo

Have you checked the ingredients on the yogurt and bran flakes? I've been eating plain yogurt for years, only to be shocked when I checked the label recently and found hydrogenated oil in it (which can also be listed under its As for the peanut butter, what is PHO? I've bought pure peanut butter in stores and it tastes fine to me. Also, I'm sure you could make your own.

Originally Posted by Pendejo

Sorry, my above message got truncated. The aliases are shortening, modifed food starch, modified vegetable starch, vegetable ghey, etc. Also, check your bran flakes - I've found that most cereals have the crap in them.