Is there anyone who just eats normally?

[Peanutss]

I can't believe the amount of threads where the OP claims to eat only a boiled spinach shake for breakfast, plain cous cous for dinner and a salmon fillet with veg for tea. With of course, only an apple as a snack in between.

Is there anyone like me who just has a bowl of cornflakes for breakfast, a meal deal for lunch and then whatever I can be arsed putting in the oven for tea? I'm beginning to wonder if I'm massively unhealthy in comparison to most or whether people are just making this up.

I actually cook from scratch every meal and have very healthy meals. I also eat chocolate, cake and drink wine.

maria I think you'll find that the bread, butter, and cheese are still made with flour, milk, and cream.
And they still have to be baked with yeast and heat, or churned or erm whatever you do to make cheese.
So they are still processed in the same way as the stuff from the supermarket.

So they are still processed in the same way as the stuff from the supermarket.

Ah, but being made by a little man in the sticks (who used to work as a Eurobond broker but gave it up to pursue the rustic life) makes all the difference, don’t you know. Those chunky knitted sweaters and the loving attention he gives his Red Leicester imparts it with mystical health-promoting properties.

MarieNovella I buy sourdough from a local producer (ruinously expensive but I really like it and a loaf last me and DH a week) which is stocked by the local supermarket.

I buy nice cheese from Waitrose and locally produced butter - from the local supermarket.

=

Just whilst we're on the subject of bread, I bought a sandwich from M&S the other day, it was on onion bread and it was glorious.

I feel a bit sorry for Marie I assume what she means is she trying to avoid all the unnecessary stuff that some food producers put in their processed food.

Best ring the undertakers now then, Peanutss.

@MariaNovella

I applaud your commitment to organic non- processed “factory” food

And yet you regularly have Botox injected

It’s a strange contradiction

I don’t know why you think there is any contradiction between Botox and a commitment to the environment. Can you explain your reasoning?

Ah commitment to environment.

Sorry, I thought your motivation for organic non factory processed was more to avoid intake of chemicals etc. In which case, a contradiction I’m sure you will agree.

If it is the environment driving, then no contradiction at all

drspouse - there is a world of difference in terms of environmental impact between the butter, milk, eggs, bread etc I buy and the butter, milk, eggs, bread that are produced in a factory.

MariaNovella that must be expensive.

I’m sure it’s more expensive than buying from the cheapest of the cheap value supermarket ranges. It is, however, both cheaper and an awful lot nicer than shopping in, say, M&S.

I find sugar, flours, cereals and sweeteners highly addictive so I just don’t eat them.

Frankly I don’t want to be fat or diabetic which I will be if I allow these foods in. I cannot eat “just one” and these foods are designed to be addictive.

I do believe sugar is like a drug to me so I don’t find anything to celebrate about it. My Fil has T2 and he’s not well and I’m angry at what sugar has done to him.

I don’t consider myself to have a food issue-actually I am not designed to eat refined sugar or cereals so my body is reacting exactly as it should to them-negatively.

If others can eat just a bit now and then - good luck to them but many people can’t stop.

there is a world of difference in terms of environmental impact between the butter, milk, eggs, bread etc
I'm sure there is but you said you avoided processed foods not that you tried to reduce environmental impact.
Those are all processed.

It varies, on Monday:

B: leftover margherita pizza slice, tea
L: tuna sandwich
D: turkey bolognese on a baked potato

Tuesday:
B: marmite on 2 slices of rye toast, coffee
L: grilled chicken salad
D: turkey bolognese (leftovers) on spaghetti

Wednesday (today)
B: marmite on 2 slices of rye toast, tea
L: salad with tuna (tinned in water kind)
D: going to heat up defrosted (previously made and frozen) boeuf bourguignon along with new potatoes and veggies.

drspouse - you are confusing transformed food stuffs and processed food stuffs.

Lack of exercise, obesity and alcohol is more likely to cause diabetes type 2 than eating chocolate.

What's the difference them Maria?
If you mean you avoid "food with additives" then say what you mean.
All non-raw food is processed, and some raw food is processed too.

drspouse do you take everything so literally? That must make life really difficult for you.

All non-raw food is processed, and some raw food is processed too.

No. The definition of processed food is not “food not in its raw state.” Processed food is factory/industrialised food.

I agree with marymarkle in that exercise really is the key. I find that in these food threads on MN posters often get quite defensive when exercise is mentioned yet it is the single most important thing you can do for your health. I'm not talking running marathons either, a brisk walk on a lunch break or standing more at work, walking to the shops, anything!

Exercise is vital but so are nutrients.

Diabetes is a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism so yes it is caused by too much carbohydrate be it so chocolate, bread, rice, potatoes, sugar, maize..all of which are incredibly easy to overeat for many people.

'A processed food is any food that has been altered in some way during preparation.

Food processing can be as basic as:

freezing
canning
baking
drying

Not all processed food is a bad choice. Some foods need processing to make them safe, such as milk, which needs to be pasteurised to remove harmful bacteria.

Other foods need processing to make them suitable for use, such as pressing seeds to make oil'

From the NHS website.

Exercise is vital but so are nutrients.
Yes, but no one is saying that they don't eat anything nutritious. They're saying that it's ok to eat a balance of good and bad and bit to worry too much.