I know that some people will cringe over the egg part of this, with its so called cholesterol. But I disagree, and so does Gary Taubes, author of Good Calories/Bad Calories. This is a great breakfast because is has almost no starch, no sugar that would raise blood sugar and insulin levels which clog arteries and cause a myriad of health problems, including obesity, heart disease, stroke, cancer and alzheimers and on and on. I chose no bacon only because I'm not a big fan of pork, but it would have been fine here.
Yes, there's a croissant which I barely nibbled on which I swigged in olive oil, instead of butter. And there's a good cup of strong BLACK COFFEE, which is the most right-wing beveridge I know. Liberals are the only ones I know that like to ruin a good cup of Joe with sugar, milk, and heaven only knows what other dreadful things they need to get it down.
Overall, this breakfast is a perfect 10 in my book. Eggs, sauteed cabbage, asparagus tied with leeks and a few stewed apricots, if my memory serves me correctly. Had this while staying at a lovely hotel outside Inverness, Scotland in January. Then I powered out of there for the rest of the day, into the Scottish countryside and the Culloden Battlefield.
With meals like this, there's not the big blood sugar drop later in the morning or day that brings an insatiable hunger and craving for more sugar, honey and other sweets, especially when you lay off the fruit.
In my opinion and for what it's worth, the most deadly breakfasts anyone can eat day after day include: oatmeal in all forms and with all accoutrements, bananas (the worst), sweet rolls and other Danish type sweets, bagels in all forms, English muffins, croissants, sweet granola, almost all cereals, and especially ones that are processed and have sugar, maple syrup and all kinds of additives. When kids eat these day after day, it sets them up for disease and obesity.
Yes, there's a croissant which I barely nibbled on which I swigged in olive oil, instead of butter. And there's a good cup of strong BLACK COFFEE, which is the most right-wing beveridge I know. Liberals are the only ones I know that like to ruin a good cup of Joe with sugar, milk, and heaven only knows what other dreadful things they need to get it down.
Overall, this breakfast is a perfect 10 in my book. Eggs, sauteed cabbage, asparagus tied with leeks and a few stewed apricots, if my memory serves me correctly. Had this while staying at a lovely hotel outside Inverness, Scotland in January. Then I powered out of there for the rest of the day, into the Scottish countryside and the Culloden Battlefield.
With meals like this, there's not the big blood sugar drop later in the morning or day that brings an insatiable hunger and craving for more sugar, honey and other sweets, especially when you lay off the fruit.
In my opinion and for what it's worth, the most deadly breakfasts anyone can eat day after day include: oatmeal in all forms and with all accoutrements, bananas (the worst), sweet rolls and other Danish type sweets, bagels in all forms, English muffins, croissants, sweet granola, almost all cereals, and especially ones that are processed and have sugar, maple syrup and all kinds of additives. When kids eat these day after day, it sets them up for disease and obesity.
14 comments:
Wow. Oatmeal and bananas are deadly? Laying off fruits is something to view as a way to avoid "dangerous" levels of sugars in the body? Sound science thoroughly and completely rejects that idea, thankfully. Whole unprocessed foods are the healthiest things you can eat.
I don't know where Taubes is getting his information from, but it's either scary dangerous junk science, or he's trying to make money off a book that "dares to be different".
I see in his Wikipedia profile, his background is in physics (not nutrition), defends the Atkins diet, and claims "physical exercise increases appetite to a degree that makes it an inefficient tool in weight loss". Hogwash.
Simply put, it's a scientific fat that if you're taking in more calories than you're burning, you'll get fat. It's as simple as that. (I'm a poet and didn't know it.) Sedentary lifestyles, and diets rich in saturated fats/trans fats, along with the sugars you mention, contribute to obesity and diabetes.
Red Flags, Web. Lots and lots of giant, Red Flags.
Tom, I appreciate your comment and I'll respond to it tomorrow. It's late and I'm on my way to dreamland.
For now let me say I come to my views from a childhood and much of adulthood health issues. And, I can honestly say, Tom, I believe what I say here, and much of what Taubes preaches, not became of some wild theory, but because I've lived it for at least a decade, and I've never felt better, more energized and am, praise God, healthier than I've ever been in my life. I don't argue with my body.
More later.
First, let me thank you for providing your source. I've had great fun exploring and researching this topic.
Secondly Web, I don't argue with my body either. If Taubes was right, I would've failed miserably in my quest to lose 25 pounds. Alas, I didn't fail--I lost fat mass and muscle mass by doing exactly what he is attempting to demonize and discredit. By controlling calorie intake, consuming 60% of total calories with "good" carbs, 30% of total calories with "good" fats, and 20% of total calories with protein (the USDA MyPyramid Plan); and by using a periodized workout plan.
I'm glad you feel better and are healthier than you've ever been in your life--but so am I. Now that our anecdotal evidence is out of the way, I too, will have more later. ;-)
Just to let you know--the plan I use is also used successfully by a broad spectrum of the population--normal people who simply want to be healthy, by amateur and professional athletes, and by Personal Trainers and Group Exercise Instructors everywhere. If Taubes was right--they'd all be hopelessly obese and diabetic.
Well, all this research is making me sleepy...or is it the hour of the night? (:-D) Nighty-night!
DOH!
When I wrote, "I lost fat mass and muscle mass by doing exactly what he is attempting to demonize and discredit.", I omitted one word which is very important. Here is the correction:
"I lost fat mass and GAINED muscle mass by doing exactly what he is attempting to demonize and discredit."
It was late...or early, depending on one's point of view. ;-)
That is seriously one of the least appealing breakfast pictures I've ever seen - and I've eaten in the middle east, so that's saying something.
I've got to agree with Tom. Bananas are one of the healthiest foods available - we eat them on cereal, as snacks, and I put them in smoothies I make for my kids (8 oz yogurt, 1 1/2 cups milk, fresh fruits and ice). Fruits and veggies are loaded with vitamins and minerals. I don't know what we'd do for meals in our house if we didn't eat them.
The problem isn't eating cereal, granola, grains and fruits for breakfast - the problem is lack of exercise. I just did a den meeting for my Tiger Cubs about the USDA food pyramid - combining healthy foods with healthy drinks and 30 mins of exercise every day is what leads to healthy bodies. You should check out their website, there's lots of great info about diet www.mypyramid.gov
p.s. I think you're wrong about coffee. My in-laws, union-members and solidly middle class Catholic democrats from Michigan drink their coffee black; my mom - going to Minnesota this summer with my dad (a McCain delegate from NY) drinks her coffee like me - light, no sugar. The best thing in the morning is a cup of Tim Horton's ground with Upstate Farms half and half.
Now, now vienna....it's not all that bad.
I'm glad we now have some common ground between you and Tom after all these years: bananas...well you have to start somewhere. One small step for world peace.
I will post more later, but have had a busy weekend and am working on my taxes.
"I'm glad we now have some common ground between you and Tom after all these years: bananas...well you have to start somewhere. One small step for world peace."
LOL!!! Let me guess, Web, that was a double entendre, wasn't it?
I resemble that remark.
By the way, Vienna--I'm working on a blog post for my blog on this subject. It's already at essay level, so I'll do my best to channel Bill Whittle from Eject! Eject! Eject!
This way I won't clutter Web's blog with lengthy comments. (:-D)
Well, Tom, after all these months I'm gladto know all this talk of carb restrictions and bananas got you back to blogging again. If I'd know that, I'd have said something about bananas months ago.
We can continue this conversation, but I still think bananas are the worst! You can have my lifetime allotment!
Web, come on. Cabbage, asparagus with leeks and orange looking eggs? For breakfast?? Thanks, but no thanks.
What's wrong with your good ole' fashioned standard American breakfast? Eggs, potatoes, pancakes, bacon...they've served this country well for hundreds of years. I wouldn't recommend eating them all at the same time, but it's gotta beat leeks and cabbage.
You don't know what you're missing with fresh fruit Web...I can almost taste the delicacies from the local farmer's market this summer: peaches, pears, berries of all kinds, honeydews...mmmmm....
Tom, I've started my own blog:
thanksforstoppingby08.blogspot.com
Well vienna, this was cooked and served in Scotland.
When I eat a lot of starches for breakfast, like starchy potatoes and pancakes, I am off and sluggish all day. When I drive cross country after eating all that, I become so sleepy I can hardly keep my eyes open.
And as for fruit. I like and eat fruits in warmer weather. God gave us fruit to nourish and cool in warmer climes and warmer seasons. We were never meant to eat a lot of fruit in winter, just because our modern distribution and transportation systems allow us to.
I eat blueberries and dried figs usually with peanut butter, and they are wonderful. But for the most part, I eat fruits seasonally and not with impunity.
Again, breakfasts and diets with potatoes, pancakes and a lot of sugar, simply don't interst me anymore. I do eat brown rice, usually for dinner. And as a result, I have turbo-charged energy all day and can usually run circles around my friends.
One other thing I will touch on on subsequent posts is, it's not just what you eat which is important, it's the time of day you eat it too.
Bon appetit!
And besides bananas, I think most fruit juices, like O J are the worst also for energy, for sluggishness, for blood sugar. Rather see people eat the whole fruit since it takes longer to digest and is a little (but not much) better on one's insulin levels.
....and I don't expect you to understand....
What do mean, you don't expect me to understand? Is that a slam at me or something?
I understand there are different diets out there. I happen to believe that eating a well balanced diet, consisting of meat, fruits, veggies, starches, water, and very limited amounts of fat is good for us. It works for me and my family.
Well, I'm glad it does, so stick with it as long as it works.
I eat all food groups you mention but in very different proportions, Vienna. And I've come to it through trial and error over the past two decades. This isn't some fad for me. And I feel better than I did in my twenties.
But before anyone condemns Gary Taubes as a quack and charlatan, I suggest they actually read his book. It is not his own theory, but historically has been bantered about for centuries. He is merely reporting and doing research on what has been out there for a very long time.
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