Acres of Cranberries Grown
While Massachusetts is famous for it's Cranberries, many people don't realize how big the Cranberry industry is in Wisconsin.
Food
The Great Canadian Story of Canola – Canadian Food Focus
Resturants and Vending Machines are So Much Waste
Every time I pass by a vending machine or restaurant, I often think what a waste of money and resources. I really hate wasting money and I hate relying on others for services I can provide for myself. A hot meal or a snack might be good, but I’d rather buy food in bulk and cook it myself, for less waste and less money.
Restaurant food is often wasteful, but so is so much of the take-out you get that comes in a styrofoam or paper box. When you shop at the store, you can buy things in large packages, make several meals out of the food. You can compost your food scraps, burn or recycling the much more minimal packaging. You don’t have to live the high-waste life.
It’s not rocket science to pack your own lunch in a reusable plastic container like I have done for over an decade for work. A home-packed lunch with a microwave at work is often good, and there are many things you can put in lunch box. I generally prefer a hot lunch nowadays that I make from things previously prepared at home, but for many years I packed sandwiches. Likewise, if you pack food for a road trips, you can skip the vending machines for healthier options that involve less waste.
For Health, More Nuts, Beans and Whole Grains In Your Diet – The New York Times
An analysis published Wednesday in the journal BMC Medicine, drawing on data from 37 studies, adds to the evidence that eating fewer animal-based foods — especially processed meats — and replacing them with whole grains, legumes and nuts is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
The study is particularly useful because it details which dietary changes are most strongly linked to better health, said Qi Sun, an associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who was not involved with the study. For example, the study estimated that replacing one serving per day of processed meats, like hot dogs, sausage, deli meats or bacon, with a serving of whole grains, nuts or beans was associated with a 23 to 36 percent lower risk of cardiovascular issues, including stroke, heart attack and coronary heart disease.
The analysis combined the results from studies in the United States, Europe and Asia that asked participants detailed questions about the foods they typically ate. Researchers followed them for an average of 19 years and looked for correlations between their diets and health. They adjusted for other factors that can affect health, including calorie intake, physical activity, smoking and alcohol use.
These types of studies can’t determine if plant-based foods directly prevent cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes — only that there is an association between eating more of such foods and a lower risk of developing these conditions, said Sabrina Schlesinger, an epidemiologist and nutrition scientist at the German Diabetes Center in D?sseldorf, Germany, and a lead author of the study. But the findings were consistent between studies, she said, and are supported by other research that points in the same direction.
A take on “Meatless Mondays” and “Vegan Fridays”
I don’t eat much meat anymore due to the high cost due to inflation and unhealthy omega-6 saturated fats. Saturated fats are bad news. They’re fine as a treat but you shouldn’t be gorging on them regularly.
Probably the meat I eat the most these days is canned chicken, mostly because I will throw a can in the big pots of chicken soup I make, although I generally do more tuna fish instead because it’s less expensive and omega-3 fats. Used to buy frozen chicken to broil but it’s not worth the effort to cook, might as well just have salmon for the omega-3s. Tastes better too.
I do like fat free plain Greek yogurt and occasionally cottage cheese though I’ve lately cut back on the latter due to the high salt content. And of course skim milk in coffee and reduced fat Parmesan cheese as a topping.
Rice and lentils are my go to source for protein. Cheap and so many different ways to cook with spices so never gets boring. Then different types of soup, edamame, homemade whole wheat bread for carbs and always mixing up and snacking on fruits and veggies.
I’m not saying I won’t occasionally eat other things when visiting friends and family for holidays and special events but when you are in your second half of your life you really think twice about what you put in your mouth.
Benefits of Avocado Oil
It's awesome for it's high smoke point -- really can make food nice and crispy without the pan getting sticky and smoking, and it's health benefits aren't half bad either.