Can you tell me what causes disease? Think about it.
WHAT YOU EAT, CHEF?
Good. You’re right. And some foods actually create the problem: Inflammation. What causes inflammation? Sugar, for one. By the way, how much inflammation… uh, I mean calories do you think this Crown Black Forest Cake has?
What I call the ‘big machine’ and you probably call ‘the food industry’ has set us up to fail…. and to quote Christ Rock “That ain’t right”! Everywhere I look all I see is ads for sugar. And do I need to be reminded about snickers, mounds, almond joy and milky way just one more time? Am I not fighting that very addiction? lol
And when they’re not talking about sugar? They’re showing me pizza, pasta, breads of all kinds…. all things that turn to sugar.
About now, it would be pretty easy for me to throw up my hands and dive into a Baskin Robbins Hot Fudge Sundae. Of course! I know that’s inflammation. I know our bodies don’t process todays’ milk or most cheeses. So that’s strike two. And at the end of the day? It’s calories in, calories out.
So, unless I want to start working out for an hour or two every day (yeah, like I have time to do that), then …..I have to abstain. And it’s not just sugar. It’s wheat, barley, rye…. and I probably could go on and on for hours about what isn’t good to eat.
Just as I got to the end of my rope today, I thought about what reduces inflammation. Well I’m sure ‘envisioning inflammation and wishing it away’ is what some people would recommend. But these days, I’m thinking if food can create disease, it can also create healing. And with that, I did some research. Did you know there are veggies that can reduce free radical damage?
FREE RADICAL DAMAGE? WHAT THE HECK IS THAT CHEF?
Good question. You remember the 60’s and early 70’s?
YES CHEF!
Well, it’s not that. Not the Black Panthers (called radicals in those days) or free wheeling hippies (called free wheeling hippies in those days). According to Dictionary.com a free radical is an atom or molecule that bears and unpaired electron and is extremely reactive, capable of engaging in rapid chain reactions that destabilize other molecules and generate many more free radicals….. changing your cells? Don’t we call that cancer, when a cell changes then multiplies like crazy?
The good news is these free radicals can be deactivated by antioxidants.
Yes, you’ll hear about all these pills you can take that say that’s exactly what they do. But for my money? I’ll go with food. Let’s see…. broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage. Ya think I can get them into my diet more regularly? Ya think you can?
MAYBE CHEF! NOT SURE!
Well think about lightly steamed broccoli and garlic. Mmmmm. How about cooking cauliflower down, whipping it with a tablespoon of coconut creamer, a pinch of nutmeg and roasted garlic. Ya think you could get that down as a mashed potatoes substitute? I know I can!
Brussel Sprouts? You’re on your own there. I haven’t ever had a craving for brussel sprouts and the people that I know that do? Go for the broiled sprouts. And what are they really going for? The brown and black bits from charbroiling.Yes brown is flavor! But the black part? That’s called burnt and it adds cancer causing chemicals, sort of defeating the cause.
I quickly move on to cabbage. Who doesn’t like a good slaw? lol
But my favorite thing to make and eat, with equal conviction (cause I love the process of creating as much as I savor the spoils)? That would be Egg Rolls. Number one ingredient in Egg Rolls? Egg. No. Just kidding. The number one ingredient is (drum roll please), cabbage! So cool! I can make Egg Rolls every day and still not run out of different ingredients to add to cabbage!
So there you have it! Equally balanced in either hand: What you should be pissed about followed by being pissed about what you’re now pissed off about, having just about finished this blog and now ready to join both Chris Rock and myself in another round of ‘That Ain’t Right’!
Happy Eating,
Chef Marian