Live For Food

I have already talked about how the body breaks down the carbohydrates we eat into glucose molecules, and as we know, glucose is a type of sugar.

The body then transports the glucose to its many cells where it is used as energy in carrying out bodily functions and movements.

So the question that comes to mind is that if the body needs glucose to function, what is so bad about eating sugar and sugary products? Surely we are doing the body a favor by giving it much needed energy?

Lets look at how glucose is absorbed:

• When we eat carbohydrates of any kind the body breaks these down into glucose molecules in the intestine.
• The glucose is taken into the bloodstream and transported to the cells.
• Blood sugar levels refer to the amount of glucose currently in the bloodstream.
• The pancreas notices what the blood sugar levels are.
• If the levels are high, i.e. lots of glucose in the blood, the pancreas release a hormone called insulin.
• Insulin allows the cells to absorb the glucose from the blood, thus reducing blood sugar levels.
• Then the pancreas detects the blood sugar levels are back to normal and stop producing insulin.

What happens when the cells are full of glucose?

• Insulin helps to store any excess glucose.
• First it is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
• Glycogen can be easily used as energy when the glucose in the cells runs out.
• Any further excess glucose is stored as fat.
• Fat can also be used as energy but only as a last resort once the glucose and glycogen run out.

So back to sugar:

• If we eat simple sugars like table sugar or cakes and sweets containing sugar, the body doesn’t have to work very hard to break the food down into glucose molecules.
• Consequently a large amount of glucose immediately goes into the bloodstream, making the blood sugar levels very high.
• The pancreas goes into overdrive and releases loads of insulin.
• There is far more glucose than the body needs immediately so the excess is stored as glycogen and then as fat.
• Because there is such a lot of insulin it takes all the glucose out of the blood.
• This results in very low blood sugar levels.
• Low blood sugar levels can give you fatigue and that post lunch afternoon slump, and make you hungry again.
• If you then eat something else sugary the cycle starts again.
• Eating sugar doesn’t fill you up for long – it justs leads you into eating more and more sugar.
• The extreme of this reaction is when the body becomes resistant to insulin. This can happen if you constantly consume sugar. More and more insulin is needed to lower the blood sugar levels. This can lead to diabetes.

So what about complex carbohydrates?

• Now we can see why it is better to eat complex carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice and vegetables, than simple carbohydrates like sugar.
• The body has to work harder to break down the carbohydrates into glucose.
• The breakdown is also slowed by the high fibre content of some complex carbohydrates, and also by the processing of nutrients which are not present in simple carbohydrates.
• Glucose is released into the bloodstream more slowly.
• The blood and cells receive a more steady flow of glucose.
• Insulin production is  regulated more effectively.
• Fewer highs and lows in blood sugar levels will make you feel better and more energized, and will keep you feeling full for longer.
• Excessive intake of complex carbohydrates will still however result in the excess glucose being stored as fat.

Conclusion:

Complex carbohydrates are better for your digestion and weight than simple carbohydrates.

If your portion sizes of carbohydrates are consistently too large you will gain fat, regardless of the type of carbohydrates.

The type of carbohydrates that you can eat the most of without gaining weight are … unsurprisingly … vegetables!

If you have leftover pastes or purees, take a regular ice cube tray, and spoon the paste into the holes.

Simply freeze them, and when you need to use them you can pop the frozen cubes straight in the pan.

This is good for curry pastes, both Indian and Thai, and also tomato puree.

You may wish to put the ice cube tray inside a plastic bag to stop any debris from the freezer getting into the paste.

However it might not work as well in my very cool Tetris ice cube tray!

Ingredients:
500g pack turkey mince (ground turkey)
1 rounded tbsp korma curry paste
1 tsp groundnut, vegetable or olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
500ml chicken stock
175ml reduced fat or light coconut milk
Large handful of sugar snap peas, halved on the diagonal
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
Few coriander leaves (optional)

Method

1 Make the meatballs
Mix the mince with 1 tsp curry paste and some seasoning. Shape into walnut sized meatballs. Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan. Fry the meatballs for 5 minutes, turning until they are browned all over.

2 Make the sauce
Heat the remaining curry paste in a pan. Add the onion and fry over a low heat for about 5 minutes, until soft – be careful not to burn the paste (add a splash of water if you need to). Pour in the stock and coconut milk and bring to the boil.

3 Simmer
Turn the heat down to low and add the meatballs. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the turkey is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the sugar snaps and tomatoes, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Serve
Scattered with the almonds and coriander, if using, and serve with rice.

Notes
Serves 4
Ready in 35 minutes
258 kcals, 11g fat, per portion
Suitable for freezing if full fat coconut milk used instead of reduced fat  

Copyright BBC Easy Cook Magazine, Immediate Media Limited
Reproduced with permission

My own substitutions and comments

I only used about half an onion but did add some mushrooms. I used full fat coconut milk. I used asparagus instead of sugar snap peas, and left out the tomatoes.

Instead of fresh coriander I always use Gourmet Garden coriander blend. Dried coriander is rubbish, and I struggle to use up fresh herbs.

I probably cooked this for an extra 10 minutes.

If you buy flaked almonds you will have to toast them yourself which is not mentioned above, but is easily done in a dry frying pan for a couple of minutes.

Verdict

Thankfully this tasted a lot nicer than it looked. It was very tasty. In general I tend to avoid turkey mince as it can quite bland but this recipe jazzed it up a bit.

It didn’t really taste like a korma from an Indian restaurant but I suspect that they add a lot more fat and cream in restaurants!

My only issue with this recipe was how watery it turned out to be. My sauce didn’t thicken that much and there was a lot of it. If I do it again I will reduce the amount of chicken stock used. Possibly the addition of mushrooms didn’t help this.

I did however eat half and reheat half the following day.  Following gentle reheating of about 15 minutes with no additional added liquid the consistency was then about right

I would make this recipe again and its always nice to have something new to do with mince.

So you’re trying to lose weight, or you’re trying to eat healthily. Then you get an invitation. It might be lunch at a friend’s house, a restaurant trip for a birthday celebration, or just Christmas come round again. And you have that dilemma: should you eat what you want for one day, or should you try and stick to the healthy eating?

There isn’t a definitive answer, one approach may suit one person better than another, but here are a few things to consider when deciding on your diet strategy for special occasions.

Firstly, what do the terms indulgence and moderation mean to you?

They are subjective terms, but in my head I would define them as following:

Healthy eating – no cake
Moderation – one piece of cake
Indulgence – two pieces of cake
Over-indulgence – three or more pieces of cake

How likely is it for you that moderation will turn into over-indulgence?  If the answer is extremely likely then perhaps you are someone who should stick to the healthy eating approach.

How special is the occasion?

Indulging to my mind (but not over-indulging) should be left for genuine special occasions – family birthdays, weddings, and big celebrations. If you indulge on smaller occasions it happens more regularly, and you will be less and less likely to stick to the healthy eating long term.

If you find you are indulging because its your colleague’s daughter’s dog’s birthday that’s only a short step from indulging because it’s a Friday, and that can only be a slippery slope.

What if the special occasion is dinner at someones house and they have made something especially for you?

Some people would say that you should stick to your rules regardless, but I think one should have consideration for the person who has gone to an effort for you. I would suggest the moderation route. Consider eating a small piece of whatever you’re given. Unless its something that’s a major trigger food for you, or you genuinely feel you have a food addiction, it shouldn’t hurt in the long run.

If you know that one piece will lead to more, why not say you are full and ask to take a piece home with you instead (if it’s something like cake)?  Then you can choose whether or not to eat it later.

What about large events that are more impersonal ?

Maybe a work evening out, a church buffet or a neighbour’s barbecue. At these kind of events its very likely that there is a lot of food available, you are helping yourself to it rather than having a sit down meal, and no-one really cares what is on your plate.

I would use these occasions to practice healthy eating or at the most moderation. It’s extremely easy to overeat on these occasions for absolutely no reason. Try and make the most of the social aspect of such occasions and don’t stand near the food table.

Have a look at my previous post on dealing with a buffet.

Forward planning is necessary 

It’s important whatever the occasion to decide on your strategy prior to the event. The quickest way to end up at over-indulgence is to not think about the food choices you want to make beforehand. Even if you don’t stick to your planned strategy you are far more likely to stick to it if you have it. A plan to only eat one piece of cake will induce guilt as you reach for the second piece.

Whatever strategy you decide on, make it the one that’s best for you – don’t let anyone else talk you into a new and more indulgent on the spot strategy!

Whatever the occasion, try and think about the event first, and the food second, and armed with your strategy you are sure to have a good time.

Lentils come from the lentil plant.  The lentil plant produces pods, which contain lens-shaped seeds, which are what we call lentils.  This makes them part of the legume family, the same family as peas and beans.  They are an ancient plant, and have long been cultivated in Southern Europe and the Middle East.

Lentils are a good source of vegetable protein, high in fibre, and low in fat.  They are also good sources of folic acid, iron and magnesium.  They are normally used in soups, casseroles, and curries such as dahl.

There are many different varieties and colours of lentils.  The main types you may come across are:

Brown lentils

These are good in soups.  The go mushy if cooked for too long but otherwise retain their shape.

Red lentils

These are good for making dahl and thick soup, and they go mushy quite quickly.  They turn yellow when cooked and make a good paste or thickener.

Green lentils/Puy lentils

These stay firmer when cooked.  They are good to use in casseroles and stews where you want the lentils to remain whole.

Lentils come dried in packets, or in tins.  I find the tinned ones easier to use myself as they do not take as long to cook.  However both kinds will keep for a long time in your store cupboard.