Not going to apologize for my personal food choices

[Gilhelmi]

Yes, because beef is still demonized, even though we now know saturated fat doesn't cause heart disease. But oh, red meat... ... ...

Technically, it is not the "red meat" that causes heart disease, but the high amounts of salt they have to use for preservatives.

I saw an interesting article on the subject. A tribe in Africa, who lived on a mostly "red meat" diet, surprisingly had lower rates of heart disease then people in the US. They ate all their meat fresh. Unlike most American, who live a considerable distance from their food suppliers, where the meat has to be preserved and frozen for over a year (in some cases).

It is among the reasons I will not eat "Beef" outside of the "Beef belt". I also will not eat "Sea food" outside of the "Sea food belt". (what they try to pass off as "Sea food" in Kansas is absolutely disgusting, yuck.)

[Food Lady]

It's complicated, but I will say I totally don't believe meat causes heart disease. And this coming from a vegetarian. Oh, I read somewhere the leading cause of H.D. is now actually diabetes.

My vegetarianism came out of compassion, but my refusal to base my diet on lots of starches like other veg*ns do came out of a desire to avoid a disease I'm already highly at risk for. Try explaining that. "I'm vegetarian" makes people think I eat rice, beans, pasta, whole wheat bread, potatoes, and no fat all day. That got me to 219 lbs. It's just...the list of things I don't eat is long and people don't invite me over for dinner anymore, at my request. I don't want to make it hard for my meat-and-starch-loving friends.

Oh, and there's this weird thing that vegetarian=loves middle eastern and Indian food. Uh, nuh.

[Food Lady]

But red meat is good for you. Fuzzy blue-green meat, on the other hand...

But give me some fuzzy blue cheese! What an umami hit that stuff is!

[notalwaysright]

It's complicated

Yeah, that. I get a bit bleck when people seem to think that eating fat of any kind will instantly make you fat. It's not that simple. My doctor has told me that I eat like a vegetarian, but I don't THINK like a vegetarian. Meaning, I tend to not buy meat (but I am not at all a vegetarian) but I don't replace the protein. I have been buying more meat, since I get tired of non-meat protein sources, and I have lost a little weight. I think it's because my meals now make me feel fuller for longer. But that's just a guess. I really just try to do everything in moderation. That way I don't jump on the miracle cure bandwagon, I try to use my best judgment, and not worry too much.

Anyway, this is another reason not to get judgie about food choices. There are so many different explanations for the way each person eats, and it's really not anyone else's business. If I eat white rice/sugar/flour, that's my choice. Where I'm living is super natural/organic, but I rarely have anyone give me a hard time about my food. We all know that we eat totally different, and there's no point getting into it.

[mjr]

OR that "hamburger" they used to serve us back in high school (37 years ago) that might have been "some kind of meat with lots of soy filler"

I'm younger than you, but I think we had the same "hamburger" you did.

A friend of mine took to calling them "soybean mushburgers".

[Food Lady]

Yeah, that. I get a bit bleck when people seem to think that eating fat of any kind will instantly make you fat. It's not that simple. My doctor has told me that I eat like a vegetarian, but I don't THINK like a vegetarian. Meaning, I tend to not buy meat (but I am not at all a vegetarian) but I don't replace the protein.

That, and being broke enough to have to live on ramen and potatoes for a while, got me into trouble. I've added vegetarian protein sources--limiting the soy--and have replaced a lot of the starches with fiber. I took sugar out and put fats in. Have you ever had eggs fried in refined (flavorless) coconut oil? They are so good and I'm satisfied for hours. Really, you'd think butter would taste better, but I prefer the c.o.! I love that I don't have to choke down fat-free and light salad dressings. Homemade blue cheese for me. I've lost 30 lbs so far eating lots of fat and almost zero added sugar, and very little natural sugar. It can be hard. I love sweets.

[Food Lady]

I'm younger than you, but I think we had the same "hamburger" you did.

A friend of mine took to calling them "soybean mushburgers".

The first time I tasted a veggie burger as an adult, it was so familiar...and then the light bulb went on over my head. "They fed us soy! It wasn't real meat!"

[Lovecats]

OR that "hamburger" they used to serve us back in high school (37 years ago) that might have been "some kind of meat with lots of soy filler"

My sil when she was in college used to refer to it as "mystery meat".

[Roland]

I remember school cafeteria hamburgers....I am pretty sure they ran a cow through the room they were processed in.
I actually like veggie burgers though. Not for the reasons my pushy sister likes them for, but they are pretty good.

[BPFH]

OR that "hamburger" they used to serve us back in high school (37 years ago) that might have been "some kind of meat with lots of soy filler"

In my case it wasn't so much "meat" or "hamburger" as it was "cheese". Every so often we'd get "cheese" pizza in the cafeteria--the "cheese" was slightly greenish.

Yep, there's a reason why I make sure that I get the real thing these days...

[Sulhythal]

On the topic of school lunches...my middle school lunches were so bad, that for most of a year I would go to their token "salad bar" and get bunches and bunches of the cauliflower there and eat it for my "lunch"

I don't know exactly who or how, but it apparently someone told my parents about it, concerned that it was the only thing I was eating....

[Racket_Man]

In my case it wasn't so much "meat" or "hamburger" as it was "cheese". Every so often we'd get "cheese" pizza in the cafeteria--the "cheese" was slightly greenish.

Yep, there's a reason why I make sure that I get the real thing these days...

WOW did a few of us go to the same HS?????

The pizza at my HS was also like that (greenish) and had a weird consistency (as in REAL cheap cheese) along with "something that looked strangely like the 'meat' from the burgers."

Though I will admit the bread rolls/buns the cafeteria made were FANTASTIC beyond description.

[BPFH]

WOW did a few of us go to the same HS?????

The pizza at my HS was also like that (greenish) and had a weird consistency (as in REAL cheap cheese) along with "something that looked strangely like the 'meat' from the burgers."

Though I will admit the bread rolls/buns the cafeteria made were FANTASTIC beyond description.

If the rolls were good, then we definitely didn't go to the same HS.

[Food Lady]

Our elementary school used a lot of "government cheese". We had pizza and quesadillas frequently, along with canned fruit cocktail, chocolate milk, etc. Not healthy with all that white flour and sugar.

[lordlundar]

What about other forms of protein? Don't certain nuts (like almonds or peanuts) have protein? What about beans?

Not all protein is the same. What comprises protein is up to 14 different compounds. A food having all 14 is considered a "complete protein" and we humans need complete proteins to survive. All animal flesh and some animal byproducts have complete proteins inherently. Plant matter on the other hand it is much less common (edemames iirc have them as subsequently soy beans and tofu) so you have to pay attention to what you get or have to eat certain combinations to accomplish the same result.