Doug Kanter wrote:

wrote in message
oups.com...

haven't you heard that skin is really, really, really, really bad for
you?

Don't tell me I'm actually going to *learn* something in this thread.

I thought potato skin was GOOD for you. Something about all the iron
and minerals in dirt working their way into the skin.

Wow: it's sounding stupid to me and nobody's even responded yet.



A lot of the fungicides used on potato crops lodge in the skin.



That's why I peel the potatoes and wrap them with chicken skin before
baking.

Bob

P.S. That was meant as a joke, but it actually sounds *really good*.
Now I'll have to try it.

wrote:
It seems

Good, start right out admitting you have no science to back up the
claims to follow.

[snip] Salads and fruit are best just as they
are without adding dressing or cheese or croutons.

"Best" meaning healthiest, apparently. Even if you could substantiate
the health claims, there is more to eating than that.

Most people agree [snip]

Actually, that's not so. People who agree with you constitute a tiny
minority of the world's population.

Part of the problem seems to be that people understand that simple
unprocessed food is best, but there are social pressures especially
within families to eat otherwise. [snip]

I don't know of these social pressures. I do know of some individual's
desire to appear knowledgeable and superior.

Groups like this have great intentions. Sharing recipes, etc. That is
part of the live to eat mentality however. I'll say it anyway. A
simple, vegetarian, low-salt, low-fat, low calorie diet high in whole
grains, fruit, vegetables and fiber is the healthiest way to eat. This
involves almost no cooking at all.

No cooking, and almost no thinking, either. -aem

"Dave Smith" wrote in message
...
Dee Randall wrote:


OK, just to get you going again --haven't you heard that skin is really,
really, really, really bad for you?


They are??? There is a toxin in the eyes and in the greenish coloured
skins
of young potatoes, but I was under the impression that they were actually
pretty good for you, and a quick Google search confirmed that.




No comment about potato skins, but...

Google searches confirm nothing. They turn up everything from the highest
quality information on university and government sites to the most
astounding dreck and twaddle published by flat-earthers, fundamentalists,
and other treacle-brains. You can find support for any hair-brained theory
by using Google. Unless you have the ability to evaluate the source of
information--which very few people do--it's pretty useless.


--
Peter Aitken

jmcquown wrote:

wrote:

Most people agree that a potato is good food until you fry it or mash
it and add salt and butter and milk to it. Then it becomes high
calorie, high fat and probably less healthy. It is better just
microwaved, boiled or baked, period.


Who are "most people"? I'd like to meet them. I'd also like to meet the
person who eats baked potatoes without adding some butter, sour cream or
even some other additions.

I do when I'm sick. The insides of the potatoes calm my tummy when it's
upset. Plain boild potatoes do the same thing.


Part of the problem seems to be that people understand that simple
unprocessed food is best, but there are social pressures especially
within families to eat otherwise.


Social pressures to eat? Huh. Never would have thunk it.

I think my pressure to eat is to feel good Being hungry isn't a
whole lot of fun and really takes the enjoyment out of life.



Groups like this have great intentions. Sharing recipes, etc. That is
part of the live to eat mentality however. I'll say it anyway. A
simple, vegetarian, low-salt, low-fat, low calorie diet high in whole
grains, fruit, vegetables and fiber is the healthiest way to eat. This
involves almost no cooking at all.


If you don't like cooking why are you here? You aren't going to convert
anyone to vegetarianism if they like to eat meat by making such postings
here. We have a few contributors who don't eat meat but they also don't
subsist on raw veggies and uncooked, either. And you're fooling yourself if
you think Shredded Wheat hasn't been processed. Perhaps you should learn to
read a few labels.

While I agree with some of his/her theories about eating a lot of raw
foods, I also eat a lot of cooked foods including meats. Sorry, I'm not
about to give up steak for no one! But the OP can call me vegetarian if
they want to since I do eat a fair amount of raw veggies each day but
then I eat a fair amount of cooked veggies too. So I also wonder why
the OP posted but maybe just to open up discussion. I have some pretty
weird views on food so can understand how the OP's views may sound weird
to some. Less cooking likely is healthier but those darn animals don't
want to stand still while I take a bite out of their leg. IME if you
cook them first, they tend to be a little more co-operative

Jill

wrote:


Groups like this have great intentions. Sharing recipes, etc. That is
part of the live to eat mentality however. I'll say it anyway. A
simple, vegetarian, low-salt, low-fat, low calorie diet high in whole
grains, fruit, vegetables and fiber is the healthiest way to eat. This
involves almost no cooking at all.


So... why are you posting this to rec.food.COOKING, if I may ask, politely?

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

"cathyxyz" wrote in message
news
wrote:


Groups like this have great intentions. Sharing recipes, etc. That is
part of the live to eat mentality however. I'll say it anyway. A
simple, vegetarian, low-salt, low-fat, low calorie diet high in whole
grains, fruit, vegetables and fiber is the healthiest way to eat. This
involves almost no cooking at all.


So... why are you posting this to rec.food.COOKING, if I may ask,
politely?

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

Too logical, that question. :-)

wrote:

I was going to agree with you until I noticed your *second* error,
which makes me think you're intentionally trying to mislead us.

First, if you microwave, boil or bake a potato, it's considered

Some consider microwaving worse than any other cooking method. There
have been several articles on this. They often re-appear in health food
store magazines.

COOKING. Second, oatmeal isn't "oats plus water." It's either "oats
plus boiling water plus lots and lots of time," or it's
"overly-processed oats plus boiling water." Third, you're against
salad dressing. Even assuming olive oil isn't actually *good* for you,
what's the problem with, say, lime juice? Ginger juice? Vinegar?
Mixed with herbs, naturally. Something still called "salad dressing."

The things you mentioned may not occur to the OP as salad dressings. My
favourite is a splash of fresh lemon juice. I'm not sure if I think of
it as salad dressing or just another fruit/veggie component of the
salad. OTOH, I have better things to do than to ponder the issue. You
are quite right that so many things can be used to accentuate the
flavour of salads besides the high sugar and fat bottled dressing in the
stores.


Obviously, then, you need to think about your argument a *little* more.

Personally, I'm a fan of simple, unprocessed foods . . . which doesn't
mean I don't need a cookbook. Almost every day I eat broccoli,
carrots, red peppers, butternut squash, and a whole grain or two
(looove wheat berries). Frankly, though, it gets a bit dull to eat
them plain, uncooked, and by themselves. (The butternut squash is
particularly difficult.) Chopping them up and tossing them with, say,
lime juice, cumin, cilantro and jalapenos makes them much more
interesting, and, oddly, doesn't change them into -- AIEEEE! --
"cooked" food.

Which is why I've got several hundred natural, vegetarian, nearly
fat-free soup and salad recipes. And, if I needed to find more, I'd
come to a newsgroup like this, where the people are by and large
knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful.

The irony of the whole post - you are actually advocating processed
foods. Oatmeal, shredded wheat, microwaved potatoes are by no means
"unprocessed"!! I am yet to see fat-free milk available naturally!!

By the way, our family has been vegetarian and eating healthy for
generations, but we have the usual share of family suffering from blood
pressure, diabetes, heart disease, even a case or two of obesity(maybe
the percentages are less than the general population. but so-called
healthy folks have to eventually come down with something too:-)).

- Kamala.

wrote:
It seems the best food isn't cooked much or is cooked in a plain
manner. Oatmeal is just oats plus water. Likewise, Shredded Wheat is
only whole wheat with no added sugar, etc. Add a few blueberries,
strawberries or banana to that and it makes a very nutritious
breakfast. Lactose-free fat-free milk adds essentially no fat. You
don't need to add salt either. Salads and fruit are best just as they
are without adding dressing or cheese or croutons.

Most people agree that a potato is good food until you fry it or mash
it and add salt and butter and milk to it. Then it becomes high
calorie, high fat and probably less healthy. It is better just
microwaved, boiled or baked, period.

Part of the problem seems to be that people understand that simple
unprocessed food is best, but there are social pressures especially
within families to eat otherwise. When your wife/husband prides
themselves as a cook, it becomes a personal insult to them if you do
not eat their food, never mind the fact that everyone in the family is
overweight. Kids feel cheated if you do not take them to McDonalds,
etc.

Groups like this have great intentions. Sharing recipes, etc. That is
part of the live to eat mentality however. I'll say it anyway. A
simple, vegetarian, low-salt, low-fat, low calorie diet high in whole
grains, fruit, vegetables and fiber is the healthiest way to eat. This
involves almost no cooking at all.

Glitter Ninja wrote:

writes:


"overly-processed oats plus boiling water." Third, you're against
salad dressing. Even assuming olive oil isn't actually *good* for you,
what's the problem with, say, lime juice? Ginger juice? Vinegar?
Mixed with herbs, naturally. Something still called "salad dressing."


I love pico de gallo on my salads instead of dressing. I can't wait
until we get some good tomatoes at the local markets so I can make a
batch.
I would consider making pico de gallo "cooking" even if I don't warm
up a pan or oven to make it. You have to prepare it per a recipe,
anyways. And I love potatoes, but they have to have SOMETHING on them.
A little olive oil and kosher salt on the outside when baked, maybe.
"Non-cooked" potatoes will make you sick as a dog, anyways.

Stacia


Stacia, that is a good point! Some veggies can be eaten cooked or raw
but others really need to be cooked. My list of really need to be
cooked - turnips, rutabegas, parsnips, squashes, potatoes. I'm not sure
if uncooked potatoes will make you sick. I've been known to pop a piece
or two into my mouth when cutting potatoes up for cooking. I haven't
suffered any ill effects but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen.

writes:

haven't you heard that skin is really, really, really, really bad for you?

Don't tell me I'm actually going to *learn* something in this thread.

I thought potato skin was GOOD for you. Something about all the iron
and minerals in dirt working their way into the skin.

Wow: it's sounding stupid to me and nobody's even responded yet.

I think Dee is being evil and mean to us. *pout* I thought potato
skins were good, too. They have potassium and... I dunno, fiber or
vitamins or aphrodesiacs or something.

Stacia

~patches~ wrote:

Glitter Ninja wrote:

writes:


"overly-processed oats plus boiling water." Third, you're against
salad dressing. Even assuming olive oil isn't actually *good* for you,
what's the problem with, say, lime juice? Ginger juice? Vinegar?
Mixed with herbs, naturally. Something still called "salad dressing."



I love pico de gallo on my salads instead of dressing. I can't wait
until we get some good tomatoes at the local markets so I can make a
batch.
I would consider making pico de gallo "cooking" even if I don't warm
up a pan or oven to make it. You have to prepare it per a recipe,
anyways. And I love potatoes, but they have to have SOMETHING on
them. A little olive oil and kosher salt on the outside when baked,
maybe. "Non-cooked" potatoes will make you sick as a dog, anyways.

Stacia


Stacia, that is a good point! Some veggies can be eaten cooked or raw
but others really need to be cooked. My list of really need to be
cooked - turnips, rutabegas, parsnips, squashes, potatoes. I'm not sure
if uncooked potatoes will make you sick. I've been known to pop a piece
or two into my mouth when cutting potatoes up for cooking. I haven't
suffered any ill effects but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen.


Summer squash, and to a lesser extent rutabagas, are good raw. Just
slice them thin.

Bob

wrote:
It seems the best food isn't cooked much or is cooked in a plain
manner. .. A
simple, vegetarian, low-salt, low-fat, low calorie diet high in whole
grains, fruit, vegetables and fiber is the healthiest way to eat. This
involves almost no cooking at all.


May I ask how old you are? And what general health problems run in your
family?


I ask because I've had a change of heart on this subject. At one time I
subscribed to the idea that most health problems could be avoided with a
diet something like the one you describe. Now I would say that the
subject is vastly more complicated than that. The reason for my change
in opinion comes down to:


1. Noticing that it's not true.
2. Getting older and getting some health problems myself.
3. Talking to my parents who have some health problems themselves.


I'm glad for the media attention to the connection between diet and
nutrition on the one hand to health and longevity on the other. The
problem I see with it is how easy it is to go making a recommendation
based on the majority of participants in a study to making a
recommendation for one particular human.


Here's the classic example: The vast number of Americans eat too much
and don't get enough exercise. This has been shown to be linked to
heart disease which is a major health problem in America. Heart disease
kills too many of us. That last statement too often gets shortened to:
Everyone needs to cut down on their fat intake and exercise more. And
that's just not true!


There are many healthy diets. It depends on the individual. It's not
just the individual's body type and nutritional needs. There are taste
and desire needs too. Some of us are happy with rather plainly cooked
food. Others of us go crazy without flavor and spice.


The problem of finding something to be true for one group of people and
applying the findings to a larger group is something the medical
establishment and the counter-culture vegetarians can both be guilty of.


Another example: You state that people who become vegetarians for a few
weeks find that meat starts to smell rotten to them. I've seen
variations on the claim that meat starts to make people sick when they
eat it after a long abstinence. And yet I've known lots of people this
hasn't applied to at all. I've been vegetarian on and off for long
periods of my life, and when I've gone back to eating meat, it has
tasted good and made me feel fine.


--Lia

"Julia Altshuler" wrote in message
...

I ask because I've had a change of heart on this subject. At one time I
subscribed to the idea that most health problems could be avoided with a
diet something like the one you describe. Now I would say that the
subject is vastly more complicated than that.

The original Moosewood cookbook, a "vegetarian classic" from the late 1960s,
was loaded with cheese and milk in its recipes, as sources of protein and
variety in taste. Probably contributed to quite a few early deaths.


Another example: You state that people who become vegetarians for a few
weeks find that meat starts to smell rotten to them. I've seen variations
on the claim that meat starts to make people sick when they eat it after a
long abstinence. And yet I've known lots of people this hasn't applied to
at all. I've been vegetarian on and off for long periods of my life, and
when I've gone back to eating meat, it has tasted good and made me feel
fine.

Some people get god-awful cramps if they don't eat cereal for a week, and
then have a big bowl of something with serious fiber, like raisin bran.

"Bob Myers" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...

Groups like this have great intentions. Sharing recipes, etc. That is
part of the live to eat mentality however. I'll say it anyway. A
simple, vegetarian, low-salt, low-fat, low calorie diet high in whole
grains, fruit, vegetables and fiber is the healthiest way to eat. This
involves almost no cooking at all.

OK, so you don't wanna cook. That's fine for you, but
what on Earth are you doing HERE? Just trying to become
an evangelical non-cook, or what?

Bob M.



Just a guess, but do you remember The Whiners, from early Saturday Night
Live episodes? They'd go into restaurants and immediately begin whining
about their diverticulitis. The routine was enough to cause the illness. :-)

Peter Aitken wrote:

"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...

wrote:

Why not do both..live a long time and enjoy life including eating. Food
preference is just that. If you do not eat meat for a couple of weeks,
it begins to smell rotten to you, for example. Yes, there is evidence
that a high-fat diet suggested by eggs, dairy, meat is not good for
you. You can eat egg whites and throw away the yolk though, and drink
nonfat milk and eat very little meat. Then you don't have to call
yourself a vegetarian.



Or I can still eat fish and chicken and call my self a vegetarian just to
annoy people.

Best regards,
Bob


Hey you're annoying me g!


He's not annoying me. He could eat jelly beans all day and call himself
a clown for all I care Why people get hung up on labeling the way
others eat is beyond me. If they just worried about their own diets and
let others do as they choose, it would so pleasant.

BTW, I'm a *vegetarian* but only for lunch and sometimes for dinner, a
don't eat red meat on Fridays, worshipper of the holy garden, meateater
the rest of the time - I just don't eat white flour, white sugar, corn
syrup, commercially canned/processed most things, candy, fast food, and
there's likely others. But I am *vegetarian*, really I am!